The Rosenwald School in Pleasant Hill near Linden continues to exert an influence more than 50 years after its construction in 1925 and closing in 1964.
This performance is being held especially for members of the local Daughters of the American Revolution, but the public is also invited and can arrive after 11 a.m. to look at the school grounds and historic building. The performance will follow a noon serving of soup and sandwiches.
"We hope people will come, see the building and what we do and talk about the history of the community with each other," said Flo Stevenson, local community leader and quilter.
Also just this week, community leaders received a photograph of a school artifact, which is now on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. A vintage metal school lunch tray used by Pleasant Hill students in their Rosenwald School is part of a display on philanthropy in America.
The tray had been given to Stephanie Deutsch of Washington, D.C., after she came to Pleasant Hill for a book review. For years the tray hung on the wall in the home of David and Stephanie Deutsch until they decided to loan it to the Smithsonian Museum for the exhibit. Julius Rosenwald was the great-grandfather of David Deutsch.
Rosenwald School buildings such as this were largely the gift of Rosenwald (1862-1932) of Chicago. Rosenwald had built Sears Roebuck into America's leading mail-order house and became one of the wealthiest men in America. He founded Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and then led an historic change for black Americans by building schools for them.
In 1917, Rosenwald set up a fund to create more than 5,000 schools for rural blacks in southern states. He used top architectural plans drawn by Booker T. Washington's Tuskegee Institute to create schools of one to several rooms.
The Rosenwald Fund also helped pay for teachers' homes. Altogether, he gave $63 million, which in today's dollars would be many times that amount.
Pleasant Hill's Rosenwald School building was one of 22 in Cass County and is now the only surviving one. It was restored as a community center in 2015 following a grant from Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The Pleasant Hill School Restoration Project grant request had been submitted under the umbrella of the Cass County Conservancy, which preserves historical sites in the county. The Cass County Performing Arts Council, the Fairview Reunion Corporation and the Linden Economic Development Center also supported the project.
The center is used for Monday night meetings of the Business and Professional Women's Club. The Quilting Club does its sewing work here, and the Pleasant Hill School Restoration Committee, led by Darrell Heath, also meets here.
Lately the building has been painted, and the parking lot improved with asphalt paving. Such upkeep and improvements are now supported by donations from the community with special help from the Quilting Club's sale of quilts, bonnets, aprons and cookbooks.
"Our bonnets and aprons say 'Made in Linden, Texas.' That's why they are so valuable," Stevenson said with a smile.
Another important use of the facility is for "repast" gatherings.
"That's when someone may be brought here to Pleasant Hill for burial in the nearby cemetery, and the family needs a place to share refreshments after the burial," Stevenson said. "That's called a 'repast."'
QUILTING CODE
On Thursday, the public is invited to the Rosenwald School in Pleasant Hill for a presentation by community leaders of their drama called the "Secret Quilting Code of the Underground Railroad."
The Pleasant Hill Quilters will perform the 45-minute historical play, which tells in story and song how quilts were used to assist slaves in escaping to freedom during Civil War years.
Presenters are dressed in the attire of the days of slavery and will sing 14 underground songs as they explain how the design of quilts gave out the message of when it was safe to travel.
The quilters have more than 12 scheduled performances for the coming year, quilter Flo Stevenson said.
One of the performers will be Volena Allen, who is turning 92 this week and will be recognized with a birthday cake.
The other members of the performing cast will be Ether Blaylock, Stevenson, Oteria McDaniel, LaJoyce Flanagan, Audrie Caldwell, Genell Jackson, Joyce Norman, Alvis Dorsey, Eunice Pruitt, Vancie Gaines, LaWanda Warren, Vernelle Richardson and Mary Shurn.
The performance is free, but donations will be accepted.