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Columbia City's Neighbor News |
No Place Like Home Open House
![4350_S_Bennett_1937[1].jpg](http://columbiacity.wdfiles.com/local--files/wikli-item:6/4350_S_Bennett_1937[1].jpg)
Did you know that there used to be seven houses on the Whitworth Playfield? In 1989 those houses were torn down to expand the school site. This spring students at Orca K-8 @ Whitworth have researched the houses and the people who lived in them. We wrote stories based on the historic evidence we were able to find about those people. On June 17th from 3-7 we are going to draw the floorplans of the houses on the playfield and even put furniture in one of them! This even is free and we would love for you to come so we can share our information with you. Refreshments will be provided. Thanks!
Thursday, June 17th, 3-7 pm: Temporary installation on the Whitworth playfield (45th Ave S. & S. Dawson St.) to resurrect the seven houses that were torn down in 1989 to expand the school site. Culmination of a research project conducted by 6th & 7th graders under the direction of local historian Mikala Woodward.
"No Place Like Home" Orca K-8 Spring Enrichment Class
P.S. More information about the project, including the students' stories, is available at:
(Still under construction at the moment, but getting there.)
Contact moc.loa|3amojoj#drawdooW alakiM or 501-6904
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moc.loa|3amojoj#drawdooW alakiM |
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What a great project. Here's a recent student project about Whitworth, located on the Rainier Valley Historical Society's site.
From the outside, the old school (excepting the 1950s addition) had such amazing character and grace. It seems like Whitworth's 1986 moment for renewal came at a time when we placed less value on renovating historic schools, and less value on how the school relates to its neighbors.
At the top, the photo shows the houses that were also condemned and demolished.
Yes, thanks for digging that up, Scott — This project actually grew out of that old one, with several of the same kids…
— Mikala
Just wanted to let everyone know that the No Place Like Home web site is now loaded up with 12 stories written by the students, that we could still use a few more hands on Thursday to help arrange furniture on the field, and that if everyone could pray for SUN tomorrow evening, I'd be grateful!
http://sevenhouses.blogspot.com/
Cheers,
Mikala
The kids' stories are awesome, for us and for them.
I really enjoy the weaving together of imagination, oral histories, and source material, especially the fantastic images. This one is especially captivating — childhood memories unpacked and repackaged by young historians.
Got some pictures up here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31995497@N07/sets/72157624210020771/show/
If anyone else got some good ones, let me know!
Thanks again to everyone who made this possible. It was just so, so, SO cool to see my crazy idea come to life like that!
Mikala