And That's A Good Thing


One of the oldest traditions at Corinth High School is painting the overpass at 4th Street and North Madison or "The CHS Bridge," as we called it. I'm sure there was a point in time when it had no graffiti on it, and it wasn't a point of contention. But as far back as I can remember, kids have used it as their "artistic canvas," if you will.

When I was at CHS, and this was back in the 80's, there were certain events and times of the year when it was sure to happen...

Each year, the night before the school year began, the new senior class would congregate and have their way with the bridge. Some classes were more creative than others, but it usually boiled down to names, comments about the "awesomeness" of the senior class and various other things. It would remain on the bridge, untouched, for a few days, and then it was fair game.

Rivalries between the different high schools was another reason the bridge got painted. Usually a few hours after a football or basketball game between CHS and one of the county schools, you'd find all sorts of rants and raves splattered all over it. If someone took it too far, there was always talk that a fight or confrontation would ensue.

Eventually, the town tried to put a stop to it. The cops started cracking down, arresting kids if they were caught in the act. Fortunately, none of my group of friends were ever caught. At least as far as I know. For awhile, I think they had a handle on it. Efforts were made to keep a fresh coat of paint (a nice khaki color, if I recall correctly) on there, and maybe there was a committee of sorts, comprised of CHS students, that was deployed on a weekly basis to keep it maintained. Ultimately, though, I think the town just embraced it for the most part. I'm sure the cops will do or say something if they catch someone in the act, but I don't think they spend too much time on it.

Anyway, I was in Corinth back in August of 2010 and figured I'd get a picture of it. I always find myself driving by the old high school, reminiscing about the good ol' days. So when I passed by the bridge, and it was painted in all its glory, I decided to get a shot of it.

Some things never change. And that's a good thing...