Picking up a piece of her childhood, Marjorie Moser remembers her good ole' days at the old Hickman School house. It's where she graduated from highschool in 1948 and even had her first date with her husband.

"It's kind of sad, you'd almost like to keep it forever but that isn't how this world goes," said Moser, who picked up pieces of bricks knocked lose by bulldozers tearing the building down, Monday.

The school house turned apartment building was condemned last April after an inspection by the Lancaster County Health Department found numerous health and safety violations.

"Plus, the roof on the gymnasium in the back part of the building was collapsing," said Hickman City Administrator, Brett Baker.

As a result, about 20 people were forced from their apartment homes - some, having to leave their belongings behind because of the buildings dangerous condition.
Tuesday, remnants of their lives littered the now demolition site.
But Baker says the move was necessary and the city is excited about pushing forward and the development opportunities waiting behind the buzz of the bulldozers.

"The actual site will have three residential homes on it which will then be back on the tax-roll and generate property taxes," said Baker. "We're ecstatic, as the city, that we can redevelop this area."

While Baker is excited for the next stage of the property, he understands the memories the old school building generates for former students like Brad Moser and his mother who visited the site during it's second day of demolition.

As Marjorie recounted the beginning of the rest of her life, her son Brad took more interest in capturing the moment with the click of his camera.

"Good to take pictures of it I guess. I don't feel bad about it or anything. It's photo opportunities for me," said Moser.

Baker expects the demolition to take a few weeks and says the city is also working on plans for a memorial site on part of the property to honor Lancaster sheriff's deputy Craig Dodge, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance at the apartment in 1987.