District to dedicate Freddie E. Grace Jr. Theatre

Freddie E. Grace Jr. Richland One will hold a special ceremony at 4 pm Sunday, February 7 to dedicate The Freddie E. Grace Jr. Theatre at W.G. Sanders Middle School, 3455 Pine Belt Road.

The Board of School Commissioners voted unanimously to rename the Keenan Theatre in Grace’s honor and memory, acting on a recommendation from a board– appointed ad hoc committee that received overwhelmingly favorable public input on the proposal.

Grace, who was the district’s lead orchestra teacher, died April 28, 2009, following a brief illness. He touched the lives of hundreds of students at schools throughout the district during his 26 years of dedicated service to Richland One.

He was one of Richland One’s first orchestra teachers and was serving as an orchestra teacher at Keenan High, Hyatt Park Elementary, and E.E. Taylor Elementary. At Keenan, he also was the assistant marching band director, assistant varsity girls’ basketball coach, and head junior varsity girls’ basketball coach.

The dedication program, which will last approximately an hour, will include student musical performances and tributes from some of Grace’s former students and colleagues and his wife, Robin.