I knew I could find a “pre-fire” photo which shows the exact spot of the “Rice is the clue – where is this” picture. “rj” was correct in his identification. It IS of the custodians office and boiler room in the basement of SOSS, roughly below the stage area of the Venables Auditorium. In the mid 1960’s it was also where the maintenance superisor for the district in those days, Bill Rice, had his work desk. Comparing the two pictures, you can see the painted walls, the small black sign with the red lettering, some of the elecrical panel boxes above the desk and the lighter walls exactly where tack boards were placed to outline daily rosters and notices for the workers. Thanks to Leza Macdonald for this photo.which is one of nearly 1000 she took for archival purposes only a few months prior to last September’s fire. – contributed by John Chapman
Rice was the engineer for many years – and his office was below the back part of the stage area near the boiler and the chimney. This concrete is still intact at SOSS. About 75 percent of the basement has been ground up in a crusher operating in town with no complaints.