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This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.
Randolph County Homestead School Reopens As Community Center
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The Tygart Valley Homestead Association in Randolph County is celebrating the opening of a new community center inside their historic school building that first opened in 1939. The school was originally part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Homestead projects.
After high winds damaged part of the roof at the Tygart Valley Homestead in 2017, the Randolph County School Board closed the school.
But one year later, the local community association bought the building from the federal government for a nominal fee of $1.
The community raised more than $30,000 to repair the roof, and they plan to make more improvements to preserve the historic structure.
Roseann Rosier, secretary for the Tygart Valley Homestead Association, said part of the value of the school building is in its history.
“So when the county closed the school, we decided to try, and fail, rather than not try at all,” she said.
The Tygart Valley Homestead was once visited by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt was devoted to resettlement communities that were built across the country, including Arthurdale in Preston County and Eleanor in Putnam County.
Credit Farm Security Administration
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Resident of Tygart Valley Homestead with his child
The Homestead Association is hosting a celebration all day on Saturday, August 31 to honor the 80th anniversary of the opening of the school. It’s also the grand opening of the new community center, featuring a new walking trail and a small museum. Rosier said they will be serving a pulled pork lunch and are screening a new documentary about the Tygart Valley Homestead community.
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This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.
When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in 2024, it took lives and upended communities. A community of ballad singers lost a place where they could share their tradition, but what was lost could be restored.
Millions of federal dollars will be used in an effort to sharply increase the number of high school graduates in West Virginia, as well as those who pursue education and training beyond high school.
