History repeating itself
Group raising funds to restore Lampasas Colored School to 1920s-era roots
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

PHOTO BY LISA CARNLEY Restoration efforts for the Lampasas Colored School are moving ahead under the guidance of a local committee and recent grant acquisitions.

After more than six years of planning and fund-raising efforts, the Lampasas Colored School is about to get the necessary renovation that will bring it out of obscurity and into the limelight, as the historic structure readies for a facelift.

In 2001, a steering committee formed to begin drafting a master plan, and after a series of public meetings the project was off and running.

The Lampasas Colored School had its beginnings in an inauspicious, one-room frame structure erected in 1899 on land purchased for $300 by the school's first teacher, Professor T.L. Williams.

Change came in small doses for the facility throughout its nearly 65 years of classroom use. During the early part of the 20th century, the single-room building was partitioned into two classes, the school grounds were fenced, and a woodshed was erected.

In 1922, the frame building was replaced by a stone structure that still stands today, although in various stages of decline.

A group of citizens concerned about losing a slice of the county's history gathered to see what could be done to preserve the old building, many noting that it is important for future generations to see where they came from.

Before the Lampasas City Council agreed to purchase the land on which the school rests, its previous owners planned to strip the building's rock facade and sell the materials.

Funding for the purchase was made possible by citizens' donations; no city funds were involved, committee members noted.

The city early on leased the school to the Lampasas Museum Foundation for historical preservation purposes, and when those efforts fell short, the building then fell under a 25-year lease with Preservation Lampasas.

With Mayor Judith Hetherly at the helm, and Robert Oliver working as liaison between the committee and the contractors, Lampasans can expect to see the Colored School restored to its 1920s roots.

And the project got a needed shot in the arm with a $30,000 Texas Preservation Trust Fund Grant through the Texas Historical Commission.

In April, the THC received 123 applications requesting more than $4.9 million in grant funds. From the initial application stage, 44 projects were chosen to proceed to the proposal stage, and 25 proposals were recommended for grant funding, totaling $515,000.

"This is a real feather in our cap," said Oliver. "Once funding comes in from the Texas Historical Commission, it opens a lot of doors. It is prestigious to receive THC grant money, and it opens lots of doors for other funding."

And seeking grants is what Preservation Lampasas is doing. Ms. Hetherly is working on a grant application for $25,000 through the Lower Colorado River Authority, with technical guidance from Pedernales Electric Cooperative.

Preservation Lampasas then will seek a low-interest loan for the remainder of the needed funds from Brazos River Authority, which offers such loans to similar projects. Funds would be paid back through grants and a series of fund-raisers, Ms. Hetherly said.

Preservation Lampasas' project share is $30,000, and is necessary to meet THC stipulations for matching funding.

It is projected that renovations to the landmark school will cost from $125,000 to $150,000 to take the building back to late-1920s standards, which includes removing a portion of the building not original to that time.

"The board slaved over what year to bring the school back to. It was not a decision based on cost. It was based on what is best for the integrity of the building," said the committee chairman.

Phase I -- earmarked to begin in the spring -- includes preservation of the building through roof repairs, foundation work, repointing of the walls, mortar work and, finally, placement of windows.

Phase II will cover interior work, and Phase III will encompass landscaping and handicapped-accessible restrooms.

And Preservation Lampasas is working in conjunction with Vision Downtown Lampasas! efforts to restore the city's historical district.

Preservation Lampasas was formed to promote historical activity and restoration, and the Downtown Task Force, through which VDL! got its start, is in accord with Preservation Lampasas' vision statement.

"That's why we're so supportive of the task force's efforts to preserve our downtown area," said Ms. Hetherly. She noted VDL! members are working hard to bring that area back to prominence, and that is why Preservation Lampasas is supporting the group and its efforts. "They are determined to see the downtown area's refurbishment to completion, and they won't desert this effort."

Both the mayor and Oliver said local contractors will be used in the Colored School restoration. "I think local contractors take much more pride in their work because this is their home," Oliver said. "They have a lot of pride in their community through their work."

Tying the historical school to existing Lampasas Independent School District buildings was made possible through plans to use pieces of the wood floor removed from the old high school gym in renovation of the Colored School building.

"See how wonderful it is with one school helping another?" asked Ms. Hetherly. "This is truly a community project."

Said Oliver: "We have the most wonderful historic buildings in Lampasas and a community that is proud of its history. Everyone realizes the significance of preserving our history.

"I am real excited about this," he added, saying he has sought to get the project under way for nearly 25 years. "We have a wonderful tradition of restoring our history in this community, and we realize how important -- and unique -- our heritage is."