Reinforcing our Mission Statement to perpetuate the historical legacy, educational traditions and cultural heritage, The Barr Street High School Foundation, Inc. presented a tribute to honor the known educators of LTS/Barr Street High.

On Sunday, April 27, 2014, a crowd of about 200 people gathered at Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Lancaster SC to give accolades to former educators. On this historical site, Dr. Deborah Cureton acknowledged the presence of approximately 20 educators representing nearly 170 years of service at Barr Street alone. The emotional evening was inspired by the inspirational musical selections from Mrs. Gayle Gordon Frasier, “The Lord’s Prayer”; on trumpet, Mr. Lafayette Thrower “To God Be the Glory”; and Mrs. Brenda Gordon Pogue, “You Raise Me Up”.

Proclaiming April 27, 2014 as Lancaster Training School/Barr Street High School Educators Day, City Council members Mrs. Jackie Harris and Mr. Kenny Hood presented each educator the City of Lancaster/State of South Carolina Mayoral Proclamation. The Inaugural Barr Street High School Foundation, Inc. Scholarship was given as our Tribute in honor of our educators. The recipients of the scholarship were high school seniors. Mr. Benjamin Bernard Dunlap, II (Lancaster High School) plans to attend the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

Ms. Lauren Czarnecki (Indian Land High School) plans to attend Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina. Both received a $1,000 scholarship.

Dr. Charmaine Stradford challenged the audience to support the scholarship fund and our non-profit organization. Reiterating Mr. Will Gordon’s comments on The Foundation’s purpose to preserve the Legacy and its recently acquired tax exempt status, she extended a special challenge to each Class of Barr Street High School.

Concluding the tribute with the poem YOU LIVE ON! Written by Paul Berchtold, Ms. Valerie Davis Belk read:

“You live on in memory deep.

Your legacy is what we’ll keep.

If every church needs a preacher,

Every person needs a teacher.”

Retired educator, Mr. David Jenkins, represented the honorees responding with gratitude and appreciation for the thoughtfulness of the Barr Street High School Foundation, Inc.