I have in mind making this column a report on progress by the Pea Ridge Historical Society toward opening the white concrete block building on the downtown school campus as a Heritage Center for school and community history and as a meeting place for civic clubs, family events and other community organizations. At different times through long years, the building has served as the school shop, the hot lunch room, a general classroom, Home Economics, art room and for the S.E.E.K.
program.
The Historical Society is leasing the building through an agreement with the Pea Ridge School District. The building will remain as school property, but will be available to the Historical Societyin conjunction with the Historical Museum, and to other community groups on a fee basis. The Historical Society has plans to develop heritage displays in the building, including Pea Ridge School Sports history, College and High School Band and Music Education history, Agri-Shop history and vocational education, the heritage of our outlying rural schools, and commemorations of the great old school buildings which have served our community since 1874.
Some progress has already been made toward interior cleanup, and the main room is basically ready for use as a meeting place. The original main room offers meeting space measuring about 25 feet by 40 feet. Some outside maintenance and renovation is planned for early spring. This will include some carpentry repairs, scraping and painting of outside walls, adding exterior lighting and landscaping work.
We need the help of our newspaper readers and the wider community in a number of areas. We hope that especially those who attended Pea Ridge School will rally to the cause.
First, we are looking for information to help pinpoint the periods of time when the building was used for certain purposes.
For instance, we know that in the late 1920s it was being used as an Agri-Shop building. Russell Walker remembers sliding down the fire escape at the back of the old College Building to get to Agri Shop class in the white block building.
We know that in the mid-1940s it was the school’s hot lunch room and that it continued as the school cafeteria at least into the mid-1960s. Most recently, it has been headquarters for the S.E.E.K. Program.
We’d like to hear from those of you who attended school at Pea Ridge at any time, especially from those who were in school in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
Do you have memories of classes and other activities held in the white block building? You can helpus pinpoint which years the building was used for which purposes.
Secondly, we are looking for help in furnishing and equipping the building for its uses. We need a kitchen range with oven, a 20-gallon water heater, a good refrigerator, microwave oven, food mixer, pots and pans, tables and chairs, table cloths, tableware, etc. We’d appreciate hearing from anyone who has items to donate, or items to offer at a good price. Donations of time and labor will also be helpful. We can use carpenters, painters, electricians, plumbers, and general handymen. Call 621-1621 to volunteer.
Can someone tell us just when the building began to be used as a lunch room - 1930s or 1940s? When was the kitchen added?
Can you help us name those who cooked and served food for the school classes through the years?
Does anyone have pictures of Pea Ridge basketball teams from the 1920s and 1930s?
How about school band pictures or other items, either from the days of the Pea Ridge College Band, or pictures of thelater PRHS School Band organized in the 1980s? We have one of the original uniforms from the 1980s, handmade by Zula Patterson. We can use a variety of pictures of school band activities and other musical programs and events.
Do you have pictures of buildings or students and teachers from any of our outlying Rural Schools, like Twelve Corners, Central, Cross Lanes, Sassafras, Possum Trot, Corinth, Bayliss, Clantonville or Shady Grove? Does anyone have pictures of Pea Ridge High School graduating classes prior to 1946?
Does someone have classic carpentry andwoodworking tools, blacksmithing tools or small agricultural tools?
We are excited to celebrate and make better known the heritage of Pea Ridge Schools, in academics, leadership, sports, music, and training in trade skills like carpentry; and we invite all Pea Ridgers to join in.
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Editor’s note: Jerry Nichols, a native of Pea Ridge, is a retired Methodist minister with a passion for history. He is vice president of the Pea Ridge Historical Society. He can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected], or call 621-1621.
Community, Pages 5 on 01/25/2012