Power Goes Out Monday at Harrison Street School—But All Is Well

Geneva's East Side elementary school had a little excitement today, according to a note on 304 Connects from Harrison Street School Principal Shonette Sims.

Sims said the power was out from about 12:20 p.m. and back up around 1:45 p.m.—and the students and staff handled it all calmly and with good humor. Some classrooms responded by using the natural light of the outdoors, and second- and third-graders ate lunch in dimmer-than-usual light, but classes were in session in the afternoon and carried on as normal.

"They were so funny at lunch, saying how romantic it was to have lunch by flashlight," Sims said.

Public Works Director Dan Dinges said there was a small outage in the area caused by a blown city of Geneva fuse. The outage was in an area of East State Street to Woodward Avenue and from Howard Street to Harrison Street. Dinges said 37 customers were without power for about 83 minutes.

Dinges said a fuse blowout can be caused by almost anything—damage by an animal or a falling tree limb—and the fuses act a little like the fuses in your home, tripping so that power isn't lost in other areas.

For the students at Harrison, it was simply another learning experience.

"Our students are to be commended for their excellent response," Sims said. "We are very proud of them!"