In a sharply split 4-3 vote the school board has named the new stadium at Liberty High School the “Donell Woods Stadium.”
Chairman Lily Baker and members Mattie Hicks, Charlie Frasier and Harold Woods (brother of the late Donell) voted in favor. Opposed were Carol Guyett, Becky Carter and Marcia Anderson.
That name was suggested by alumni of the “old” Liberty County High School. Woods was a graduate, teacher and coach at Liberty High, although many people associate his name with Bradwell Institute where he later taught and coached.
The school board asked for public input on a name for the stadium, which is now under construction. The name Donell Woods was suggested by the Liberty County High Combined Class Reunion Committee, which did not specify how many members it had.
One individual also recommended Donell Woods for the name.
A survey of the LCHS staff overwhelmingly endorsed Liberty County High School Stadium for the name with 36 votes. Panther Stadium got 27 votes from the staff.
Trailing in the distance were Panther Den, 2; Woods Arena, 1; and Donell Woods Stadium, 2.
Not all suggestions which received only one or two votes were reported.
The LCHS students surveyed disagreed with the school staff, casting 498 votes for Panther Stadium. Liberty County High School Stadium - favored by the staff - trailed a distant second with students who gave it 61 votes. “The Jungle” got 19 votes, Panther Den, 30 and Donell Woods Stadium or Woods Stadium, 10.
The LCHS student council endorsed Liberty County High School Stadium and asked that the field not be named after any individual.
Other suggestions included The Swamp at Donell Woods Field, Liberty Field and Overtax the Citizen Field.
One writer wanted the field to be named in honor of Christopher Turner, an HIV victim who accepted his degree from a wheelchair amid a standing ovation in 1998. He died soon after.
Chairman Lily Baker and members Mattie Hicks, Charlie Frasier and Harold Woods (brother of the late Donell) voted in favor. Opposed were Carol Guyett, Becky Carter and Marcia Anderson.
That name was suggested by alumni of the “old” Liberty County High School. Woods was a graduate, teacher and coach at Liberty High, although many people associate his name with Bradwell Institute where he later taught and coached.
The school board asked for public input on a name for the stadium, which is now under construction. The name Donell Woods was suggested by the Liberty County High Combined Class Reunion Committee, which did not specify how many members it had.
One individual also recommended Donell Woods for the name.
A survey of the LCHS staff overwhelmingly endorsed Liberty County High School Stadium for the name with 36 votes. Panther Stadium got 27 votes from the staff.
Trailing in the distance were Panther Den, 2; Woods Arena, 1; and Donell Woods Stadium, 2.
Not all suggestions which received only one or two votes were reported.
The LCHS students surveyed disagreed with the school staff, casting 498 votes for Panther Stadium. Liberty County High School Stadium - favored by the staff - trailed a distant second with students who gave it 61 votes. “The Jungle” got 19 votes, Panther Den, 30 and Donell Woods Stadium or Woods Stadium, 10.
The LCHS student council endorsed Liberty County High School Stadium and asked that the field not be named after any individual.
Other suggestions included The Swamp at Donell Woods Field, Liberty Field and Overtax the Citizen Field.
One writer wanted the field to be named in honor of Christopher Turner, an HIV victim who accepted his degree from a wheelchair amid a standing ovation in 1998. He died soon after.