Greensboro Daily Photo

Groundbreaking Has Begun on the New Peck School

Yesterday, we had an opportunity to visit the site of the New Peck Elementary School. As you can see, they have broken ground and the multi-million dollar project is well underway. The new school is located between the current Peck Elementary and Lovett snd Florida Streets in the Glenwood neighborhood. The design of the school was inspired by the woods that will surround the school. Teachers will be encouraged to provide opportunities for students to learn about nature from the property around the school. The new school will be a pre-K-8 Expeditionary Magnet School. The Expeditionary Learning Model is an outgrowth of collaboration between Harvard University and the Outward Bound Program, with emphasis on teamwork, courage, compassion, and active learning.*

Peck Elementary School was built in 1929. Over the past 94 years, so much has changed and the new school will reflect needs of the 21st century learner. This project part of the first phase of construction in the master facilities plan for Guilford County Schools. Given the preK-8th grade model, it is anticipated the new school will accommodate 900 students and should be completed in 2024. In the meantime, Peck Elementary will remain open. The school was named for Mrs. Clara Jane Thornton Peck. Mrs. Peck was a nurse whose many volunteer efforts were akin to what social workers do today. Throughout her adult life, she helped care for those in need, including during the 1918 and 1920 influenza outbreaks. Mrs. Peck died in 1926 at the age of 62. Let's hope the new school will be named for her, this inspiring woman who was born during the Civil War. We're confident the school would make her proud.

Happy Friday! Happy last day of March!

* see this News & Record article from 2020 for more information. It is well worth reading.

Train on Tracks

Yesterday afternoon, we were fascinated to watch a freight train stopped at South Elm Street for at least an hour. We asked a young man who was waiting and photographing it. He said he had been waiting for 50 minutes and that usually a stopped train indicates another one is on the track. He appeared to be quite a train aficionado. Greensboro is a great city for train lovers. We have both freight and passenger trains. As a matter of fact Greensboro got its nickname, Gate City, for being a gateway rail city. Here is a North Carolina rail map showing which freight and passenger trains travel through Greensboro.  

The above view is of Hamburger Square. Notice how nice the train trestle looks. The green and white paint makes it a stand out. Fortunately, with this underpass, pedestrians and cars can move through Elm Street, instead of having to wait for trains. People who work downtown probably know the train schedule by heart!

Happy Thursday, from the Gate City!

College Hill Sundries Interior

Recently, we posted an exterior view of College Hill Sundries. In case you haven't been side, here is an interior view. After a few visits, it is the kind of an everybody-knows-your-name sort of place. It is located at 900 Spring Garden Street, at the corner of Mendenhall Street. The establishment has been open for over 40 years and if you look around, it looks like not much has changed from yesteryear. The establishment is larger than it appears as in the back there is a pool table and more space for people to stand around. 

According to Triad City Beat, owner Jason Paul is part owner of Westerwood Tavern and Hops Burger Bar. Keep your out for special events held there. They are a perfect opportunity to visit the establishment and have a look around, especially if you don't just want to sit and have a brew. It has been such an anchor business in College Hill, a neighborhood that has been designated a historic district since 1980.

Happy midweek, almost April!

Oscar Oglethorpe and the Magical display!

Since we were in the 200 block of South Elm Street yesterday, we'll stay there today at 226 South Elm, admiring the window of Oscar Oglethorpe. This eyeglasses shop aways has fabulous windows. This one was staged by Tammy Tamster Pegram. The window has been stalled for the Month of March. In asking Tammy about it,  * we learned that she wanted a spring "flower power" decoration. Tammy tells us, she was thinking about "springing into new growth while embracing styles of past and having NEW retro Eyewear to SEE the world's beauty thru diversity." Tammy added that she wanted to "show the joy of vibrant colors in eyewear and elsewhere."  Finally, Tammy wanted to embrace, along the way, for Women's History Month. The pink and orange window sure appeals to us. 

Thank you Oscar Oglethorpe and Tammy Pegram for bring us a little joy in the heart of downtown!

 

* Learn more about Tammy, HERE.

Elm Street Center: 203 S. Elm Street

Elm Street Center is located at 203 South Elm Street in a building that was constructed in 1949 for the Ellis-Stone Department Store. This was eight years before Friendly Center was built (1957) In the same year, Ellis-Stone sold the store to Talheimber's. Since then, the space has also been an antique mall and an event center- and possibly more. Here is an interior view we featured in 2012, showing that fabulous staircase in the center of the building.

We love the way the red brick building peeks through the brightly colored flags of the Los Chicos Mexican Restaurant across the street at 200 South Elm Street. It is always fun to have cars in a photo. Nothing dates a photo more than cars and fashion! It is supposed to rain today; however, the middle of the week is scheduled to be nice. If you get a chance and need to get some steps in, consider walking Elm Street. From Center City Park at North Elm to the new Common Grounds Coffee Shop at Gate City, the distance is .6 miles. You can walk there and back, enjoying downtown, and pretty effortlessly get in 1.2 miles. If you see us walking along the sidewalk, be sure to say hello!

Happy Monday!

Shalom! Jewish Festival at Temple Emanuel- Today

The above photo was taken at Temple Emanuel during Friday evening services. Temple Emanuel is a Reform Jewish Temple, located at 1129 Jefferson Road. Today, from 11:00am-5:00 pm, they will hold their annual Jewish Festival, now in the spring, instead of the fall. This community-wide event, celebrating Jewish life and culture, will be held rain or shine. There will be Jewish and Israeli food, temple tours, exhibits, music, dance, arts and crafts and more. There will be a kids zone as well as characters from Tanakh (what Christians refer to as the Old Testament). So, if you attend the festival, don't be surprised if you see Moses, Abraham, Rachel, and Noah walking around.  It is a good chance for the community to learn about Judaism and to celebrate a community that has done so much for Greensboro. 

Word has it that one of our favorite jewelry artists, Anette, will be there with jewelry  inspired by the people and symbols in Judaism. We are also looking forward to the Rabbi telling us about the symbolism in the 12 stained glass windows, as well as the meaning of the gold letters at the top of the sanctuary. The tents are in place, the food is ready, and Moses will be there to tell you just how he felt when God delivered the 10 commandments to him.

Happy Sunday!

Ramadan Mubarak at Nazareth Bread

Ramadan is the holiest holiday for Muslims. Ramadan literally means "the hot month", a month of worship, prayer, studying the Quran, and fasting. Practicing Musilims get up before sunrise, eat breakfast, pray, and abstain from from food and liquids all day until after a final prayer at sunset. Once the sun sets, they break the fast and eat a meal. The above photo is the evening buffet at Nazareth Bread, located at 4507 West Market Street.  Due to demand, this Middle Eastern eatery offers this buffet during Ramadan. after a day of praying, reflecting and abstaining, people are ready to enjoy a meal together. This delicious buffet, which appears to extend forever, is $21.00.

Based on the People Groups website, There are over 10,000 people in Greensboro whose religion is Islam, and this number continues to grow. If you have Muslim friends you can help them by being mindful that they aren't able to eat or drink during the day. They may not want to be around while you are eating a meal or having your coffee break. If you want a great meal, stop by Nazareth Bread tonight and partake in this buffet. People of all faith groups are are welcome.

Happy Saturday!

Meet Dr. Diya Abdo

If there is anything you want to know about migration, internationally, nationally, or right here in Greensboro, Dr. Diya Abdo is the person to ask. She is a Lincoln Financial Professor of English at Guilford College. Dr. Abdo is a second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan. While much of her research focuses on Arab women writers and feminism, she is perhaps best known for an initiative she started at Guilford College in 2015, Every Campus a Refuge, or ECAR. The mission of ECAR is for every U.S. college and university to serve as a resettlement campus to help local resettlement agencies by hosting refugee families. The central challenge for refugee families is to find housing. Once their sponsorship benefits (a small stipend and temporary housing) expire, it is really hard for refugee families to find housing. In spite of all of the documentation that cleared their entry into the United States, they don't have social security numbers or a credit history, so it can be hard to convince landlords to rent to them. Under the ECAR program, college campuses provide housing for families. As an example, Guilford College has a refugee family living in a faculty house. To date, Guilford College and Wake Forest are the two participating North Carolina campuses. According to this website, Guiford has hosted 32 refugees, 18 of them children.  Trained volunteers help with their daily needs in the resettlement process.

Dr. Abdo travels around the country sharing her expertise. She has given TED Talks and has lectured widely on the topic of ECAR and migration. Currently, she is at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, giving a presentation. Fortunately, she made time in her busy schedule to meet with us and chat over coffee at the Green Bean. Greensboro is lucky she and her family have settled here, and we hope they stay for a very long time. Also, hats off to Guilford College  whose 7 core values- community, diversity, equality, excellence, integrity, justice, and stewardship- fit seamlessly with the ECAR initiative and with the mindset of Dr. Abdo. 

Happy Friday! Hurry home, Dr. Abdo!