function preloadImages() {
  if (document.images) {
    var imgFiles = preloadImages.arguments;
    var preloadArray = new Array();
    for (var i=0; i < imgFiles.length; i++) {
      preloadArray[i] = new Image;
      preloadArray[i].src = imgFiles[i];
    }
  }
}

preloadImages('newsite/pics/award1.gif','newsite/pics/award2.gif','newsite/pics/award3.gif','newsite/pics/opening.jpg','newsite/pics/openingtitle.gif','newsite/pics/headline1.gif');