Move afoot to save old Sampson High

CLINTON — A building in Clinton, beloved by residents but slated to start the path to demolition, is potentially seeing a comeback through efforts of the Sampson High School Alumni Association.

A few months back, the case was laid out simply by the City of Clinton officials and the City Council — progress or potential condemnation. The group last appeared before the board on Jan. 5 of this year.

“Planning staff had initiated code procedures on the old Sampson High School,” said Mary Rose, the City Planning and Development Director.

This was due to a collapse of the auditorium’s roof structure. The old school is located on McKoy Street.

“The City Council extended the Sampson High School Alumni Association a six month time period to move forward on this project,” she said.

Dr. Jesse Williams, the president of the organization, Chair Robert Bennett, and Gale Sampson, grant administrator, have been working together. A developer has been working with them to develop a plan and gain some momentum to make progress on the structure.

“During the last five months, we have been working very diligently,” said Sampson.

The group has been tasked with different items to tend to, like a security fence for the health and safety of the community.

“That has been completed,” she said. “We have started on Phase 1, which is we did the fence, and we have gone through and done the scanning. We have come up with a plan that we hope will make that facility a legacy for the city, and for the recipients, the community itself.”

Sampson said that they have been additionally raising funds to finance the endeavor and that they have identified a developer that will work with them.

Chris Coleman and Doug Burns from SGA Architecture were in attendance as well as Keith Greenwood and Jimmy Dillahunt.

Burns said that they had looked at two design options, one being an educational facility, but the community need for senior housing and workforce housing trumped that. There’s a potential for 30 or so units on the property with the school.

The scan of the structure has been completed as well, since it wasn’t safe to go in. They had a team come in and electronically take pictures of the structure, giving them a 3D model, as well as structural engineering.

“It’s very salvageable,” said Burns. “It looks a lot worse than it is. That’s the good news.”

Booker T. Washington, an African-American leader, shared with Julius Rosenwald the plight of young children in the South. From there seed money for the “Rosenwald schools” was planned, of which Sampson had five, including Sampson High, which was in operation until 1969.

Rosenwald, an American clothier who became part-owner and president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, founded the Rosenwald Fund geared toward providing assistance for public education for African-American children who were required to attend segregated schools.

Located at 615 McKoy St., the school property was purchased by the SHSAA Inc. in 1986 from Sampson County for $57,750.