The demolition of Lewis Elementary School built in 1951 is underway. Construction of the new school is expected to be completed in time for the 2025 school year. Since the demolition began Excelsior Springs residents past and current have been sharing their memories about the school and are sad to see it go. Excelsior Springs resident Sharon Heath-Marriott remembers attending Lewis Elementary in the early 1950s when the school was new. “There wasn’t even a playground and each day started with prayer,” Marriott said. “We would memorize books from the Bible every day.” Lisa Rogers Stock of Excelsior Springs graduated in 1979 and attended Lewis Elementary in 1973 before Robert Grace painted the iconic tiger in the gymnasium. Stock said she hates to see the painting go and wishes there could be a way to save it from demolition. Her fondest memory while attending school was a bomb scare in the 1970s. “They brought dogs into the school,” Stock said. “All the students had to go into…