Senior High holds topping off ceremony
A small crowd braved the sub-zero temperatures
ISD No. 595 dignitaries
Tom McDonald of Construction Engineers explains history of a toping off ceremony
Tony Palmiscno, ISD 595 School Board Chair, Thanks the citizens of East Grand Forks
Workers place the final beam.
A small crowd braved the 17 below zero temperatures to witness the topping off ceremony held at Senior High Thursday morning.
Tom Mcdonald of Construction Engineers started the ceremony with a short speech on the history of the ceremony followed by ISD 595 Chair Tony Palmiscno who thanked East Grand Forks for making the construction possible.
“Topping out” a new building is an ancient Scandinavian rite of placing a tree atop a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits displaced in its construction. Today it is common for the last beam to be painted white and signed by all the workers involved.
