LUMBERTON — The Public Schools of Robeson County appears to be moving ever closer to relocating its central office to Janie C. Hargrave Elementary School, which was closed to students before the 2019-20 school year began.
During a tour of the school on Thursday, the building appeared ready for the school bell to ring at any moment. As one of the oldest schools in the county, the building smells like the varnish that was used to preserve the wooden floors.
“I am in agreement to come over here, temporarily,” said Craig Lowry, county Board of Education member. “If money becomes available, we have land for a new central office.”
Lowry and other school board members see cost savings if Hargrave becomes a central office temporarily or for the long term. If the central office remains in East Lumberton for 10 years, it would save the schools about $1.4 million in rent at the current location on Kahn Drive.
While exact figures aren’t yet available, school officials appear confident that relocation and renovation costs would be minimal.
Also unclear is when the district might move in. During a tour of the school on Thursday, Superintendent Shanita Wooten said she would not commit to a timeline until code inspectors provide a report.
“We can do a lot here,” Wooten said. “The building has a lot of potential.”
Hargrave’s three wings, with 26 classrooms and a cafeteria, add up to about 33,000 square feet, much more space than the 20,000 square feet available at the Kahn Drive location. There would be room for school board meetings, staff development and other meetings, both large and small, and plenty of storage, Wooten said.
Another plus is that Hargrave did not flood during hurricanes Matthew and Florence.
The lease at Kahn Drive expires on June 30, giving the schools ample time to plan and execute a move. Since the former central office on Caton Road was flooded by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, school administrators have moved four times, including a short stay at Lumberton Junior High School after the Kahn Drive building was flooded by Hurricane Florence in September 2018.
Notice of an Oct. 22 public hearing before the city’s Planning Board is posted in front of the school, and the public schools have a meeting with Lumberton City Council on Nov. 6.
The property must be rezoned, and the city, neighbors and the East Lumberton Baptist Church across the street seem pleased that the school will remain in use, Wooten said.
“East Lumberton Baptist Church reached out to me to see if they could be of service,” Wooten said. “The city wanted to know our plans for parking and traffic flow.”
About 70 people work at the central office, and the district would need to pave over the school’s playground to create a parking lot, said Earney Hammonds, Maintenance director for the system.
The metal roof is relatively new and does not leak, Hammonds said. Some work would be done to the bathrooms to accommodate adults and the electrical system to accommodate office work.
“We can do most of the work in-house,” Hammonds said. “We’re good at maintaining school buildings.”
The original school is believed to have been built in 1917 to serve the East Lumberton mill villages. A classroom wing was added in 1951, a cafeteria in 1955 and another classroom wing in 2005.
Despite the added work, Hammonds likes the idea of a central office in the old elementary school.
“This puts the central office back in touch with the community,” Hammonds said. “There is a connection here — people were educated here and lives were built here.”
A building as old as Hargrave comes with some history. This one is no exception.
Janie C. Hargrave was a legendary educator and religious figure in Robeson County. The large poster of the Ten Commandments that she posted near the entrance remains there today, although noticeably aging.
Hargrave’s ghost is rumored to roam the school, said school board member Linda Emanuel. Apparently, she is a good ghost.
“She’s just keeping an eye on things here,” Emanuel said. “It makes a good story for Halloween.”
