By Mary Miller
Following up the regular agenda-filled July meeting, DHSF members found it necessary to schedule a workshop on July 21 to agree on changes and to finalize the DHSF brochure. This was effectively done. All information contained in the beautiful brochure should remain time-sensitive for at least two years. Members who attended the interim session were Betty Barclay, LaVerne Hayes, Terry Morris, Linda Brown, Lloyd Brown, Gerald Berry, Deneene Herring, Barbara Herring, and Mary Miller.
On Friday morning, July 10, Terry Morris and Gerald Berry met with Mr. Owen Wallace at Dillon Seed and Supply to view auditorium photographs and memorabilia collected over the years by his mother, Mrs. Betty Wallace. These valuable items will be shown to DHSF members; some items may be copied, and the originals will be returned to Mr. Wallace.
Chairman Berry expressed his plan to request permission from Superintendent Ray Rogers that would allow professional photographer Doug Fraser to enter the auditorium and take photographs to make video footage for promotional purposes, specifically a “Presentation Package” that will be presented to interested groups and, perhaps, to local television channels.
The remainder of this session was spent discussing the June 30th meeting with Superintendent Rogers, Ms. DeLisa Clark of the State Board of Education, and DHSF Chairman Berry, Vice-Chairman Terry Morris, and Secretary Mary Miller.
At the request of Supt. Rogers, Rep. Jackie Hayes had contacted Ms. Clark to schedule a visit to Dillon to present the State Department of Education’s legal position on conveying the JVM auditorium to DHSF–a simple transfer that has now gained the significant support of Supt. Rogers. Ms. Clark’s information was enlightening, most helpful, and encouraging to everyone at the meeting.
At Ms. Clark’s request, the group then moved to the auditorium allowing her to see the building for the first time and to examine up close the specific details and concerns that had been discussed earlier in the day. Her initial comment on seeing the inside of the auditorium was, “This is beautiful! I love this era of architecture. Art deco. This will be a wonderful auditorium!”
In the near future, the District Four School Board will have the opportunity to hear and review the State Board’s legal position, and their response, or plan-of-action, will be reported by Supt. Rogers to DHSF. Hopefully, after almost five years of negotiations on the future of the auditorium, there should soon be a positive resolution for all parties concerned and, particularly, for the community of Dillon.
The next DHSF meeting will be Tuesday, August 4, at 7:00 p.m. in the conference room of the Chamber of Commerce. If you would love to be a part of a cultural arts revolution in Dillon, then plan to join us.
