Applications

Historic Properties Properties For Sale About The Commission Browse By Topic Local History Links Home Page

 

 

EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING

MINUTES

February 15, 2001

 

Present: John Misenheimer, Committee Chairman

Grier Martin, Committee Vice-Chairman

Jeff Bradsher, HLC Chairman

Sally Billington

Tattie Bos

Bernard Felder

Nancy Kute

John Parker

Bruce Schulman

Dan Morrill, HLC Consulting Director

Mary Lynn Morrill, HLC Recording Consultant

Absent:

Joe Brickey

Phiderika Foust

Scott Hirsch

 

AGENDA

 

1. Welcome: John Misenheimer

Mr. Misenheimer welcomed everyone to the meeting. He extended a special welcome to new committee member, Sally Billington, Executive Director of Historic Charlotte, Inc.

Mr. Misenheimer thanked everyone who attended the dedication of the W. T. Alexander Slave Cemetery on January 18th at 11:00 a.m. He reported that despite the rain, over 80 people attended the event. He said that Mr. Bradsher presented an excellent speech which will be placed on the HLC’s website, along with addresses by District One County Commissioner, Mr. Jim Puckett, the Rev. Jeffrey Lowrance, minister at Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Mr. Alton Caldwell, a descendent of some of the individuals buried in the graveyard and Mr. Misenheimer. Dr. Morrill conducted a tour of the Cemetery after the lovely reception hosted by the Sentinel Real Estate Company and Thornberry Apartment Staff in the Thornberry Apartment Complex office/clubhouse building.

2. Director’s Report: Dan Morrill

Dr. Morrill congratulated the Committee on the successful January 18th event. He said that the newspaper and TV coverage were outstanding, and that he has heard the most positive comments about the event. He said that the County’s media department was very helpful with the programs, putting up the sign (cost $1800 and was privately paid for) and parking directions. Ms. Marilyn Croteau, an HLC consultant, was responsible for the invitations, worked with the County and the Apartment complex in arrangements for the event and donated the cover for the sign.

Dr. Morrill reported that the website is an excellent vehicle to distribute information to the public about the HLC’s activities. He reported that the website has had over 277,000 hits to date.

3. Rural Hill Schoolhouse (Davidson Schoolhouse)

Ms. Billington reported that a letter has been written to the Knight Foundation, the organization that granted $45,000 for assisting the construction of a bathroom building to serve the Davidson Schoolhouse at Rural Hill, asking that the money be transferred to the HLC. The HLC is willing to sponsor the construction of a suitable structure if the money can be transferred.

4. Website Journal

The HLC’s website journal will be soliciting manuscripts from professional historians and students at colleges and universities. The first meeting of the board of editors will be held March 1 at 4 p.m.

5. Post World War II Survey Publicity

The documents from the Post World War II Survey sponsored by the HLC are on the HLC’s website - www.cmphf.org (under Survey Committee.) A subcommittee composed of Bruce Schulman, Nancy Kute, John Misenheimer and Dan Morrill will meet to determine ways to help publicize the website. Mr. Schulman and Dr. Morrill will generate at least ten domain names for the current website for presentation at the next Education Committee meeting.

6. Historic Markers

Dr. Morrill reported that County Commissioner Norman Mitchell called to ask the HLC’s help in getting historic markers for the old Brooklyn neighborhood and the Good Samaritan Hospital. He said that City Council member, Susan Burgess, contacted him to express an interest in a World War II Veterans Memorial of some type in an uptown park.

Dr. Morrill asked that the Education Committee advise him about a proper response to this type of inquiry. The committee discussed the situation and determined that a subcommittee composed of Bernard Felder, Grier Martin, John Parker, Jeff Bradsher, John Misenheimer and Dan Morrill should draft a policy for the Education Committee and HLC to consider regarding what a public policy should be in regards to the HLC’s assistance and responsibility with historic markers.

7. Old Business

No motions were presented

8. New Business

Dr. Morrill showed a draft of the book to the Committee members that he has written on Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s history for the book that Historic Charlotte, Inc. is sponsoring. He said that his first draft was composed of 65,000 words but that he has shortened the manuscript to 33,000 words.

The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.