Change is the one thing in this world that seems a constant.

As comforting as it would be for things to never change, that is just not the way of the world, so trying to fight change is a futile endeavor.

Often, people will try to revisit a certain joyous time in their lives only to discover they cannot quite recapture the magic that made the time so special in the first place.

Right now, change is afoot in St. James Parish. The western end of the parish on both sides of the river is being dedicated more and more to industry, and the residential areas in those places are shrinking. Consequently, the futures of the schools in those areas, Romeville Elementary School on the east bank and St. James High School on the west bank, are in question.

The school system has talked about moving St. James High to a location near the intersection of Louisiana Highways 20 and 3127 and closing Romeville Elementary entirely. And while no final decision has yet been made in either instance, the discussions have drawn some fierce opposition from local community members.

On Thursday night, a group of parents met with teachers, administrators and school board members to discuss the future of the school, and many expressed a desire for Romeville to return to its former glory.

Unfortunately, with industry taking up more and more land in the area, Romeville’s time as a residential community may be coming to an end. As difficult as this may be for some to face, the change is already happening.

Nobody wants to see the place they grew up fade into memory. Everybody wants the opportunity to be able to go home again. But fighting change often just delays the inevitable with sometimes dire consequences.

Whatever decision is made regarding these two schools, the students — not teachers, not parents, not industry — must be the main concern.