It appears that, at some point, the Howarth School will be relocated–now the question becomes where to put it.
The Orion Township Board was presented the issue as a last-minute item at their July 31 meeting. In their proposal, the Orion Historical Society asked the board for financial support. They requested $1,600 in the current budget, which would require a budget adjustment, and consideration of funds in the 2007 budget (to be outlined later this month).
In the OHS proposal, presented by Orion Parks and Recreation Director Rock Blanchard, the school, located at Silverbell and Bald Mountain Roads in Orion Township, would be moved to Friendship Park.
The proposal said it would sit near the Porritt Barn (part of another relocation project).
Leslie Pielack, who helped present the proposal, said the issue came together at the last minute because of a grant the OHS is exploring for the project.
‘Our hope was that if we made a serious attempt at the grant, the board would see that and help us make the project a reality,? she said.
OHS is strongly pursuing a grant made possible by the History Channel that would cover a large chunk of the moving process.
‘The best scenario is that it would be one-sixth of the project’s cost,? Pielack said.
The board expressed their frustration for not having known about the issue earlier.
‘I’m still troubled that things are coming to us at the last minute,? said Clerk Jill Bastian.
The board wanted to consider the item during the Aug. budgeting sessions.
However, the board ultimately approved the concept of moving the schoolhouse, with directions to OHS (with assistance from Parks & Rec) to present more details at a later time.
‘I would say that we feel encouraged by the board’s response,? Pielack said.
Co-presenter Lisa Sokol agreed. ‘The positive thing for us is that they are considering putting a historic building on township ground,? she said.
The pair noted that the board’s decision means they could accept the grant, if it’s offered.
‘If, in the next month or two months, we can’t get anything done, then we might have to look at another alternative,? Sokol said.
Pielack appreciated the board taking their time to carefully look at and grasp the entire scope of the project.
‘None of us are against what they are trying to do,? Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said of the project.
Dywasuk added that he doesn’t see the urgency of the matter just yet, noting that the board went through a similar situation with the Porritt Barn, and said the land they moved the barn from is still awaiting development.
‘Nothing has really happened there, and it’s now six years later,? he said.
The Howarth project is still in its earliest stages, and must pass many hurdles to become feasible.
The school is listed on the State Register of Historic Places and belongs to the Howarth United Methodist Church.
Pielack said the church would like to donate the schoolhouse to save it from demolition when they sell the parcel.
The school, named after John Howarth, who donated the land, was built in 1859, and served as a school until 1955.