TRAVERSE CITY — Three years ago, Jim and Ida Tompkins donated $3,000 to replace an outdated sign near the entrance to Traverse City Central High School.
The black and gold marker on Milliken Drive prominently displays an image of a Trojan, the east-side high school's mascot.
Correction. Displayed.
Its outline remains, but the Trojan picture on the sign's south-facing side is missing — an act of apparent vandalism that Ida Tompkins said is disappointing.
"It's just so irritating that people destroy things like that," said Tompkins, a retired Traverse City Area Public Schools employee and the namesake of its Webster Street headquarters.
She and her husband graduated from the school in 1950. They first learned the image was gone the morning of Aug. 18, when Tompkins said a neighbor walked by the school and noticed the damage.
She wonders if it was a prank and hopes someone comes forward.
"It's going to cost something to repair it," she said.
Metal studs can be seen poking out of the black silhouette where they once held the roughly 3-foot-high logo in place. The picture on the reverse side is intact.
Rick Vandermolen, Central's principal, saw the damage this month when he drove to work. He filed a report with Traverse City police.
City police Capt. Brian Heffner said he hopes the department can generate tips from the community. Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to call the Silent Observer Tip Line at 947-8477.
Vandermolen plans to contact the vendor to begin repairs. School or district funds will have to cover the cost, which he thinks could be at least $300.
"I hope it wasn't a student who goes here because we really try to build a culture that makes the students proud that they attend Central," he said. "We do want the people who did this to understand the severity of what we're talking about. It's not a cheap fix."
Repairs will cost less if the logo, a custom piece, is recovered in one piece. It then could be reattached instead of replaced.
Vandermolen said anyone with information should call his office or city police.
"I don't even want to know (callers') names if they're not comfortable telling me," he said, adding he only wants to know how to find the culprit.
Central's main office line is 933-3500.
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Related Photos
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This Traverse City Central High School sign shows the missing Trojan image. Jan-Michael Stump/Record-Eagle
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This Traverse City Central High School sign shows the Trojan image. Jan-Michael Stump/Record-Eagle
Trojan from TC Central's sign remains missing
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