GRAYSON COUNTY, TX - Perrin Elementary has taken its "final flight” as students and staff celebrated the end of the last school year.

Although the building will remain standing, it will no longer be an elementary school for Sherman ISD.

It's a school with a long, rich history and close to many people's hearts. Mystic Matthews talked to some of them and joins us with more.

Perrin elementary opened its doors in September of 1959. But once Perrin Air Force Base closed, so did the school.

It reopened as part of Sherman ISD a few years later. Now the school is closing once again, for the last time.

Perrin Air Force Base opened in December of 1941. Almost two decades later, Perrin School was formed.

Dr. Donald Rice was the first principal of the new campus housing 1st through 6th graders.

Dr. Rice says, "Perrin AFB was open at time and all the kids lived in the housing addition. They were great kids and we loved them and their parents were super."

Perrin School remained open for several years as a school for military kids, until the base closed in 1971.

"We had no more children to come out, parents were transferred."

So the school closed. But just a few years later, in 1975, the U.S. Military turned to school over to Sherman ISD and they reopened Perrin Elementary.

Jennifer Irwin, a 4th grade teacher says, “It is a unique thing to be part of the military then close and reopen as a public school system."

Perrin housed grades Pre-K to 4th grade for the next 33 years. Now, Perrin Elementary is closing once again. And the students and staff here will attend Neblett Elementary in the fall.

Irwin says, “The new school is very exciting, beautiful and new opportunities. But this school has so many special memories."

It was a bittersweet celebration for those who spent time here.

Former student Molly Hubbert says she will miss Perrin and the history it stands for, "It’s been here for so long and so many don't know about Perrin but it’s a great school and I enjoyed being here and that's definitely part of what makes it so great."

Dr. Rice says, "I'm very proud. When you start the beginning, it really means a lot personally."

But teachers like Irwin say they are looking forward to the change, “Change is good, but we are hoping to take the spirit of Perrin and take that to Neblett."

Teachers tell me Sherman ISD will continue to use the Perrin building. Even though officials have not decided what to do with the building, there are no plans at this time to tear it down.