Board, students sign steel beam for new facility

The Cassville school district marked a significant milestone in the construction of its new Performing Arts Center (PAC) project with a topping out ceremony held at the construction site the morning of Feb. 19.

A topping out ceremony is a construction tradition celebrating the progress of the project. The informal ceremony was held when the final structural beam was placed, symbolizing the completion of the building’s frame.

Traditionally, during a topping out ceremony the final beam is adorned with flags, banners or other decorations to signify the occasion. In some cases, a small tree, known as a “topping out tree,” is also attached to the beam as a symbol of growth, good luck and prosperity for the future of the building. This tree is often a pine or spruce tree and is traditionally placed on the structure’s highest point.

During the Cassville ceremony, an American flag along with a blue spruce tree were attached to the final beam. The blue spruce will be planted at the PAC at a later date.

In addition to the items that were secured to the beam, a section of the beam was painted white by district maintenance staff. District board members, high school administration and fine arts students and teachers gathered to sign the white section of the final beam before it was raised into place.

The Performing Arts Center, once completed, will be a 28,000-squarefoot facility with seating for over 800 guests, rehearsal space for students, classrooms and dressing rooms.