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Pointing to a shaded corner of Emily Howland Elementary School's room 212 on Saturday, Gaglianese explained that in 1970, the fourth-grade teachers decided to conduct an experiment.

"They created open classrooms," he said. "It was a sign of the times."

The Scipio man said instead of having structured lessons, he and his classmates were encouraged to move among the educational stations, reading in one corner and playing scientists in another.

"It really turned into mayhem near the end," he said. "The kids basically had pillow fights."

Although Gaglianese said the teachers abandoned their experiment before the end of the year, the memories he made during his time at Emily Howland lasted long after he graduated from the Southern Cayuga school district.

So before the 57-year-old school closes its doors for good at the end of this 2012 school year, Gaglianese said he was happy to take advantage of a chance to say his goodbyes.

"It's been great today, seeing the classrooms," he said. "I can just go room to room to roam and remember."

When it came to reminiscing, Gaglianese was hardly alone.

At least 100 people — comprised of alumni, community members, students and both current and retired staff — trekked to the Poplar Ridge elementary school Saturday afternoon to enjoy one last glimpse of the soon-to-be-closed school at a community open house.

With most of the attendees gathered in the school's gymnasium, snacking on finger foods and sharing stories with classmates and friends, Superintendent Mary Kay Worth pointed out notable guests and thanked the community for paying their respects to Emily Howland.

When asked if she was sad her school is closing, current-student Kaya Shelton, 7, nibbled on a slice of cake before answering.

"Not really," she said, explaining she was excited to see her new classroom.

Identifying gym as her favorite part of school, Shelton said she would miss Emily Howland's spacious gymnasium.

Amy Hand, a lifelong Venice resident, said she had never visited the inside of the school before Saturday's open house, even though, as a former school aide and bus driver, she worked with and ferried the area's children.

Knowing the place Emily Howland holds in the community's heart, Hand said she was sad the school district was consolidating its buildings.

"I think it's a shame they're going to close it," she said.

Shirley Calhoun and Marie Fenner, lifelong friends and Emily Howland alumni, agreed.

Although the friends were the last class of students to graduate from the original Emily Howland Elementary School in 1954, both called closing the school a mistake.

"I think it's terrible, the worse thing they could've done," Fenner said.

Calhoun concurred.

"I worry about the small children being up with the high school kids," she said.

But although many lamented the impending closure of Emily Howland, many agreed that through memories, the spirit of the school would live on.