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Good news for Scrabble School
Springtime has heralded good tidings for the Scrabble School project.On Monday, April 7, Foundation president, Bob Lander, gratefully received news of the Lowes/National Trust for Historic Preservation grant with a sigh of relief after 5 years of effort by the Foundation's Directors and untold number of "Friends of Scrabble School". Lander added, "Our first mission is accomplished for the most part, and we now begin in earnest our next phase of making the Heritage Center a place for education, learning and a destination along Virginia's part of 'The Journey Through Hallowed Ground'." Scrabble School has been associated with the Journey partnership since its inception. Support has aSpringtime has heralded good tidings for the Scrabble School project. lready been pledged by local donors for funding the continuing research, planning and installing the permanent and revolving interactive displays planned for interpreting the history and legacy of Scrabble School and its students. Additionally, on June 14, the Rappahannock Wine and Food Consortium will host "Gourmet Rappahannock" at The Link in Sperryville for the benefit of the Scrabble School history project.
From a dream of several local Scrabble School Alumni including the late E. Franklin Warner in the mid-1990s, the Scrabble School Preservation Foundation was founded in 2001. The Foundation of "grassroots" volunteers and benefactors accepted the task of first saving the old derelict building while developing a concept for the site that would benefit the community and serve as the repository of African-American history in education and culture during the years that the school was in operation. In November 2004, the County Board of Supervisors concurred with the Foundation's request to conduct a feasibility study and provide a recommendation for the reuse of the site. The following year, again in November, the Supervisors approved reuse of the site for the dual purposes of a Senior Center and Heritage Center. The Foundation and its multiplying "Friends", secured monetary support from community donors and grant funding to bring the dream to a reality. In November 2007, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development awarded the Scrabble School project a $200,000 grant to rehabilitate the building for a Senior Center. This grant has been matched one-to-one by private donations, foundation grants, other state grants and County contribution, all gathered through the efforts of the Foundation. The Supervisors approved unanimously to proceed with the project.
Currently, construction plans are being finalized, bid requests will go out in May and construction is anticipated to begin early Summer 2008. The actual date for "ribbon cutting" will be determined after the selection of a contractor by the County. The expected date of completion is in February 2009.
So from a dream to reality, much work by many local people saved a derelict, historic property from slipping into oblivion and with it part of the rich history of Rappahannock County. The community, with the Foundation, acknowledges this successful endeavor.
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