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The Student News Site of Prospect High School

ProspectorNow

The Student News Site of Prospect High School

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Clocks don’t withstand test of time

By Spencer Ballclock
Executive Online Editor

As school opens its doors once again after a sweltering summer, the graduated seniors’ footprints are replaced by those of much smaller and timid creatures, freshmen.

Freshmen are known for having a fair share of blunders their first few days of high school, whether it be stumbling into the wrong classroom or getting their lunch money stolen from an upperclassman.

Luckily, this year freshmen will have one less thing to worry about. With the replacement of digital clocks for the old analog ones in the hallways, the possibility of freshmen going to the incorrect period is diminished.

According to Associate Principal Greg Minter, the various analog clocks that line the hallways were installed the same time that Prospect was built in 1957, resulting in their current state to be less than consistent.

“The digital clocks are a real improvement,” Minter said. “After about 60 years, I think that it’d be time for an upgrade.”

However, all of the old clocks have yet to be replaced, and still loom over most of the halls. Technology Systems Supervisor Rudy Gomez stated that more will soon be cropped up.

“We’ll be accelerating the installation once school gets under way and the normal school year is well off,” Gomez said. “Hopefully, by the end of first quarter we’ll have [digital clocks on] the first and second academic floors.”

Along with the replacement of older clocks, Gomez had mapped out the school for any areas where there weren’t any sort of time-telling device and will be adding digital ones there.

All non-freshmen students should have a sense of familiarity with the digital clocks, as they are same as those located in every classroom. However, this form of electronic clock hadn’t always been used.

Just until three years ago, Prospect utilized an aptly named clock system known as Smart System, which was used for 12 years and controlled the clocks, TVs and projectors in the classrooms.

“That system was nearing its end of life, as there were no more parts available and it wasn’t cost effective,” Gomez said.

Gomez then made the switch to the current clocks, or message boards, due to their consistency and the ability to display messages upon them.

With the inevitable replacement of the older clocks, a question arises on what should be done with antique devices. According to Minter, Social Science and World Language Division Head Gary Judson had an idea for what to do with the clocks.

The clocks are of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) origin, and Judson had known someone who really wanted the clocks and will auction them off at different IBM events, donating the money gained back to Prospect.

“Although [the clocks] aren’t necessarily worth anything now, I think some of the IBM execs will think that they’d be really cool pieces to have in an office, as they were one of their original products,” Minter said.

Finally, the answer to many students’ question as to where the clocks had gone on the multiple TVs in the library and cafeteria is a simple one.

Due to the higher influx in time-telling devices, Gomez decided to remove the TV clocks in order to provide more space for the messages on the televisions.

 

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