East Panhandle Times

Dozens of members from the West Virginia Masonic organization gathered on Saturday to dedicate the cornerstone of the new Hedgesville Learning Academy. This ceremony is one of only two public events held by the organization, with funerals being the other.

During the event, a cornerstone was laid in the northeast corner of the building, following a tradition that dates back centuries. "We got our start with the craft guilds that laid stones for all the great cathedrals in Europe," said Grand Master Steven Moss of the West Virginia Grand Lodge. "When you’re laying a building, the most important stone to lay is the cornerstone because it determines where all the other stones go."

The cornerstone for Hedgesville Learning Academy is specially crafted and decorated to mark its placement and acknowledge current leadership at the board of education. Alongside this, a "casket" was placed inside, intended to be opened when the structure is eventually demolished. Moss explained, "When this building eventually gets demolished, hopefully 150 or 200 years from now, we’ll pull that casket out of there and open it up and remember all the things that happened when that thing was laid."

Contents within this casket include letters from students and staff at local schools, a copy of The Journal dated Jan. 14, 2025, a school logo concept and design, as well as "Charlotte’s Web" and a mask commemorating the coronavirus pandemic.

The first masonic cornerstone in Berkeley County was laid on May 3, 1879. Since then, fourteen such dedications have been conducted for public buildings and churches.

The new Hedgesville Learning Academy will be located across North Ridge Road from Hedgesville High School. It will be a 28,000-square-foot pre-kindergarten center with eight classrooms for 160 students. A future expansion will add four more classrooms totaling an additional 7,100 square feet.

Construction began in October 2024 with an expected completion date by December at a cost of $11.8 million. Moss expressed hope for future cornerstone ceremonies as several new schools are planned for construction in Berkeley County.