COEUR d’ALENE — Coeur d'Alene High School's graduating class of 1959 never went to the CHS campus located on north Fourth Street because it didn't exist yet.

Those youngsters went to high school where Lakes Magnet Middle School is now, and they're still making their mark on their old stomping ground.

"All of us from the class of 1959 went here to Coeur d’Alene High School," Judy Drake, retired Coeur d'Alene School District administrator, said to a crowd in the Lakes breezeway. "We have watched so many people walk through these corridors, so we have a real connection with this school."

To celebrate that connection, graduates of the class of 1959 joined with faculty, teachers and students Wednesday morning to dedicate the new "Freedom Shrine" the '59 grads donated to the school.

The Freedom Shrine is a mural that chronicles American history, from George Washington crossing the Delaware and the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the Civil War, Pearl Harbor and beyond.

"It’s honoring those who have fought for and support our freedoms," Drake said. "The teachers, the military who have supported those freedoms, firefighters, all of those who work diligently all of the time to support the freedoms that we enjoy.”

The shrine includes 19 replicas of historical documents, such as the Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation, that are on plaques and positioned throughout the timeline.

"I think it's a wonderful thing, especially in this day and age," said '59 grad Tom Frankovich of Athol, who lived two blocks from the school when he attended in the '50s.

"This wall here represents what we're really still fighting for. This is a current battleground," he said. "Our younger generations are losing sight of this and this is exactly why they’re still able to go to school, but we’ve got to start paying attention and pass more of this down to the next generation."

The art was completed by detention monitor Ryan Allen, who worked 30-50 hours on the project since the beginning of the school year and just put the finishing touches on Wednesday morning.

"I feel like it's one of the most important things you can teach the younger generations: respect for history, respect for our forefathers, our veterans," Allen said. "I just hope that a few kids take interest and start asking questions and try to learn more."

And students have already taken interest. Seventh-grader Kadence Simmons, 12, shared that she admired Allen's painting choices in utilizing bright gold with the darker colors and eighth-grader Sonjya Jensen, 13, enjoys the artistic representation of Sacagawea in the Lewis and Clark Expedition section.

"That's my favorite story and my favorite thing in history," Sonjya said.

Eighth-grader Ayden Vosburgh, 13, said the mural is a great way to utilize the space of the once blank breezeway wall.

"People can come and just look at all the history that the country has had," he said. "If our history teachers teach us something and we see it on the wall, that could kind of spark a thought in our heads."

The graduates also presented the school with a check for $1,000 to support various programs. They purchased the "freedom shrine" display through the National Exchange Club, a service organization with the values of community, family and country.

Lakes Principal Jeff Bengston said they are accepting ideas for titles for the "freedom shrine," which he describes as above and beyond what was expected when the project began. Lakes phone: 667-4544.

"I want to thank the class of ’59 for what they’ve done for this and what they’ve done for Lakes," Bengston said. “We’re very much appreciative.”