OK, so after seeing this place on the UER DB, I simply HAD to go there and shoot the place at night, so I planned a trip from Dallas through Texarkana the first night, then down to Rodessa the 2nd night, and on to Shrevepport for the third and final night of the trip.

I arrived in Rodessa about 3:30 in the afternoon, and immediately drove around and parked behind the school, at the dirt turnaround at the end of Elder rd. (which is at the end of School Rd).

The access point 2X used has been sealed over, but there is another way in, and I used it to get inside and recon the place for my night shoot. I spent about an hour walking the entire school, noting shot locations and ideas. When I was done, I left and drove to another school in the area that I planned to shoot that same night. I checked it out as well, then drove down to Vivian, LA to get some dinner before returning to Rodessa to start shooting that night.

When I got back to Rodessa, I parked in the exact same spot I had been in earlier, walked around to the cemetery and took a couple shots of the graveyard and school; took about 15 minutes. I then made my way to the access point and entered the school. I started out shooting the gymnasium. I had pulled off about 2 marginally decent shots when, outside, I could see a spotlight panning around. I figured it was probably one of the nearby local residents, having noticed my car, coming to check out why it was there and what was going on. I packed up my stuff, and planned to step outside to do my usual routine when this sorta thing happens, but as I was getting packed up, I kinda noticed the spotlight was moving in very straight lines...as though it were attached to something...like maybe a police car. I peeked out the window, and sure enough, it was a police car, having driven around the back of the school from the east end, and was disappearing around behind the back of the gym, headed towards the cemetery! I pondered what to do...I'm normally perfectly willing to walk up to any law enforecement and come clean about what I'm doing, show them the pictures on my camera, etc., so they can see I'm not a vandal or tagger. But as the car disappeared around to the cemetery, I thought..."hmm...better to not encounter the police at all than to have to explain myself...", so as soon as the police car was out of sight of my car (as it rounded the NW corner of the gym), I dashed to my car, threw everything in and drove off...quietly, but quickly!

Well, I guess she saw me somehow, because as I reached the corner of Thomas Rd & Hwy 168, she met me there, with lights blazing; she had used the Hwy 168 exit from the cemetery. I got out and walked over to her cruiser, as she rolled down the window. She of course asked what I was doing, where exactly where I had been (I never admitted I actually entered the building; I just told her I was around behind the school), and I went into my usual routine; I'm a night photographer, I shoot old abandonments, I don't mess with or damage anything, etc...and I offered to show her the pictures on my camera (I woulda shown the graveyard shots only, of course; no interiors!). She didn't wanna see them, but she did lecture me about the fact that I was trespassing, and that the place isn't safe, and that someone at some point had setup a meth lab in there, and she mentioned the story 2X mentions about her catching some ghost hunters in there as well. She let me go, but warned that if I came back, I'd better have permission from the Caddo Parish School District.

Needless to say, I acknowledged her excellent suggestion, thanked her, and went on my way!