A piece of Fairmont’s history may be preserved for future generations thanks to the efforts of a newly formed group.
In the last six months, the Dunbar School Foundation Inc. has gone from an abstract idea to a reality.
Dunbar School has a special place in the county’s history. It was built in 1928 to educate the county’s black students. The building housed a combined grade school and high school, and successfully educated black students for more than 25 years.
In February 2007, Dunbar School was emptied when the student population was combined with that of the former Miller Junior High in West Fairmont Middle School. In June, the Marion County Board of Education voted unanimously to move ahead with the sale of the former Miller building, but hold off on the sale of Dunbar.
At the time, MCBOE members had expressed the hope that a way could be found to give the school to the Dunbar Homecoming Association. But since the group is not a nonprofit organization, that’s not possible.
Dunbar Homecoming Association member Charlotte Meade said she believed it would be possible to organize group members and alumni into a nonprofit organization to preserve the building.
And that’s exactly what has happened.
Foundation members recently presented their progress to the Marion County Board of Education.
Since June, the new Dunbar School Foundation Inc. is well on its way to becoming a nonprofit group. The all-volunteer group’s goals include: Completing the nonprofit status, maintaining the school and preserving heritage, enhancing the culture of the area, providing a meeting space for community groups and developing a repertoire for a Marion County black history museum to be located at the school.
Foundation President Houston Richardson said they are working with several different firms to get things completed at the school to get it insured and ready to occupy.
He said several community groups have offered to help write grants to keep the project moving.
Foundation member Greg Hinton said at the group’s first meeting folks were encouraged to think big, dream big, to get an idea of what is needed in the community. The foundation’s goals were born of that meeting. They’re also working on year-round community events for people from age 8 to 80.
Superintendent of Schools James Phares said he intends to recommend the board give the foundation ownership of the building on a year-by-year basis.
“They just need a little more time,” he said. “I think they’re serious, and I want our attorneys to work out an agreement with them.”
Board members also expressed their support for the foundation and its work.
So the future looks bright for the group’s efforts to preserve Dunbar School. And in so doing, future generations will benefit from the action to save another piece of Fairmont’s history.
Opinion
Group’s work to preserve Dunbar School worthy of praise
- Opinion
-
-
Superintendent, BOE must find accord if schools are to progress
We’re a little confused.
In October, an item appeared on the agenda of a Marion County Board of Education meeting to hire an administrative assistant of Human Resources and Student Support Services. But the item was pulled from the agenda with no public discussion about why, and the position was not filled. -
George Esper: Outstanding man as correspondent and WVU professor
Many West Virginians would no doubt be shocked to learn that the outstanding correspondent from the Vietnam War was a West Virginia University graduate from Uniontown, Pa.
His name was George Esper, one familiar for many years around the WVU School of Journalism for his tenacious coverage of the Vietnam War that established him as a highly revered print reporter of the 20th century. -
Hiding state records has no place in a democracy
In private business and personal life, people may hide some activities, exercising their right of privacy. But government is different.
-
Results about Twitter, free from censorship
So Twitter announces that it will allow country-specific censorship. What followed was #outrage, #disbelief, #protest, #RighteousIndignation, #TwitterBlackout and #rage.
-
West Virginia must develop plan to fulfill highway needs
There is no dispute that improving West Virginia’s roads is one of the state’s biggest needs.
We use them daily — out of necessity and for pleasure.
They’re also vital to West Virginia’s economic health. -
Best interests would be served if FGH and city both move on
In December, Marion County Circuit Court Judge David Janes ruled that the Fairmont General Hospital Board of Directors can appoint its own members and that the City of Fairmont’s charter no longer applies to the hospital.
-
Educational partnership a step in the right direction
Officials involved in a new educational partnership between Pierpont Community & Technical College and FirstEnergy Corp. call the endeavor a “great opportunity.”
We think it’s even more than that. -
Meth causes senseless waste, terrible damage in West Virginia
Terrible damage is inflicted on West Virginia — and upon abusers and their families — because dopeheads feel compelled to blank out their minds with drugs of many sorts. We can’t understand the sad need that impels them. It causes a senseless loss to society and individuals, filling prisons and wrecking jobs.
-
Limited funds for workforce training can’t be wasted through drug abuse
There’s only so much money to go around when it comes to workforce training. And with the national economy still in a bit of a slump, there’s even less money to go around and even more of a reason to make the money invested in these programs count.
-
A better way to choose presidential candidates?
Forty-seven more primaries to go.
If you feel like it’s been a wild Republican primary election season, with accusations of sexual misconduct, candidates coming and going, who makes how much and more, just remember one thing. There are 47 more primaries to go. - More Opinion Headlines
-
Superintendent, BOE must find accord if schools are to progress
