Retired teachers team up with historical society on projects

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The Highland County Retired Teachers Association (HCRTA) has completed two projects this fall for the Highland County Historical Society.

Along with several other organizations in the county, HCRTA decorated a tree in the Highland House for the museum’s annual Christmas Tree gala.

Retired school secretary Arlene Huffman is called Miss Christmas by retired teacher and museum director Vicki Knauff. Huffman determined the theme for 2016 to be snow people.

HCRTA’s tree is located in the upper back hallway in the Hall of Fame near the schoolroom, which happens to be closed this season getting a new floor.

Kathy Levo took on the project of the tree and created snow people from styrofoam balls, then distributed them to members for decoration. Creativity abounded with ballerinas, musicians, beaded wonders, angels, and many more.

A larger project was the HCRTA funding of the Union School’s marker which was affixed to the back wall of the museum during the reconstruction of that wall.

As the wall was taken completely down, rebuilt and refaced with its original antique brick that had been removed and cleaned for reuse, there was some concern that there would not be enough usable brick to recover the wall. Construction manager Brad Tira and brick mason Wayne Dance suggested that the great stone slab from the Union School, which had been donated years previously by Larry Snoddy, be incorporated into the wall. It was agreed to and the result is beautiful. However, identification was needed so that visitors would not think that the Highland House was once a school. Options were investigated by Highland County Historical Society members John Glaze and Justin Harsha and HCRTA willingly agreed to fund the sizable investment of a plaque. Contributions were also made by the Whiteoak Alumni Association and the Belfast Alumni Association.

The Highland County Retired Teachers Association meets quarterly with the next meeting scheduled for Feb. 6, 2017 at the Highland County Senior Citizens Center, 185 Muntz St. in Hillsboro, at 11:30 a.m. All retired teachers are welcome and needed.

Submitted by Kathy Levo of the Highland County Retired Teachers Association.

Pictured here with a new plaque identifying the Union School stone marker at the Highland House are HCRTA vice president Jim Faust (left), member Jane Stowers (center) and president R.D. Hottle (right). The stone marker can be seen on the left of the photograph.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2016/12/web1_plaque.jpgPictured here with a new plaque identifying the Union School stone marker at the Highland House are HCRTA vice president Jim Faust (left), member Jane Stowers (center) and president R.D. Hottle (right). The stone marker can be seen on the left of the photograph.

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