After 82 years, Catholic High gets air conditioning

LITTLE ROCK, AR - The saying "dog days of summer" is especially applicable at Catholic High School in Little Rock. That's because over 82 years at two different campuses, for the most part, there's been no air conditioning. There is, however, a dog, Zeke, who has lived on-campus for about the last eight years.

"It makes the days longer," student Jack Shields said about the lack of air conditioning. "Sometimes your arms get sweaty. Your papers will get wet."

Now though, it's out with the old and in with the new. Here's the explanation:

"Our walls are banked with windows," explained Assistant Principal Matt Dempsey, "and because of the lack of air conditioning, we keep them open."

And therein lies the problem. Basically, new technology works a whole lot better -- with the windows closed.

"When you see these electronics," Dempsey said while pointing at a Promethean board, "and you see the venting on the backs of them where air flows through as the fans cool the equipment, you'll see very quickly how that becomes clogged with dust and pollen."

So finally, in 2012, the a.c. is going in.

Students like Jack might think it's for their comfort, but Dempsey says -- not so much.

We asked him if the school would be getting air conditioning if there was no problem with the electronics. His response?

An emphatic "no."

Right now, workers are installing air conditioning in the school's gym and cafeteria. Eventually the entire school will have it, but Dempsey says that could take anywhere from another one to three years.