Greensboro Daily Photo

O is for Obelisk

Green Hill Cemetery is located on 51 acres on Wharton Street in downtown Greensboro. It opened opened in 1877, making it the oldest of our city cemeteries. The diversity of flora in the cemetery is impressive; so much so that a local botanist has made a spreadsheet of its hundreds of different trees and plants (here). Between the planting, the irregular spacing of the monuments, and the stone and cement borders marking family plots, upkeep of Green Hill is a daunting task. However, thanks to the volunteer organization, Friends of Green Hill Cemetery, the space is looking more beautiful than ever.

As the above photo hints, Green Hill Cemetery is filled with obelisks. The one above is unique in its ribbed texture. This obelisk is one of the highest in the cemetery; it is part of the plot where members of the Gray family are buried, just down from Julian Price's final resting place. From the small to the tall, we estimate a dozen obelisks in the cemetery. They seem like feats of geometry, with some bases appearing too small to support the height. Somehow, they are still erect.

 Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Urban Finds Series, "O" is for obelisk.

 

E is for Engineering

Local universities and colleges are getting ready for school to start up again. Things are eerily quiet now. The above photo features McNair Hall, the School of Engineering building on NCA&T's campus. McNair Hall, located on East Market Street, is named for physicist and NASA astronaut, Ronald McNair. McNair accomplished so much in his short life, including earning a Ph.D. He died at the young age of 35 when the space shuttle Challenger disintegrated in 1986. 

NCA&T is one of North Carolina's big engineering schools and we are proud to boast that it is right here in Greensboro. According to NCA&T's website, their engineering degree programs are distributed across six departments: chemical biological and bio engineering; civil, architectural and environmental engineering; computer science; electrical and computer engineering; industrial and systems engineering; mechanical engineering and the interdisciplinary computational science and engineering program. They are the home of the National Science Foundation's Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials.* The 21st century is a time of great advances in science and engineering. It is so important to encourage our children to pursue engineering. Engineering majors work extremely hard; however, (to quote TED) at the end of the day, they are developing ideas worth sharing.....

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics Round (STEAM link here), E is for Engineering! In about another week, McNair Hall will be teeming with brilliant people conducting brilliant engineering research.

*reference.

 

Hamburger Square at Night

This picture of Natty Greene's and Hamburger Square in Greensboro is and area that is frequently photographed. However, at dusk in the winter, it is just so beautiful we wanted to feature it again. The street lamps, with the glowing reflection on the street, evoke a feeling of what Greensboro must have been like a century ago. Not only the exterior, but also the interior lights evoke a bygone era. As a matter of fact, if the cars werent' there, nothing about the photo indicates that it was taken in the 21st century.

During World War I, troops used to wait in this area for troop trains. The name, Hamburber Square remains from a time when there were hamburger and hot dog stands on all four corners of this area and the City of Greensboro's (Library) website, the area was never segregated (reference). Behind us, on McGee Street, this scene caught our eye. Then, before we knew it, total darkness arrived and the magic of a downtown twilight disappeared. Wonder if the green light signifies that the cook is in and "Burrito" is open for business. Finally, we hope the powers that be realize how much trees contribute to the "green" in Greensboro. Happy dawn, noon, twighlight, night, and everything in between, dear readers.

 

W is for Western High School

The above photo is of the front entrance of Western High School, located at 409 Friendway Road. Western, with approximately 1,300 students, opened in 1968, in an the era when directional schools were opening throughout Guilford County. At the time, Western was part of the county school system, but now the county and city schools have merged into one giant district.

The front façade of Western is a result of the publicly-funded renovations and additions completed in 2000. The Fighting Hornet students and their families are hoping for yet more renovations to get the main gym repaired. Hopefully, the district will find the funds to do so; although, at the moment, money for education is not in abundance in North Caroina. Let's keep hoping for a new gym, or at least a new roof, for Western.

Today is ABC Wednesday and, in our education series, W is for Western. See our A-V entries here. Stop back for X,Y,Z. That end of the alphabet is never easy!

V is for Vandalia Elementary

Vandalia Elementary School, located at 407 East Vandalia Road, is one of the smallest elementary schools in Guilford County. The school is situated just beyond the Greensboro City Limits and just north of Pleasant Garden. On their website, the school is described as having "all of the components of a private school in a public school setting (reference). Vandalia has a total enrollment of 261  students, spread throughout grade levels Pre-K - 5th. We're betting their principal, the positive, upbeat, caring, Ms. Kimberly Robertson knows not only the names, but also the families of every child in her school.

As seen above, the lobby of Vandalia Elementary is warm and inviting. The signage sends the message that reading and parents (PTA) matter. Next to Champ Avenue, you see a teacher signing out for the evening. The office lights are out because it is well after 5:00 pm and the 7:00 am start of the day will be around before you know it. Today is ABC Wednesday and V is for Vandalia Elementary. See the features A-U schools, here.  Here's to a great rest of the school year to the Vandalia Cougars and to all schools- in Guilford County and beyond!

 

U is for University

Yesterday was Reading Day at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the day when no classes are held or final exams given. Students are busy studying, writing papers, doing group work, and wrapping up the end of the semester. In the above photo, you see an annual tradition that dates to 1969, the placing of the luminarias on reading day. When the sun went down, the candles were aglow and the festivities began. The Spartan Chariots sang and free hot chocolote and cookies were distributed at the Quad lawn. The folks at Housing and Residence Life, as well as the on-campus Greek community, took care of the details relalated to this project. Over 1,000 luminaries are placed around campus. This year's luminary lighting is a fundraiser to raise money for a beginning teacher in Siler City, NC, to build her classroom library. Let's hope that this fundraising component, in the 44th year of the tradition, was successful and that the organizers adopt a classroom again next year.

Today is ABC Wednesday and U is for University. Enjoy our A-T Education Wednesdays here.

 

T is for Teacher

For this round of ABC Wednesday, Greensboro Daily Photo has been featuring the A-Z's of education in Greensboro. To date, we've featured school buildings and the people they're named after. For today's letter, T, we'd like to feature  a teacher.  Students (S) + great teacher (GT)  = LEARNING (L).  Mary Kate Holden is definitely one of the GT's in that formula. She teaches science at the Middle College at UNCG. Her professional preparation includes an M.S. in biology and genetics from UNCG. How appropriate that she returned to her alma mater, right there on the same campus, to teach high school science to the next generation of scientists. Ms. Holden has been teaching for 15 year and has even been an administrator.  As evidenced by her dragonfly computer cover, this scientist is passionate about her field. 

On a personal note, Ms. Holden's name is the same as the road down the street from her home. Her husband's family granted Greensboro the property which became Holden Road. The Holdens  had a farm that extended from Starmount Country Club to Walker Avenue. Another personal tidbit, as we intereviewed Ms. Holden for this post, we noticed her long black hair. She hasn't had a haircut in 29 years. Wonder if her students know that! We could have spent the afternoon talking with Ms. Holden, but alas, she had to get back to after school tutoring. So, today is ABC Wednesday and we are honored to have gotten a few minutes with Ms. Holden to celebrate "T" for "teachers." Thank you Ms. Holden for everything you do for students! May you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

(This interview was so much fun, just maybe we'll take on A-Z Greensboro teachers for the next round of ABC Wednesday).

S is for Ben L. Smith High School

This year, Ben L. Smith High School is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The high school is located on Holden Road, behind the Four Seasons Mall. The above photo was taken just after sunset on a recent fall evening. It is a busy place with athletic and ecademic events and other activities from morning to night. Even after 5:00pm, students were waiting for rides and carpooling home.  The big blue circle to the right of the windows says IB, announcing the school is an international baccalaureate program and offers an IB diploma. This program is for students who enjoy academic rigor and who are want to be global minded. Through analyzing everything from historical documents, to world literature, to contemporary multi-media influences, IB students prepare to navegate the myriad complexities of today's society.

Smith High School was named for Ben L. Smith who was a great educator and role model in the Greensboro City Schools. He lived from 1893-1961. Mr. Smith started his education in a one room school house and ended up being a nationally published author of education articles. Smith rose to be superintendent of Greensboro City Schools.  Smith High School was finished shortly after Ben L Smith's death; we're sure he would be honored to have a school named after him. Today is ABC Wednesday and, in our ABC Education series,  S is for Smith High School. Happy Birthday, Smith High School!

R is for Ragsdale High

Ragsdale High School, located at the Jamestown end of High Point Road, has a whole lot of history, and it is well documented. The school was named for Lucy Coffin Ragsdale,  granddaughter of Dr. Shubal Coffin, a Jamestown physician. Her Quaker family was instrumental in helping with the Underground Railroad during the Civil War and her family members, in the Quaker tradition, were strong advocates of a community's educating its people. Mrs. Ragsdale organized the first PTA in Guilford County, serving as its president from 1919-1928.* Her husband, Billy, was president of Oakdale Cotton Mill.

Ragsdale High School opened in September 1959 and since that time 55 years ago, Ragsdale has only had three principals: T.G. Madison; Dr. Steve Dalton; and Dr. Kathryn Rogers. Principal #4 will have BIG shoes to fill! While the main part of the campus is an example of Guilford County's "postwar functionalist architure," and, the above photo represents a new building on campus, the Christine Joyner Greene Education Center. Ragsdale has grown so much over the recent decades, that they are making an effort to build and repurpose buildings so that students don't have to use the mobile units. The brand new Green Education Center is a welcome addition to the campus of the Ragsdale campus. Today is ABC Wednesday and R is for Ragsdale! See GDP's A-Q entries, here.

It would be WONDERFUL if ALL schools would have histories documented to the extent thad Ragsdale does. Hats off to Ragsdale. Here's to a good rest of the school year.

*read more on Carol Brooks' webpage- where we retrieved some of the biographical information.

Q is for Quaker School

The above building is New Garden Hall, the Administration building, of Guilford College. Guilford, located on Friendly Avenue, is known as the Quaker college because it is guided by a strong Quaker heritage. This religion originated in England in the 1640's and Guilford College was established in Greensboro almost 200 years after the religion was founded, in 1837. While the tenets of Quaker orthodoxy are not overt- people are not walking around using "thee" and "thou" or wearing Quaker gray- the Quaker values of integrity, simplicity, equality, community, and excellence, are all around the campus. If you get a chance, stop by. Fall is such a lovely time at Guilford College and understand how special an honest, simple lifestyle can be.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Education Series, Q is for Quaker.

P is for Pearce Elementary

 

 
Today is ABC Wednesday and P is for Pearce Elementary. This new elementary school in Northwest Guilford County was named for E.P. Pearce who was a superintendent of Guilford County Schools from 1959-1978. Under his tenure, in 1962, three county high schools were built: Northwest, Northeast, and Southeast. It is hard to believe those three schools are over 50 years old! He would be so honored to know that the Pearce Patriots have named the school in his honor.

Pearce is a school loved by all stakeholders. Parents love the attention to detail, the quality of instruction, the dedecated staff and administration and the newness. The state and district love the school because their test scores are above the state and districts on measures of math, reading, and science. The children love all of the great lessons and all of the outdoor space, as seen in the photo above. Yep, there seems to be a lot of great learning taking place out there on Pleasant Ridge Road.

O is for Oak Ridge

The Oak Ridge Elementary School building is relatively new and so, the landscaping doesn't mask the enormity of the facility. Oak Ridge, home of the mighty Colts, is located on Oak Ridge Road in- you guessed it- Oak Ridge, a few miles northwest of Greensboro. The mascot, Colts, stands for the following C (care for others); O (offer kindness and respect); L (love learing) ; T (think creatively);  S (strive to always do our best). Oak Ridge has 713 little colts and 30 teachers. It is a community school, loved by all. The original portion of this building (not visible; to the right of the photo) originally opened in 1925. In the 1970's the enrollment was so low, the county considered closing it. The Oak Ridge community began to flourish in the 1990's.  The school went through significant renovation in the early 2000's and now is a thriving learning community

Today is ABC Wednesday and O is for Oak Ridge. Click here, to see A-N Guilford County Schools, here.

N is for Northwest Guilford High School

Here we see a photo, taken at dusk, at Northwest Guilford High School. Northwest is one of the directional-named schools (Southern, Southeast, Eastern, Northeast, Northern, Northwest, Western, and Southwest) most of which are located in the county. It is located off Alcorn Road and Highway 68. at 5240 NW School Road. Northwest is one of the highschools built before the merger; however, the actual date of construction is not available online.

Just under 2,000 students attend Northwest in grades 9-12 and it underwent  several additions in the 2000's to accommodate population growth . Conveniently, the middle school is located just next door. Northwest has a favorable reputation in everything from academics to athletics. The mighty Vikings even have a great Facebook page! If you head to a game there, be sure to wear red, black, and white.

Today is ABC Wednesday and N is for Northwest in Greensboro Daily Photo's A-Z school series.

M is for Morehead Elementary

John Motley Morehead Elementary School, featured above, is located at 4630 Tower Road, just across the street from the Hamilton Lakes Swim and Tennis Club. The school serves about 520 students K-5 and is an  expressive arts magnet. It is named for Governor Morehead (1796-1866), who studied under Dr. Joseph Caldwell and who lived in Blandwood Mansion in Greensboro. Governor Morehead was a great supporter of education. Additionally, he worked tireless to build and expand the railroad system in North Carolina.

Morehead Elementary is one of Greensboro's schools of choice and, a few years ago, the magnet program was at risk of being dismantled; however, a very vocal parent group fought tirelessly to keep this arts program in place. The children seem to love going to school there and are always sad to have to transition to middle school because the population of magnet students disperses throughout the city.

 We are dead center in the ABC Wednesday theme day and, have noticed that so many of Greensboro's school look alike and they aren't super photogenic. Most are tucked behind trees and of painfully similar architecture. However, as is the case with Morehead, once you get inside and see the dynamic learning environment and the colorful student-made work samples make you proud of the public education taking place inside. Today is ABC Wednesday and M is for Morehead. See our A-L entries here.

L is for Lincoln Academy

Lincoln Middle School opened on February 24th, 1959 as a junior high school in East Greensboro. It is located on the campus of Dudley High School, Greensboro's historically African-American high school. Yes, Lincoln was named after the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. "The school was named for Lincoln under the 1922 policy of the Greensboro Board of Education that required all public schools within the city limits to be named after 'outstanding people in various walks of life'."

Lincoln underwent a major renovation in the early 2000's. In the 2005-2006 school year, it reopened as a 1) neighborhood school; 2) a performing arts magnet; 3) a global studies magnet; and 4) a program for the top acacemic achieving students in the district. Because of these many themes, Lincoln Middle School, literally, has something for everybody- from orchestra to band and dance and Spanish and theater and visual arts, and more! These many programs help attract ethnically diverse population. According to Lincoln's own website, the school is 49% African American, 35% white, and 16% other.

If you ever get a chance to attend one of their full theatre productions or concerts, you will be mighty impressed with the talented students and teachers. Today is ABC Wednesday and, for our education series, we offer L for Lincoln. If you want to experience one of Greensboro's schools of choice, Lincoln would be a great one to visit. Call the office staff and see when the next tour day is scheduled.

* reference here for the quote and the great Wikipedia article about this local school.

G is for Grimsley

Above is the gateway to Grimeley High School, built in another location in 1899 as Greensboro High School. The blue and white Whirleys are the only school in the nation with a "whirley" as a mascot. It resembles a funnel cloud. The school is named for George Adonijah Grimsley (1862- 1935). Grimeley was born in the same year as Greensboro's O. Henry. Grimsley, superintendent of the Greensboro city schools for twelve years, believed that "one of the greatest factors in the education of a child was his training to think fo rhimself, both orally and in writing" (Arnett, p. 228). He also believed that "to think and to give expression to their thoughts, and at the same time give them a taste of the best literature, would equip them to continue their education after leaving school and to get more out of life" (Arnett, p. 229). He implemented a model of teaching where students recited and debated the subjects each Friday.  It seems Mr. Grimsley's thinking is still current today. He was preparing students to be college, career, and life ready. 

The above photo was taken when all was quiet and the school was preparing to receive its students for the year. At the moment, Grimsley is doing the best to function normally, in spite of having a parking lot that is still not paved. This summer's heavy rains have the project way beyond the projected completion date. Yet, somehow, once students are inside, the legacy of pride in learning established by Mr. Grimsley, prevails. The class of 2014 represents the 115th year of this great school. Today is ABC Wednesday and G is for Grimsley (see A-F Education, here).

F is for Foust Elementary School

Foust Elementary School, located at 2610 Floyd Street, is named for North Carolinian, Julius I. Foust. For 28 years, Dr. Foust served as the head of the institution we now know as UNCG. In the early part of the 20th century, Dr. Foust helped the university grow with respect to physical and academic facilities. He seemed to be well liked by the community at large. (See the building that UNCG named for Dr. Foust, here).

It would be nice for a group of students at Foust Elementary to write a mini-history of their school and to publish it on the school's website. It looks like it was built in the mid-20th century; however, no date is readily available. Every public institution should research, celebrate, and SHARE its history. 

Foust School works hard to service their student population in English and Spanish- as evidenced by the 2-sided sign at the entrance. It appears that breakfast and lunch are free at Foust Elementary. Wonder if they feed visitors for free? If you ever visit the school, drive slowly, first to protect children, second to protect your vehicle. Located near the Coliseum, the school must be situated on the highest hill in Greensboro and it is easy to bottom out when exiting the entrance circle.  Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Education Series, F is for Foust!

C is for Cone Elementary

Caesar Cone Elementary School is located on Churh Street, behind Page High School. It is named after the textile mill owner of the same name. Cone School, built by Cone to accommodate the children of mill workers, was originally located on 16th Street. The above building, the second iteration of Cone School,  was constructed in 1935 with funds from the WPA and the Proximity Manufacturing Company (now Cone Mills).* Cone (1859-1917) believed that happy families resulted in productive employees, a philosophy worthy of resurrecting today.

The above building was modernized in the early 1990's. While many changes were made on the inside, the outside was preserved. Also, a new brick building for Kindergarten students opened on-site, fall 2002. Today is ABC Wednesday and, for our A-Z Education in Greensboro series, C is for Caesar Cone Elementary School

*We found this information about the history of Cone Elementary on their website. We applaud Cone Elementary for maintaining and sharing their school's history, something we encourage EVERY school to do. They also site two references: Ethel Arnett's book, "For Whom the Public Schools Were Named" and the May 29th, 1971  edition of the Greensboro Daily News article, written by Joe Knox.

B is for Brooks Global

Brooks Global Elementary School is a year-round school, located at 1215 Westover Terrace-- sharing a campus with Grimsley High School. While Brooks Global Elementary offers the traditional elementary curriculum, it adds an overlay of multulculturalism and global studies. One need only walk down the hallway to see firsthand the efforts to put the world at the fingertips of these young learners. Bright paintings and great artwork help teach about our diverse world. Unfortunately, when we drove by earlier in the week for a photo shoot, IT WAS RAINING (surprise, surprise). This great school is just the opposite of gloomy and gray.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for this round, we're featuring A-Z Education in Greensboro. We selected Brooks because it was named for a State Superientendent of Public Instruction, Eugene Clyde Brooks.  Mr. Brooks (1871-1947) was  the superintendent from 1919-1923.  He also served as president of NC State (then, College of Agriculture, now, University). Were Mr. Brooks alive today, he would be proud to have such a successful globally-minded school named after him.

If you want to see more photos of Brooks Global Elementary (established 1950), look here. And, happy ABC Wednesday!

A is for Aycock Middle School

Dear GDP Readers: Here we go again with a NEW round ABC Wednesday. That puts us back to A and, for Round 13, we're going to try to share A-Z education themed-posts. You might find buildings, named after people significant in North Carolina's history. You might find people currently involved in education. Who knows what you'll find for A-Z schools/Greensboro & education. To be sure, we'll get very creative near the end of the alphabet. We'll also rely on John Batchelor's book, "The Guilford County Schools: A History" and Ethel Stephens Arnett's book, "For Whom Our Public Schools Were Named, Greensboro, North Carolina."

Today is A for Aycock Middle School, located in the Aycock Historic District, northeast of downtown Greensboro. The Aycock neighborhood got its start in 1895 when Caesar Cone paved Summit Avenue, the road that connected downtown Greensboro to Cone Mills.*  Imagine having a paved road in the 1800's! Some of Greensboro's finest families, including some of Cone's relatives, lived along the way.

Aycock School, opened in the 1920's and, on 8/30/1922, named for North Carolina's "education" governor, Charles B. Aycock. Aycock became governor in 1901 and died in 1912; however, in his lifetime, he was responsible for building close to 3,000 schools. Aycock School  is currently a 6-8th grade middle school that teaches not only neighborhood (attendance zone) students, it is also a magnet for Spanish immersion and science and technology, attracting student from around the county who want to maintain their Spanish fluency or those who want a heavy science component in their courses. 

See what the rest of the world is sharing for A on  ABC Wednesday .

Also, share your memories of Aycock School in our comment section!

*reference