Many residents in Fayetteville and Cumberland County have difficulty understanding the concerns raised by school board members and some residents regarding the recommendation that the new E.E. Smith High School be relocated and constructed on a 90-acre track of beautiful tranquil land on Fort Liberty. Land, I might add, that is being donated by the U.S. Army, saving Cumberland County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

My question is: what's not to like about that? Stryker Golf Course is a practical and convenient location for a new and much-needed Cumberland County high school. A technologically advanced, state-of-the-art E.E.Smith high school, beautifully centered on land originally landscaped and sculptured by the world-famous golf course designer Donald Ross. The school is dedicated to one of Fayetteville's most renowned educators and statesman, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith.

I can only surmise that those who oppose Stryker Golf Course as the location of this new high school facility are conflicted and confused between sentimentality, history, fiscal logic and community responsibility.

Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith was a remarkable man: newspaper publisher, soldier, diplomat, pastor and three-term president of Fayetteville State University until he died in 1933. I learned much about this local educational icon from Heidi Beasley, Director of the Fayetteville History Museum, when I visited E.E. Smith's home at 135 Blount St.

Smith's newly renovated home tells the story of Dr. Smith's massive contribution to education at all levels. It is an impressive Fayetteville historic asset now on the National Register of Historic Places. Undoubtedly, those generations who graduated from E.E. Smith High School have a strong sentimental connection to the home of the Golden Bulls at 1800 Seabrook Ave.

The good news is that the facility is not going away. The proposed Fort Liberty site is a more practical 21st-century location with easy central access to the educational needs of Fayetteville, Fort Liberty, and Cumberland County children. The Fort Liberty school and location reflects a modern, thought-out educational vision with many additional and substantial benefits to the Fayetteville, Fort Liberty, and Cumberland County community.

It will significantly benefit our economic vitality and solidify our partnership with our military neighbor. After all, Fort Liberty wants the best educational facility for its soldiers and military families. The new state-of-the-art E.E. Smith High School will be just that.

Fort Liberty donating the land will save Cumberland County millions of dollars allowing the county ample finances to construct a facility equipped with the latest educational technology to inspire 21st-century creativity and innovation. The new high school will speak volumes of our long-term educational commitment to the children in our community; modern technology, spacious modern classrooms, and multi-purposed sports facilities will all be on a plot of historic land, creating a serene educational environment with room to grow and expand.

With all these advantages and circumstances, it's hard to imagine why anyone would oppose such a lucrative opportunity and partnership with Fort Liberty. Truth be known, the majority of students currently attending the existing E.E. Smith High School would prefer the latest in STEM education to assist them in preparing for college and future careers over historical sentimentality.

A note of caution to Cumberland County Commissioners and CC School Board members: time is of the essence when discussing and considering the need and location for this new high school. Fort Liberty wants a new high school, which is needed now.

It will take years to build, and the longer the project is delayed, the costlier it will become. Who will say how long Fort Liberty's generous offer will be available? With the vastness of the installation and proximity to Hoke, Harnett, and Moore Counties, we surely don't want to risk having them investigate other options to achieve their educational objectives.

Think of the millions of federal dollars Cumberland County education would lose if we were not educating their children. Cumberland County Commissioners and the Board of Education need to prioritize responsible stewardship of taxpayer money and our children's academic future.

Besides, think of the goodwill, publicity, and worldwide notoriety Fayetteville and Fort Liberty will receive from having the only educational institution designed and built on a 78-year-old Donald Ross golf course named after the area's most respected and renowned statesman and educator, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith.

In closing, I want to say I'm incredibly proud and grateful to the Orange Street School Historical Association for their ongoing efforts to preserve the history of that neoclassical circa 1915 structure. The Orange Street School is the city's oldest educational building and the original E.E. Smith High School. This 109-year-old building is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Our Cumberland County Commissioners have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to preserve and honor the memory of Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, one of Fayetteville's most significant Black educators and community leaders.
By partnering with Fort Liberty to construct a new E.E. Smith High School on Stryker Golf Course, they will ensure the educational futures of generations to come while making thousands of E.E. Smith alums proud that they participated in securing their school's position in Fayetteville and Cumberland County's educational history books.

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