Greensboro Daily Photo

Western High School Art... Polaroid Mural

Western HIgh School, located between Friendly Avenue* and West Market Street, is one of Greensboro's directional schools.** The student body consists of approximately 1,300 students. The above photo is a series of several photos painted on the hallway walls. The Polaroid paintings of clouds rest in front of recognizable tourist spots. The above photo covers the Statue of Liberty. Butterflies anchor the Polaroid to the wall. As the butterflies morph from egg to larvae to pupae and adults, so do the high school students..... freshman, sophomore, junior, senior..... when both are ready to fly away and forge a new life. 

Art in public schools is so inspiring and hopeful. The Polaroid mural is the kind of art that allows you to notice something new every time you look at it. Is there inspiring art at your alma mater. It is the weekend so we're out in search of more art.

*Thank you, Jane, for catching this error. We meant Friendly Avenue, NOT Center.

** We also have Northwest, Northern, Northeast, Eastern, Southeast, Southern, and Southwest. Taking the last point on the compass rose, Northern High was the last of the directional schools to be built.

Dudley's Panther and Tyca Clowning Around

Tyca the clown and the Dudley Senior High School panther-mascot were out entertaining children during the MLK parade in January. Tyca the Clown was incorporated in 2007. He is frequently seen around town twisting balloons into all kinds of shapes for children to enjoy. Children know him by name and respond gleefully to his rainbow hair, outfits, expressive face paint, as well as to his animated persona in general. His address is listed online as 4425 South Danby Castle Road, Greensboro NC, 27407. Unfortunately, we didn't see a website or phone number. However, SOMEBODY must know how to get in touch with Tyca as he is seen working everywhere!

The suited panther, represents the royal blue and gold Dudley High School off of East Lee Street. Children enjoy waving and interacting with that furry larger-than-life creature. When you see him, you can be pretty sure that the Dudley band or sports team is somewhere nearby!

Happy Friday folks. Also, happy Skywatch Friday. We're sharing this photo with the rest of the sky-loving world.

Taylor Art Gallery at NC A&T, The Student Show

In the above photo: Twas the night before February 1st at the Taylor Art Gallery at Dudley University Galleries on the campus of NC A&T University. Students and staff alike were working diligently to have the Annual Student Art Exhibition ready for viewing the following day. February 1st is an extremely important day on the NC A&T campus.  Yesterday, the three living members of the Greensboro Four* and the son of David Richmond** were on campus for a breakfast and presentation. University students, faculty and staff; public school students; and community members alike had an opportunity to be part of this great event. Given all of the visitors and media attention regarding the remembering of the NC A&T community's contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, it was a day for the campus to look its very best.

Hopefully, visitors on campus, not only yesterday but for the duration of the visit, will have a chance to stop by Taylor Art Gallery.  The student artists put considerable effort into their pieces. Visual art is a window into the mind of an artist; and time will tell, out of this generation, who will become the heroes and what will be the artifacts to be revered in future decades.

*Jibreel Khazan [formerly Ezell Blair, Jr.], Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil

**Mr. Richmond died of cancer in 1990.

Dudley High School Marching Band

Here we see a photo of the Dudley High School Marching Band marching its heart out at the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. If you are local and can be there by 11 a.m., RUN to Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive to attend the parade this year. You will see many bands from Guilford County Schools marching their hearts out; floats with participants tossing candy; adept equestrians on their horses; fraternities and sororities walking and riding with their brothers and sisters; inspirational drum lines with their cadence;  and people from all walks of life out showing respect. Participants and onlookers will be rallying for the dream of equality in America. Today is one of the top service learning days in Greensboro and, while teachers and students are out of school for this holiday, many are out making  civic contributions. Perhaps we should consider monthly service learning days. People working in concert to help those in need and combining their effort for the good of the whole community would be wonderful!

Dudley High School, located on East Lee Street and not too far from today's parade route, was founded in 1929 as the first black high school in Guilford County. Since 1971, the school has been integrated. We wish Dudley High had more history archived on their website. Dudley High School is located just down the street from Bennett College and North Carolina A&T University, two historically black institutions of higher education. Often aligned with Bennett and A&T's efforts, Dudley High School has participated significantly in some of the civil rights milestones in the city. Also, Dudley's faculty and administration have made significant contributions in our city's efforts towards intigration. Read a, now retired, former principal's narrative here. And, here is a Wiki entry listing the names of people you will recognize who attended Dudley. Go Panthers!

The Softer Side of UNCG

We close out the week with this photo of UNCG, near the railroad tracks that parallel Lee Street and and Oakland Avenue. The "softer side" in the title is reference to yesterday's photo of Sears. This is the softer side of campus because it is one little nook that has remained relatively unchanged over the last half century. UNCG has undergone a period of considerable growth and construction-- from new dorms to the New School of Education, Music Building, Moore Humanities and Research Building, and on and on (map here). If you haven't been on campus in a while, you should start your visit at one of the old landmarks, like the Foust Building or the Steam Plant & Sink Building (above) or you just might not recognize the place. Even Spring Garden Street has changed.

Enjoy your Friday the 13th and stop by Skywatch Friday to see the blue skies above your favorite cities around the world. In the meantime, we're busy planning our our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities for Monday. For sure, we will be at the parade (more here). As for the UNCG Campus, Monday's holiday will be a HUGE day for service learning projects in honor of Dr. King.

UNCG's Mighty Steam Plant Building

From the back yard of Beef Burger on West Lee Street, one can get a great view of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro's  Mighty Steam Plant (constructed in 1924). From the steam plant, heat lines/pipes travel all across campus. Through manholes and steam tunnels, the steam shop maintains all steam and condensate lines once they leave the steam plant. The steam shop also maintain all steam equipment for hot water and building heat (reference). Steam travels to about 62 buildings on campus where it is used for heating, humidification, and to heat water (reference).  There is a whole world underground providing energy for UNCG. 

We wish more were written about this intriguing building. For example, we would love to know the height of the stack and how it has withstood high winds for 88 years. We'd love to know if the tiles on the main building are from Greensboro's own Pomona tile factory. What is the carbon footprint of the facility? What UNCG building uses the most steam? A retired faculty member remembers taking her laundry there to be cleaned in the 1960's and recalls that linens for the dorms and dining services were laundered there. Is that still done?

Do you have any stories about the building? It seems to us that it would be a great setting for a novel. And, oh, how different it would be to tell someone to meet you in the stacks of the library vs. meeting you in the stack of the steam plant building!

 

NC A&T Homecoming 2011

This weekend is homecoming for North Carolina A&T State University and at least 40,000 people are participating in this much-anticipated annual event. North Carolina has eleven historically-black colleges and universities (HCBU) and NC A&T, with over 10,000 students enrolled, is the largest in North Carolina. NC A&T was established in 1891 with the mission of helping African-Americans prepare for careers in science and engineering. In its 120 year history, this institution of higher education has amassed an impressive list of alumni, many of whom are recognized internationally in their respective fields. The University is credited with playing a major role in the Civil Rights Movement. 

This weekend's homecoming activities include: bowling and golf tournaments; a conference and meeting; an alum scholarship game; alumni reunions, dances, dinners, church homecomings, a homecoming parade, tailgating parties, countless student events, and a football game. The above photo, taken on Elm Street early yesterday evening exemplifies the mood of the crowd: upbeat, enthusiastic, personable, and thrilled to be part of this special event.

For a list of HBCU homecoming events around the nation, visit here. To learn more about HBCU's in general visit here. Seeing the reflection of the former Kress Department Store in the windows above makes it possible for us to participate in Weekend Reflection which catapults this photo of Aggie Pride into the international arena! Go Aggies!

L is for Lindley, John Van Lindley

John Van Lindley (1838-1919) was a Greensboro Quaker, Civil War soldier, civic-minded horticulturalist and pomologist.  Of English ancestry, Lindley was known as a leader among the "progressive and public-spirited men of the Piedmont. While his financial interests and business successes were many (including owning Pomona Terra Cotta Works), maintaining and working in his nurseries was always Lindley's first love. The Pomona Nurseries alone consisted of 900 acres and 11 greenhouses in Guilford County. Lindley also had a 350 acre nursery in Kernersville. The nationally-involved horticulturalist also owned nurseries in Southern Pines. George A. Grimsley described Mr. Lindley in the following manner: "Withal he is quiet and unassuming, prompt and careful; indeed, he attributes his success in life to his careful attention to every detail of his varied business, and he finds great gratification in the fact that he has been able to promote the progress and welfare of that section of the country in which he lives as well as the State at large." Quote found in In the second volume of the Biographical history of North Carolina by Samuel A'Court Ashe.

Many public areas in Greensboro and Guilford County are located on land donated to the city by the Lindley family and still bear the Lindley name: Lindley Park (which contains Greensboro's Arboretum), Lindley Pool, the Lindley Park neighborhood, PTI's Lindley Field and, the above-photographed Lindley Elementary (established 1928). Today, we celebrate ABC Wednesday's "L" alphabet day with John Van Lindley, who helped keep the "green" in Greensboro. (See A-K here). Read more on Lindley here. We wish we had a photo to post but there isn't even a Wikipedia entry on this man who features so prominently in the history of our community! The one photo we found is in a pdf file in Ashe's book (volume 2).

Fall is For Football..... and the Grimsley/Page Game

Fall is the season of football, from high school to college to the pro games, most Americans have vivid memories of attending and watching football in the fall. Football transitions us from hot sunny days, where one gets a stadium sunburn, to chilly days where plaid woolen blankets and hot chocolate are about the only thing keeping spectators in the stands. In Greensboro, this past Friday's fall weather was just perfect for the annual Page/Grimsley game, held at Jamieson Stadium. Page and Grimsley are arch rivals and while in some sports (like ladies' varsity volleyball) Grimsley dominates, for sure, Page dominates in football.

The 54-game rivalry found Page victorious Friday. It was the fifth year in a row for the proud Pirates. Grimsley blue was dominated by Pirate red every step of the way right down to the 49-0 final score (read more here). On both sides of the stadium, the crowd was well behaved and school spirit was mighty strong. Here's to fall football, healthy rivalries, gracious winners, gracious losers and respectful fans. Regardless of which of our 17 high schools with foodball teams* wins at the local level, let's hope that Greensboro is well represented in the state playoffs so we can all cheer for our district. Happy Monday, everyone; happy fall football, aficionados. 

*(Guilford County has so many special programs, we hope our count of 17 is accurate. If not, please let us know and we'll come back in and correct the number).

Jackson Library

This is a photo of the back part of Walter Clinton Jackson Library on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The original, brick portion of the library (barely visible in this photo) was constructed in 1950. The original portion of Jackson Library was built to replace the Carnegie Library that had burned. This white, 9-story tower was built in the 1970's. Given its height and architectural style, the bright white tower is a landmark on campus. Clearly, it resembles a giant, glistening open book.

According to Wikipedia, Jackson Library is a selective depository for US government documents and a full depository for State documents (reference here). In addition to over 2.5 million books, Jackson Library also has an impressive collection of electronic databases and electronic journal subscriptions. Perhaps the biggest strength of the library is the reference librarians who have a great reputation for helping students and faculty find and access information. The library is named for a former chancellor. Walter Clinton Jackson came to the school as a professor in 1909, rose through the ranks in administration and served as chancellor for 16 years. 

Today, we're sharing this post with Skywatch Friday. Additionally, with a nod to Martin Handford and his book Where's Waldo? (after all, this IS a post about a LIBRARY), we're going to ask you to play a round of Where's Jane? with us. Do you see our friend?

Fox 8 at UNCG

Fox 8 News was on the UNCG Campus late last week just as clouds were rolling in over Tate Street's Aycock Auditorium. The news crew was on site to do a segment on the police department's crime prevention initiative. Theft of cars and laptops is a big issue on college campuses and police are using an SOS alert system that takes advantage of social networking systems. Police are making efforts to be more visible and are driving Segway-like scooters. Police are offering self defense classes. Read more about this initiative in the News & Record (here).

Aycock Auditorium, featured in the photo above, has been a hub of arts for UNCG since the auditorium opened in 1927. It has recently undergone a $19 million dollar renovation. You might want to try to peek inside if you are at the Tate Street Festival this Saturday. We didn't get to watch the Fox 8 segment but we're glad that they are up on current events at local universities. Let's just hope that crime is kept at a minimum all over campus and especially on this corner, right across the campus police stations.

Rolling Roads Baptist Church

Rolling Roads Baptist Church is located at 2800 Vanstory Street not too far from the Four Seasons Mall and Ben L. Smith High School. Rolling Roads Baptist is very involved in the community around the churh, as evidenced by their programs  with Archer Elementary. At Archer, Rolling Roads sponsors a Bible program. Members prepare a meal for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. On September 11th, they are hosting a pot luck dinner for the staff at Archer. This tradition of providing (optional) programs for the school harkens back to earlier decades in Greensboro, and the South, when people wore a triangular path from home to school to church (or temple) and back again.

Additionally, Rolling Roads provides food items for Urban Ministry. In these financially challenging times, the religious groups of Greensboro play a very important role in keeping people fed, clothed, and spiritually nurtured. Rolling Hills is no exception. Rolling Roads is very excited about the new floor for their fellowship hall. As you can see from the photo, the church is not one of those giant mega-churches; so a $7,000 dollar replacement floor requires individual members to be extra generous in their financial support of this modest church. 

Today's series is part of our Sacred Sunday religious series. While this feature of GDP doesn't usually generate many comments, it is amazing how many people find our website for the first time during their search for these religious institutions. We try to cast the net widely to show the religious diversity of our community.

Minerva Statue at UNCG

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Minerva, equated with the Greek goddess Athena, was the Roman goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic and the inventor of music(see here). Minerva is the official seal of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), a fact which is reported on the lengthy Wiki list of institutions of higher education that use Minerva as a logo or seal. Minerva has been featured on the University's diplomas since 1894.  This statue of Minerva, in the above photo, is found on UNCG's campus. It was a 50th anniversary gift from the Class of 1953. James Barnhill, who earned his MFA from UNCG in 1982, sculpted it in 2003. According to a page on the university's website, "Minerva's power and gesturing hand combine grace and power. The upward perspective suggests aspiration and leadership" (reference). 

The approximately 5 ft. tall granite base (peeking out of the bottom of the statue in the photo) has the four names of the university chiseled into it; something that comes in handy for those who seek to be accurate with the University's many names. 1891-- State Normal and Industrial School; 1919-- The North Carolina College for Women; 1932-- The Woman's College of The University of North Carolina; 1963-- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The Minerva statue, installed on College near Jackson Library and Elliott University Center, is worth visiting if you are ever on campus.

First Day of School

Summer vacation has ended. In Guilford County, North Carolina, today is the first day of school.By the time you see this photo, likely, those Spanish textbooks will have been distributed and seats will have been assigned to students eager to start on the path to becoming bilingual. "Aquí, se habla español," says the enthusiastic Spanish teacher........ and the journey begins. This seating arrangement enables students to work on their interpersonal communication skills. 

Teachers have this unbelievable way of making scarce resources go a very LONG way. If you are in a position to donate to a classroom, we suggest Donors Choose which is an online charity connecting you to classrooms in need. This week alone, close to 6,000 people have donated worldwide. Of course we hope you select a Guilford County teacher to help with your tax-deductible donation! If you aren't in a position to donate, thank a school employee with kind words or a card. Look up one of your (former) favorite teachers on a social network site and thank him/her. Here's to a great 2011-2012 school year. Hasta mañana.

UNCG SOE

The new School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) looks as if it has always been in this spot. It flows well with the street and other buildings along Spring Garden/Lee Kinard Boulevard. The healthy greenery surrounding the building looks well established; to this end, a mature tree on-site was saved. Upon closer inspection the building is new and special for UNCG. The building is a 110,000 square ft. "state-of-the-art" structure with spacious classrooms, lecture halls, conference rooms, and collaboratory rooms. The building is the first on campus to be designated a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building at the silver level. The LEED rating is an effort to provide national standards for determining the extent to which buildings are designated "green" (read more about LEED ratings here). Systems for water use, climate control, and light sources, efforts were developed in a way that minimizes environmental impact. 

Here we see a GDP photograph from two years ago when they were just beginning construction on the new School of Education. The Bryan School of Business, peeking out to the right of today's photo is now dwarfed by the SOE building. We recently learned that the USA ranks 12th with the share of adults holding postsecondary degrees-- ages 25-34-- (reference), perhaps the SOE at UNCG can do something about that. In the meantime, the stalwart great-grandparent, the Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry Building-- in the business of education since 1902, is getting a facelift and will be keeping a watchful eye on its successor from down the street.

Finally, if you are so inspired, there are naming opportunities available at the new SOE building starting at $15,000- $20,000. The Luther and Sally Self Auditorium has already been named, as have several classrooms and collaboratory spaces.

E is for Elliott, Harriet Elliott

In 1913, seven years before American women had the right to vote, Harriet Wiseman Elliott arrived in Greensboro to teach political science at the State Normal and Industrial School (now, University of North Carolina at Greensboro-- UNCG).  By 1935, Elliott was appointed to the position of Dean of Women for the all-female institution. During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ms. Elliott became politically and civically active at the national level, serving as a presidential appointee. In the early years of World War II, she was the Consumer Commissioner on the Advisory Commission to the Council of National Defense (1940- 1941). Helping bring WWII to a close, from 1942-1946, she was Chairman of the Woman's Division of the War Finance Committee. And, in 1945, she also served as Deputy Director of the office of Price Administration and was US delegate to the UN Conference on Education, Science, and Cultural Organization-- UNESCO (reference). She died shortly thereafter on August 6, 1947 at the age of sixty three. However, her legacy lives on.

In the above photo, you see the student union, Elliott University Center, on the campus of UNCG. For the institution's 50th anniversary, the Cone family donated money for a student union. The facility was named for Ms. Elliott because of her vision for "a place under one roof where education gained in the classroom could be extended and coordinated with the 'extracurricular' " (reference). In addition to this building, the Harriet Elliott Lectures in Social Sciences are held annually in her memory. To learn more and stay updated on the lecture series, visit the blog for last year's event (here).

 (photo from harrietelliottuncg.wordpress.com)

If we at Greensboro Daily Photo had one wish, it would be for Harriet Elliott's name and face to be featured more prominently at the Elliott University Center. It is easier to enjoy the facility and not have any idea for whom it was named than it is to go there and see references to this great woman who brought her institution national recognition. Finally, we remind you that today's post is part of the ABC Wednesday international meme and E is for Elliott, Harriet Elliott.

See our previous entries here. Stop back next week to see who we've picked for "F."

EMF/MUSEP 2011- Concert at Guilford College

In Greensboro, Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP) is soooooooooo much fun and FREE! Many people arrange a group picnic with family and friends-- bringing a cooler, blanket, and food. The music begins and you are transported into a land of heavenly music. The above photo was taken at the Guilford College/Eastern Music Festival event last Sunday. This will give you a sense of how many people take advantage of these concerts. Also, in the photo, you see the conductor giving a little boy from the audience the opportunity to "guest conduct" the group. The concert concluded with "Little Will" conducting and the EMF Young Artists Orchestra playing Stars and Stripes.

Sunday, July 17th, the Philharmonia of Greensboro will play at 6:00 at Lindley Park. The whole MUSEP schedule for the remainder of the summer can be found here. There are seven more concerts. Some people have "perfect attendance." If you are local, head out and support these musicians and this event. 

Day 180

Today, June 10th, is the 180th day of school which means that school is over for the summer in Guilford County (NC). Hopefully, teachers have inspired students to love learning; students have put their best foot forward and made every effort to excel; and parents have been there to support their children and their children's teachers every step of the way. Let us hope that this year was great for all and that next year will be even better. One sure thing about teaching and learning is that the summer gives us all time to renew dreams and to refuel for a fresh start. May your summer be everything you are dreaming it will be-- and more. Don't forget to read!

This photo was taken as busses exited Lincoln Street onto Lee Street on the campus of Dudley High School and the Academy at Lincoln. This is a busy intersection with many students walking to school. Crossing guards work diligently keeping students safe (even those who think they're too old to be helped across the street). Here is a virtual wave goodbye and a warm embrace for our Skywatch Friday friends who will be looking at that slice of sky in the background.

End of School Year

We're entering that season where the end of the school year is upon us. Today's photo was taken at a chorus concert in the auditorium at Page High School.  Concert season is winding down and, in North Carolina, end-of-grade tests are revving up. High school students are preparing for exams and final projects. Prom dresses are flying off the shelf. Most seniors know what university they will attend in the fall. It is a time of hopes and dreams.

Special opportunities, like the performing arts event event featured above, are so important for motivating students, for helping them feel connected to their community, and for building memories. Let's hope that budget cuts for pubilc eduation won't be excessively severe so that students can continue to receive a well-rounded education. Whitney Houston sang it best, "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." Our school district has 26 high schools and one of the lowest drop out rates in the nation. With so many special programs in our high schools, there is literally something for everyone. Please leave a few words of encouragement and wisdom for this hardworking Graduating Class of 2011. Sitting here, daydreaming, we can almost imagine seniors walking across that stage.

 

Caldwell Academy

Happy Monday! Today, we bring you Caldwell Academy, a K-12 Christian school that uses the classical model of education, specifically, the Trivium. The Trivium teaches in three stages: Grammar, dialectic, rhetoric. (If you are interested in knowing more about this centuries-old model of teaching, it is explained on Caldwell's website). The school started in 1984 through the vision of a group of parents interested in a Christian/classical school environment for their children. August 1995 was the first year of operation. Their facility, located on Horse Pen Creek Road, continues to expand, almost yearly. The school was named after Guilford County's Revolutionary War era hero David Caldwell who was an educator, minister, farmer, statesman, physician, and family man! He was one of Greensboro's 18th century "Renaissance" citizens. If the students at Caldwell Academy are educated to the standards of Dr. Caldwell, for sure they will be prepared for the 21st century!

This is not the most flattering photo of the stunning Caldwell Academy; however, it represents the energy and excitement as the Senior Class of 2011 prepares to graduate. The rock in the lower right hand corner says "Here we come" on the front and "thesis [check]" on the back. 

O is for Olive Street

It is ABC Wednesday and "O" is for Olive Street,  located in historic Fisher Park just east of Elm Street. The residential part of Olive Street stretches between Wendover Avenue and Isabel Street and has 22 homes. North of Wendover, near Moses Cone Hospital, Olive Street has mostly medical offices.

The houses on Olive Street and the surrounding cross streets exude the enthusiasm of the individual residents. For example, many of the Fisher Park families are wild about gardening, with azaleas and irises everywhere. The family in the above home is passionate about the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Not only do they fly a Tarheel flag, their Mercedes-Benz is painted Carolina blue! We North Carolinians take our university loyalty very seriously as exemplified by this Fisher Park family. 

Fisher Park is one of Greensboro's early 20th century neighborhoods. We've featured it several times over the last three years. See one of the neighborhood's most famous homes, here. The First Presbyterian Church is another great Fisher Park landmark. Finally, to view A-N of The Greensboro ABC Street Project visit here. Stop back next week for "P" and feel free to make suggestions for P-Z! 

 

 

Gateway Gardens and University Research Park

After nearly a decade in the planning, Gateway Gardens is a reality. It is located on 11 acres of land between East Lee and Florida Streets adjacent to Barber Park.  Greensboro Beautiful, the non-profit that brought Greensboro the Bog and Bicentennial Gardens and the Arboretum, brings us Gateway Gardens. They do so, in collaboration with Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department, as well as with the help of many private citizens. The above entrance from the parking lot is a mere prelude to the colorful, child-friendly space that blends local artwork, especially sculpture, with beautiful flora and walking trails. There is an outdoor classroom as well an many places to sit along the way. We will feature other views on Greensboro Daily Photo this week.

If you look closely at the building in the center of this photo, you will see yet another exciting venture for Greensboro. NCA&T and UNCG, the two North Carolina state universities located in Greensboro, have entered into a joint venture to build Gateway University Research Park. Anticipated to open later this year, the 64 million dollar facility will house the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, one of North Carolina's most exciting 21st century initiatives. For sure, the school will attract students from around the world who are interested in pursuing Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in the nanotechnology fields. In the meantime, with the Gateway Gardens, Gateway University Research Park and Barber Park, East Greensboro will be quite an amazing GATEWAY to the Gate City. If you have about 9 minutes, we highly recommend you watch the video clip put together about the Gateway Gardens project (read/view here). If you are interested in the Gateway Research Park, read/view here. 

Off And Running at Northern High

This Skywatch Friday photo was taken at a track meet at Northern High School last week. Students are circling the track against the backdrop of one of Guilford County's newest high schools. Were they adults, we'd say the runners were doing the 'woo-hoo" shuffle celebrating the fact that tax returns don't need to be filed today but on April 18th. 

Northern High opened January 3, 2008 with 2003 bond money at the cost of 14.4 million dollars (Rhino Times). On their website, the Nighthawks list their vision as being, "a learning community that nurtures citizens through wisdom for today, hope for tomorrow, and integrity for a lifetime."  In the spirit of having wisdom for the present, today, April 15th, they are promoting the National Day of Silence to bring attention to anti-LBGT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools (Northern's website).

May the Nighthawks and ALL students have hope for tomorrow and integrity for a lifetime. Imagine, integrity for a lifetime. Have a good weekend, doing your taxes-- or not.

 

The Sky is the Limit

When life puts up hurdles, jump! This photo was taken at a the Phoenix Invitational Track and Field Meet at Elon University last Saturday. Many high school students throughout the Piedmont Region-- including several students from Guilford County-- participated in the meet. The warm, breezy, spring weather was perfect for spending the day outside running, jumping, throwing, and shot putting. The Elon staff and students involved with this event went out of their way to make sure it ran smoothly. Elon University is about 15 miles east of Greensboro; however, its connections to Greensboro are many. Elon  has a law school in downtown Greensboro and many people who work at Elon live in Greensboro. 

On another note, in these financially difficult times, please remember that school sports programs contribute significantly to the wellness of our children. Also, practice and meets give teenagers something to do and people to socialize with in a positive, healthy environment. Let's help keep these programs intact. Like the young man at the hurdle, we are ready to JUMP into the weekend and hope you are too. Happy Skywatch Friday.

Noble Academy on Horse Pen Creek

Beep, beep, move over... out with the old, in with the new,. Noble Academy is GROWING and on the move. Formerly known as Guilford Academy, Noble Academy is located on Horse Pen Creek Road, near the Spears YMCA. On February 8th the school broke ground for their new building. The 20th-century, cabin-like building above is being moved off of the property to make way for the new 21st-century facility. We imagine they're planning to move the above structure in the night when there isn't much traffic.

The private, K-12 school caters to students who have learning differences. At Noble, students learn in classrooms with a small teacher student ratio (1:8) with a traditional curriculum, methodology and strategies that accommodate students with learning differences. As their website reports, Nobles' teachers are experts in their content area who are experienced in working with students with ADD/LD. They've been dreaming of this expansion for nearly a decade and business is booming.

This is just one of many changes in store for Horse Pen Creek Road. Have you driven there lately? 

Peace on Earth, Radiating from Guilford College

Inspired by our weekly Skywatch Friday posts, this photo is an effort to extend the art of Patrick Dougherty's 20-ft. art instillation on the campus of Guilford College. The camera is on the ground pointing to the sky through the round, maze of saplings that Dougherty bent into a beautiful work of art. See a 3-minute video about Dougherty's creative process, here. 

From saplings to Peace signs, to the sky... and beyond. Why?

Guilford College is known for its fine liberal arts education with emphasis on social responsibility. Peace and efforts for enhancing its students' global perspective radiate from the campus.  Guilford College was founded by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1837. Quakers are known for their tradition of pacifism (read more here). So, to Guilford College, to Quakers, to Patrick Dougherty, to the City Daily Photo Community that does SO MUCH to bring the world together, and to YOU our readers: PEACE! (see GDP's 2009 peace and saplings photo here). 

Stickhenge at Guilford College

Greensboro and Guilford College have been graced with a Patrick Dougherty instillation. Dougherty combines his love of nature with carpentry skills to create organic sculptures with sticks. Dougherty, whose home base is Chapel Hill, NC,  has been making these structures worldwide since about 1980. To date, he has made over 200. The one at Guilford College, constructed of locally-harvested saplings, is reminiscent of England's Stonhenge. It is twenty feet tall, round, maze-like and inviting to walk through. Stickhenge (our title) is installed in the very spot where the community enjoys MUSEP/Eastern Music Festival concerts on Sundays in the summer (see here).

Today is the first of the month which means theme day for the 1,500-ish City Daily Photo sites. The theme for March is "your favorite part of town." At Greensboro Daily Photo, we don't have a FAVORITE part of town, per se. Our favorite part of town changes based on what is happening and what we uncover. For March, we're picking Guilford College. This is such a dynamic campus that provides a quality education in a surrounding of old oak trees, brick buildings, great music and breathtaking art. Great thinking and creativity abound at Guilford College!

 

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Kindermusik

Reaching America in 1978, Kindermusik is a music/music-education concept developed in Germany in the 1960's.  The corporate headquarters is located at 203 South Church Street in Greensboro. Kindermusik introduces children to the world of movement and music as young as newborns. They have a well developed curriculum, great instruments, and talented teachers. 

With the recent news that American Express is closing its call center in Greensboro, we need to celebrate, support, and thank businesses like Kindermusik, that are headquarted in our city! Kindermusik is established in over 60 countries and home base is right here. 

Well, when life throws you lemons, make lemonade. When red cars park in the way of your picture, save them for Ruby Tuesday!

A Bennett Belle en Route

We're thinking this young woman is a Bennett Belle as she was walking down Pastor Anderson Way in the direction of Bennett College with a backpack in tow. Belles are the mascot of Bennett College, a small historically-black, women's college established in 1873. Belles have many great traditions and a very rich history. One of their next big events is a January 28th dance at Proximity Hotel which they are co-sponsoring with UNCF. Bennett College is one of the great institutions of higher education mentioned in a 2008 YES! Weekly article about "boutique" schools in the Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem region-- the Triad (read more here).

As we reflect on this week at Greensboro Daily Photo, we are thankful that Sheryl Lieb taught us more about her father's life in the produce and deli business in Greensboro. We are glad to have chatted with a Proximity Public School alumna, as she inspired us to photograph the school. Finally, we enjoyed the Lawrence Welk dialog evoked in the comments for the ZINK post.

We're glad that the weather has eased up a little bit and it is not so cold and icy out today. Stop back tomorrow for our Sacred Sunday feature. Thanks to those who helped a local scout troop with cookie sales. Our biggest order was one for twenty boxes.

War Eagle(s) Spotted in North Carolina

Auburn University is not the only home of the "war eagle" mascot. War Eagles are soaring in nearby Davie County! Knowing that Auburn University plays Oregon in football for the National Championship today, Mr. and Mrs. GDP drove over to Davie County, home of the Davie County War Eagles to take this photo. While the Davie County War Eagles fell to the Hillside Hornets for the North Carolina 2010 4-A Championship in December, they still represent quite a Cinderella Story, making it all the way to the finals for the first time in the school's history.

We're hoping that Auburn's War Eagles can represent the South and beat Oregon tonight. Regardless, here's to a good game, everyone staying healthy, and record viewership for a Monday game! Many TV sets in Greensboro, including those in the local sports bars, will be tuned to this nationally televised game.

'W' is for Watkins House

A once-neglected hill behind Bennett College on East Lee Street, is the newly-constructed Watkins House. Part of Bennett College's 2009 Capital Improvements Project, the Nellouise Watkins Faculty House is named for its benefactor and made possible by her $300,000 financial contribution. Wakins taught in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department for over thirty years. See a photo of her with President Julianne Malveaux here. 

Bennett college is a four-year liberal arts college for women with approximately 600 undergraduates. It was founded in 1873 as a school to educate newly emancipated slaves and, in 1926, it became a women's college. It has been encouraging to see the college garner the attention of famous Americans like Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou in recent years and to see the campus get a much-needed facelift. We offer this shot for ABC Wednesday with "W" for Watkins in honor of not only the building but also the still-living, vibrant philanthropist who make this building possible. Greensboro has a long tradition of educating women. UNCG was a college for women until it became co-ed in 1968. So, while for ABC Wednesday, our contribution is "W" for Watkins, it could also be "W" for women!

Fordham's CLEANERS

Fordham's CLEANERS is located at 1900 Spring Garden Street, a couple of miles west of the campus of the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Fordham is a well-known name in Greensboro. Fordham's Drug Store was open on South Elm Street for over 100 years. We're not sure if the Fordham of the cleaners is related to Dr. Fordham who worked at the drug store. We do know that the cleaners was established in 1948 and that people have been trusting them with their dry cleaning for over sixty years! We love this photo because it shows a group of UNCG students walking to campus to play a soccer on Saturday afternoon. We're going to try to get by to learn a little more about the history of the cleaners. In the meantime, if you know something, do post a comment!

In the meantime, this is our contribution to Ruby Tuesday.

Frank Family Science Center

Since we've been hanging around the Guilford College area this week, we thought we'd end the week sharing a photo of the Frank Family Science Center. The building, located on Guilford College's campus, is over 50,000 square feet. Constructed in 2000, the Frank Family Science Center was designed by the faculty who took extra effort to make the facility conducive to student/faculty interaction. The design helps with a sense of community. From the positive testimonials, it is obvious that students and faculty alike enjoy this building. It has occupancy sensors which help with conserving energy. Faculty efforts to be closer to students is one of many reasons Guilford College is featured on the website of Colleges that Change lives. Read what CTCL says here!

The little dome you see on top is the Cline Observatory. Presentations are offered monthly with the all-dome projector. Weather permitting, they offer public viewings with the observatory telescopes. The next big event scheduled will happen tomorrow on November 14th when Don Cline, from the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) will present a session, entitled "PARI: A Place to Learn about Science and Stars." Yes, this is THE Don Cline, Guilford College alum. for whom the observatory was named. HIs presentation will start at 7:30 pm.
 

Giant Playgrounds

On the weekends, in the fall, college campuses turn into veritable playgrounds-- in a good way. Between intramural leagues, fall festivals, football games, concerts, plays, and art exhibits, there is plenty for students to do. Such was the case at Guilford College this weekend. It was homecoming and students, present and former, of all ages were on campus. In the photo above, students had queued up to Cameron's Funnel Cakes at an arts festival held on the Friendly Center side of campus. The Quakers have been in the Guilford College Road/Friendly Avenue area of Guilford County since the mid-1700's, long before these roads existed! Guilford College is the only Quaker founded college in the southeastern United States. Fall is an impressive time to be on this campus!

If you like college sports, the Guilford College Quakers have some impressive sports facilities for a private school of its size. Unfortunately, the football team's last regular-season game is away next weekend, at Emory & Henry. If you want, you can listen to it on free live audio. Even better, head over to campus and take a brisk walk while the weather is still walker-friendly. The little red camper is not a permanent fixture so don't expect to find it there this weekend. Do expect to find some beautiful brick buildings brimming with history! The funnel-cake-mobile was snapped especially for our friends at Ruby Tuesday! Go Quakers!

"O" is for the Odell Memorial Building

"O" is for the Odell Memorial Building on the campus of Greensboro College in Downtown Greensboro. The building was constructed in 1922 with the "munificent" gift of local merchant J.A. Odell.  $100,000 is a generous donation by 2010 standards; imagine its impact in the early 20th century. The façade of the brick and concrete building remains as it was when it was built; the interior underwent renovations in the 1990's.  Odell Memorial is the nucleus of Greensboro College's fine performing arts program (reference here). For years, it was the meeting place for The Book Club of North Carolina's Town Meeting on Books.

If you are interested in the history of Greensboro College, you may know about the Odell Famliy. They were actively involved in the running of the college and female family members were schooled there. J.A. Odell was a local merchant who, in 1884 was elected president of the Durham Cotton Mill. Additionally, Mr. Odell mentored and raised a young man by the name of William H. Branson. Mr. Branson went on to be a prominent businessman. You can learn more about Mr. Odell and Mr. Branson by reading Mr. Branson's genealogy (here) and in another article (here). They both lived by the work ethic of their day: "Men rule best who have served most faithfully in every sphere to be ruled." 

If you want to support the performing arts at Greensboro College and see the Odell in all its glory, we suggest attending this weekend's performance of the musical, "Little Shop of Horrors." (336-217-7220 for tickets).  If a romantic musical about a man eating plant is not your cup of tea, we're sure the theater program would accept your donation to be used for theater scholarships.

A big thank you to ABC Wednesday for inspiring to find an "O" with historical significance in Greensboro. A heartfelt thanks to the faithful readers of Greensboro Daily Photo!

Ubiquitous Pumpkin Patches

 

This is the time of year that church youth groups sell pumpkins as a fundrasier. The above stand, located in Oak Ridge, is sponsored by the youth group of Oak Ridge Methodist Church. It is so fun to see small children delight in the selection of the family pumpkins. Increasingly, white, green, and ornamental pumpkins and gourds are becoming available.

Noteworthy in this photo is the canopy provided by Forbis & Dick Funeral Home. Our local funeral homes are generous to loan out these canopy/tents. They are a much friendlier sight over a pumpkin patch than over a cemetery plot! This glorious North Carolina sky, at the corner of Highway 68 and Oak Ridge Road near McDonald's Restaurant, is our contribution to Sky Watch Friday. If you don't want to drive to the far reaches of the county, you have plenty of in-town options. Here is the one at Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church that we featured last year.

To Kevin B @ UNCG

Based on the decoration of "the rock" on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Kevin B @ UNCG aspires to become a teacher. He is visualizing himself as a teacher. This rock is located near The Caf, the fountain, and the clock tower. The photographed area is a great meeting place for UNCG students.

Let's hope Mr. B's dream is realized. We love these spirit rocks as they are such a public way to display memories, issues, to commemorate, and to dream. In essence, they are controlled-graffiti. This is the first time we've seen one dedicated to a living individual.

M is for McNair, Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Ronald E. McNair, Ph.D., was a physicist and NASA astronaut. While Dr. McNair was from South Carolina, his connection to Greensboro is a strong one. Dr. McNair eearned a bachelor's degree in physics, graduating magna cum laude, from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University. He was selected from a pool of 10,000 applicants for the NASA astronaut program. Unfortunately, his life came to a quick end on January 28th 1986 when he was one of the seven crew members on the space shuttle Challenger when it exploded above the Atlantic Ocean 73 minutes after takeoff (Wiki). This bust is placed on NCA&T campus inside the McNair engineering building. Additionally, a bust and plaque can be found just outside the East Market Street building. Today is "M" day on ABC Wednesday and "M" is for McNair. This past weekend was homecoming at NCA&T University. NCA&T contributes so much to the Greensboro community both intellectually and financially. Dr. McNair would be pleased at the progress and growth in his alma mater.

Other Greensboro M's include: MARKET and MENDENHALL Streets; Edward MURROW;  MAESTRO (Sitkovetsky of the Greensboro Symphony); statue of MINERVA (at UNCG); METHODISTS;  and Dolley MADISON. 

Page High School Stadium

Greensboro city residents know the depth of the rivalry between Grimsley and Page High Schools. Last week, we featured the stadium at Grimsley. This week, we offer a view of the stadium at Page High School, home of the Page Pirates. On Friday, the Grimsley Whirlies will host the 51st regular-season meeting of these two teams. Students on both campuses are putting a crazy amount of energy into theme dressing and expressing school spirit. Revenue from the events centered around this game significantly helps the athletic program. We seem to recall reading the Page High School is slated to receive a new stadium. However, Google searches on Page High School are hard. There are not many Grimsleys out there; however, page is a tag for everything from where you are in a book to what you do when you are trying to contact a doctor in a hospital! Also, we didn't readily find any information about building plans on the Pirates' website. Does anybody know?

If you are an alumnus, you may not know that both schools have impressive Wikipedia sites (linked above). 

We share this today with Ruby Tuesday, the place for all things red.

Cathy Gray & Dig Pink!

Cathy Gray was the breast cancer survivor recognized last night at the annual Dig Pink volleyball match between Page and Grimsley High Schools. Many of the women in Cathy's family have suffered from cancer and she talked of not only losing family members but also surviving cancer herself. Cathy spoke with such passion and grace. She shared her story with the audience last night during the recognition ceremony. After chemotherapy and multiple operations, Cathy has been cancer free for nine years. Thank you so much for stressing the importance of mammograms and self examination to help fight a disease that touches the lives of so many. To be sure, the young athletes were paying attention to you! As stated last night, long after the score of the game is forgotten, the young women will remember that they played for a very special cause.

The Dig Pink fundraising event raised several hundred dollars for the Side Out organization and their efforts towards providing breast cancer awareness and helping patients directly. Here's to Greensboro resident Cathy Gray for all that she does do contribute to our community. This award is much deserved.