Although it was open for only a decade, Granite City High School North still holds the hearts of students and teachers who went there. Now an effort is underway to memorialize the school in a bronze statue in front of the Granite City High School gym.

Dan Comer, a member of the school's class of 1982, is leading a push to raise money to erect a statue of "Steeler Man." The Steelers was the name of the school's athletic teams. Comer wants the statue to be a brawny-looking steelworker, wearing a hard hat holding a steel beam saying "Steelers."

"We just want to make sure that North High School is not forgotten," said Comer, 47, who runs a lawn service. The high school at 4950 Maryville Road opened in 1973 because of an increase in enrollment and closed when enrollment declined in 1983. The Sam Wolf Granite City Campus of Southwestern Illinois College occupies the former high school.

Comer said he'd like to have people from each class on a committee to work on the project, which could cost $20,000 to $38,500 for a 6-foot bronze statue.

Even though class pictures hang in the current high school's hallways, some trophies are in the district's hall of fame building and copies of the "Ingot," the Granite City High School North yearbook, are in the high school media center, officials said they can see the need for a memorial.

"I told him it was perfect timing," high school Principal Jim Greenwald said.

The school district is in the midst of a $2 million project to enlarge the gym lobby and add corridors to the front of the gym; the project should be done by late April.

"Part of what the plans are is that there will be an area enshrined for North High School," Greenwald said.

The statue would be in a courtyard between the existing girls' dance studio and the new south corridor. Windows in the corridor would enable people to see the statue from the outside of the building.The Granite City School District's school board was scheduled to vote on the proposed gift at its meeting Tuesday.

Two board members taught at Granite City High School North; both said they like the idea.

Board member Walt Whitaker taught physical education and was head wrestling coach. "The number of students gave us a chance to almost know everybody," Whitaker said.

Board member Ron Dillard, chaired the drivers education department. "We were a fairly close knit group there." Dillard said.

Contact reporter Jim Merkel at 618-344-0264, ext. 138