AN APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL
There is only one remaining building still standing that is suitable for a public monument, and which played an important role in James Dean's life. That building is Fairmount High School, built in 1898, where he attended high school for four years.

What makes Fairmount High School such a perfect choice as a permanent, national monument to James Dean is the fact that it played such an important role in forming him into the actor he became. It was during this time when he was first exposed to acting, under the watchful eye of Fairmount's Speech and Drama Teacher, Mrs. Adeline Nall.  By the time he graduated in 1949, he was firmly convinced that he wanted to become a professional actor. This is the place where Jimmy"Deaner"Dean, the Indiana farmboy, became James Dean, the immortal actor.

THE PLAN
The James Dean Performing Arts Center will include the completely restored stage and auditorium where a young James Dean first performed, as well as the third floor classroom where he first studied acting. Many of Dean’s classroom fixtures still exist in their original form, and will be incorporated into various public venues highlighting his accomplishments and enduring influence on American culture. The original stage and auditorium will be restored to their original configuration, and Mrs. Nall's drama and speech classroom will be used for an exhibit of James Dean memorabilia.