Sunday a dream came true as the doors officially opened for theMississippi School of the Arts.

It is a dream that spans generations of Brookhavenites, from theearliest days of Whitworth College to those who have struggled inrecent years to preserve the historic landmark.

It is a dream of others who worked untold hours creating aneducational institution from scratch.

It is a dream of students searching for an opportunity to reachfor the stars and nurture their God-given talents.

Walking through the Johnson Institute and the old Y-Hut severaltimes over the last few weeks, I have been amazed at what has beenaccomplished.

Dilapidated buildings only a few years ago defied gravity withtheir failed roofs and structural systems. Those buildings thatshould have collapsed long ago now stand tall and secure.

Where a few short years ago there were empty, crumpling,mildewing, musty classrooms now stand fabulously-restored spacesfilled with desks and tables waiting for students to again fill theair with laughter and discussion.

Walking upstairs in Johnson Institute, the oldest building oncampus located directly behind Lampton Auditorium, I walked intowhat was the old campus library. A few years ago, thousands of oldbooks lay scattered across the floor and broken bookshelves showedthe results of a vandal’s restlessness.

Now there is a dance studio with floor to ceiling mirrors,balance bars and other instructional equipment. The twenty-foothigh ceiling gives drama to a room that soon will be hostingstudents honing the skills and talents that one day could take themto the stages of New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Riding the elevator to the top of the new eight-story dormitorythat now overlooks Brookhaven, I was awed by the view of the campusunderneath.

It was not that many years ago that some criticized the effortsof the Brookhaven Trust to save the campus. There were those whosaw the buildings as an eyesore and thought the centrally-locateddowntown property would be better suited as a parking lot!

In 1858, when Milton Whitworth founded Whitworth College, it wasdone so with a dream to create an educational institution thatwould benefit not only Brookhaven but Mississippi. During the late1800s and early 1900s Whitworth College did just that — educatingyoung women from not only Mississippi but from places as far awayas Chicago.

This afternoon, the Rev. Whitworth’s dreams are being revived asthe campus that once carried his name buzzes with activity of youngmen and women in search of their own dreams.

At the same time, dreams of community and state leaders, who sawthe vision of just what could be accomplished, will berealized.

And once again, the campus will serve as the hub of the socialand economic development of southwest Mississippi.

This is a landmark day in the history of Brookhaven and LincolnCounty. It is a landmark day for Mississippi as this state’s andthe city’s investment in the creative arts education becomes areality.

A lot of work has been done but much work remains.

Funding is still needed to build the second dormitory and finishrenovating Cooper and Enoch Halls. We have come along way, and westill have a ways to go to reach the school’s full potential.

It is an exciting time, one full of hopes, expectations anddreams.