Mobile Home Sales in Society Hill, SC

SOCIETY HILL, S.C. (WPDE) — The Darlington County Town of Society Hill issued a proclamation earlier this month honoring their hometown hero, former S.C. Governor David Beasley.

They're recognizing Beasley for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize last month for his efforts to fight world hunger.

Beasley works with the World Food Programme and seeks to combat hunger and to improve conditions for peace in war-torn areas.

The town's proclamation read as follows:

Whereas, Darlington County native David Muldrow Beasley and his family have had a long association with the Town of Society Hill, South Carolina; and

Whereas, David represented his community in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1979 to 1992; and

Whereas, David served the state of South Carolina as Governor from 1995 to 1999, placing his determination to represent the interests of all the state’s citizens above his own political career, and receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2003 for his efforts; and

Whereas, David was appointed Executive Director of the World Food Programme in March 2017 from among 23 candidates, by U.N. Secretary General António Guterres and Director-General of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Joe Graziano de Silva; and

Whereas, the World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and helping people who are recovering from violent conflict, natural disasters, and the impact of climate change; and

Whereas, David has personally worked to assist refugees from Syria, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Sudan, and to work towards peace and prosperity through food assistance; and

Whereas, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger, to improve conditions for peace in war-torn areas, and to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict; and

Whereas, the Town of Society Hill is proud of its neighbor and outstanding ambassador of good will and charity throughout the world as exemplified by Governor David Muldrow Beasley; and

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, by the governing body of the Town of Society Hill, South Carolina, the Town Council, do hereby proclaim the appreciation of the Town for the example Governor David M. Beasley has set for the people of our state, country, and the entire world. We urge the residents of Society Hill to enter the new year with a determination to honor and emulate his commitment to others.

In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of January 2021.

SOCIETY HILL, SC (WMBF) - Galey & Lord announced plans to shut down by the end of May, Plant Manager Mel Francisco confirmed.

Francisco said the company could not overcome its latest setback, however, he couldn't specify exactly what kind of setback that was.

He said the plant employs 126 people and those employees were notified of the closure last week. The company is very sorry for any difficulties this causes the employees and wishes those employees the best, he said.

Francisco said the Society Hill plant is the company's only location, which at one time employed more than 1,000 people, and was a leader in the textile industry.

Francisco said the plant will finish its orders for its clients to the best of its ability.

Society Hill Mayor Tommy Bradshaw said Galey & Lord first opened in the 1960's, but the history of textile manufacturing in the town goes back hundreds of years.

"David Rogerson Williams established the first textile plant in this Pee Dee section of the state and probably one of the very first in the state in 1812 and it existed for about 25 years," Bradshaw said.

When Mayor Tommy Bradshaw first got into office two years ago, he said Galey & Lord executives talked with him about an expansion.

"They had plans at that time to establish a sewing plant, which I thought that would be great news for a source of employment," Bradshaw said.

However, that never panned out, and Bradshaw had been hearing rumors of a possible closure for a while.

"It'll be a bad economic impact for the town and the surrounding communities, Darlington, Hartsville, Cheraw," he said.

Society Hill has experienced some financial difficulties and debt in recent years.

"That's the reason I ran for the mayor and we've been able to by tightening our budget and by being good stewards of the town resources," Bradshaw said. "We've gotten out of debt. We no longer owe the state assessments anything. We no longer owe anyone anything."

Bradshaw is confident this Galey & Lord shutdown won't throw the town off track with its finances again.

He said he's already heard of some talks of another textile company being interested in moving into the building.

"I'm hoping, strongly hoping, that there can be some reaching of an agreement to open it back up, so while this is an end, I'm hoping for a beginning," he said.

Francisco couldn't confirm any sort of plans for the future of the building.

The letter from Galey & Lord to employees, which Bradshaw also received, explains the shutdown process will happen between April 29 and May 12. The company promised to pay its employees what they would've made through May 28. The plant will be closed by the end of May.

Copyright 2016 WMBF News. All rights reserved.

Gloria Masterton, a social studies teacher at Legion Collegiate Academy, is one of only a handful of teachers to receive this distinguished honor.

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A Rock Hill teacher is being recognized for her passion, dedication and ability to "change lives."

Gloria Masterton, a social studies teacher at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill, was recently awarded the 2022 Educator of the Year finalist award by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS).

NSHSS was co-founded by Claes Nobel, whose family established the Nobel Prizes. The goal of the organization is to recognize and reward the most distinguished and high-achieving high school scholars around the world.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app.

However, NSHSS also recognizes educators that stand out for their exceptional ability to help students reach their academic potential. These outstanding educators set their students up for success, both inside and outside of the classroom. Being recognized as an Educator of the Year winner or finalist is a distinguished honor and recipients of this award are also awarded grants.

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku and Amazon Fire TV, just download the free app.

Masterton received her undergraduate degree in social studies and secondary education from Grand Valley State University. She continued on to earn a master's degree in education from the University of South Carolina, where she specialized in multicultural contexts in education during her graduate studies.

Masterton knew that she wanted to be a teacher from a very young age. She also has a strong sense of what is important in the classroom - building relationships and trust.

"The brightest student could be sitting in a classroom, but if they do not feel respect or care, they will never have a love for learning. When you invest in your students, they invest back into you: and it truly provides such a joy that outweighs any of the negatives in education,” said Masterton.

Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter

This goal of fostering relationships also drives the content that Masterton chooses to teach. She appreciates and incorporates the diversity of social studies, and how teaching diverse, multicultural experiences can foster inclusiveness and a culture of respect in the classroom.

‌

Related Articles

SEEKING SOLUTIONS

WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.

DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Darlington County school board members voted 5-2 Monday night on the merger of St. John's Elementary School and Rosenwald Elementary School to be housed in a newly constructed facility to be located at 2308 North Governor Williams Highway in Darlington.

The board had been considering this action since March and expects the project to be completed in time for the 2025-2026 school year.

The new school is part of the Darlington County School District's (DCSD) 2019 Facility Plan. Early costs were predicted to be approximately $30 million based on market conditions in the spring of 2022. The facility will be built with existing district funds and will not require a referendum or tax increase, and no reductions in staff are expected.

They've held several meetings in an effort to learn additional information to make a good decision.

Board members Leigh Anne Kelley (District 1), Warren Jeffords (District 4), Richard Brewer (District 5), Wanda Hassler (District 7) and Jamie Morphis voted in favor of the consolidation and construction of the new school. Board members Lucas Reed (District 2) and Charles Govan (District 6) voted against the project.

Several board members voiced their opinion before a vote was taken on the matter.

"We've heard opinions on this for the last several months. Through public meetings, conversations, one on ones. We've had quite a few conversations about this. We value everyone's opinions, and I promise you we take everything very seriously. Why vote now? This board has listened to all the concerns. And it should be up to this board to make the decision. We've been to public meetings. We've listened to everyone. This should be our decision. It's up to us to make this decision. And this is really about, what's most beneficial to our children. Education and safety what we should be concerned with most. That's why we make this decision. It's not an easy decision," said Board Chair Warren Jeffords.

Jeffords said the two buildings would be repurposed and wouldn't be just left empty.

"We need to make sure these buildings do not go unused," said Lucas Reed, a board member from Society Hill. Mr. Reed suggested the district reach out to the school's alumni associations and other groups to help find uses for the buildings. "We have options available with the buildings," Reed said. "But first and foremost, we've got to place our kids first."

TOP STORY: Lake City Community Hospital closing, 212 jobs impacted

However, board member Charles Govan expressed his concerns with what he's hearing in the community, especially as it relates to Rosenwald Elementary Middle School.

"I'll agree that it's in the best interest of our children, to provide the best educational opportunities. If this board is going to truly be committed, to repurposing that building. Or those buildings. So, that they can remain a part of that community. Whether it's Hartsville. Whether it's Darlington. Society Hill, it doesn't matter. One of the things that I have constantly gotten called about is the fact that we say that. And then we don't do that. And to be truly honest with you, in the African American communities across this state. Historically black schools that have been closed. Or predominantly black schools that have been closed have basically just been forgotten about. And there's a real concern about that in this community. And in this county," said Govan.

In prior meetings, Darlington County School District Superintendent Dr. Tim Newman shared the safety factors of the two schools versus the newer facilities.

These factors consist of "new cafeterias versus the old school cafeterias, the old school hallways versus the new school hallways, the computer stations, the media centers, as well as the classrooms showing the lack of space in the old schools."

Newman pointed out that the old St. John's Elementary would cost much more money to renovate than building a new school. He noted that St. John's Elementary "hasn't had any major work done on it since the renovation of the auditorium."

A copy of the board's minutes from a March meeting showed that it would cost more than $37 million to renovate St. John's Elementary School.

Rosenwald was "built in 1956, the cafeteria is small with low ceilings, and the hallways are narrow," as reflected in the board's minutes.

READ MORE: Florence Regional Airport rebranding, rebuilding from pandemic

A 2019 district's Master Facilities Plan (MFP) laid out the conditions of all schools in the district.

St. John's Elementary has been in use as a building to educate students since 1818.

The plan lists the following information on the school:

St. John’s Elementary sits on a 12 acre site in the historic district on downtown Darlington. Th e site is abutted by Hwy 52 as it runs through downtown and by Park Street across the front of the campus; along the back the site drops off very quickly toward the Swift Creek. The site of the campus has been an educational institution since 1818 and fortunately two of the older classroom buildings have remained and been renovated and restored while still keeping much of the exterior architectural integrity in place. Access to the main entrance of the school is easily identifiable by a large set of monumental stairs that lead up to the main hall, unfortunately this sometimes makes it hard for disabled visitors to gain access although an elevator is available on the far left of the building.

Campus layouts like that at St. Johns Elementary School, create security issues as doors to all buildings typically must remain unlocked to allow access to students and staff . Traversing the campus in inclement weather is also problematic as rain, cold and wind are not only an inconvenience to students and staff but also add additional safety hazards. The above combined with some grade issues especially as relating to ADA, create inconveniences for students, staff , and visitors. The ages of the buildings dictate varying compliance to a variety of building codes creating many noncompliant conditions as it relates to current codes.

The plan list the following information for Rosenwald Elementary Middle School:

Located in the community of Society Hill, SC on the northern end of Darlington County, the Rosenwald School houses students from Pre-K through 8th grades. Situated on a 12 acre sloping site the school fronts Church St. and parents and buses utilize the same drives to access the site. Buses are parked on the site towards the back. To assist in parent pickup/drop-off a drive was created around the rear of the school; this creates a hazard for students going to the playground. Due to ongoing septic issues, land across Church Street was purchased in 2005 for a septic drain field. The sanitary sewer is now pumped across Church Street to this new septic tank drain field. The school consists of five (5) distinct buildings with two of the buildings connected: the Office/Cafeteria building stands alone; the Media Wing is connected to the Gym Building (they both have associated classrooms) and are connected by an enclosed corridor; and the Six Classroom Wing shares a covered walk with the Music Room. These buildings have ages ranging from the mid-1950’s with the newest addition being occupied in 2006. Limited renovations also occurred during the summer of 2006. Although covered walks connect the buildings, security, inclement weather and energy efficiency are all compromised. Additionally, the sloping site creates ADA accessibility issues. Current enrollment is around 155 students with a staff of 30.

You can read more about the MFP for all schools by clicking here.

A portion of Crawford Road in Rock Hill has been named to honor the memory and legacy of David Boone, one of the most influential civil rights figures in the city’s history.

Boone, known as “Brother David,” died in 2017 after a long battle with cancer. He was 84.

He was a Catholic brother, and he spent six-plus decades fighting for racial equality and desegregation. In the late 1950s, Boone left Kentucky at the age of 18 and came to Rock Hill, S.C., to join The Oratory, a Catholic society that oversees area parishes.

And now, the memory of Boone and his contributions to Rock Hill will forever be a part of the city.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation designated part of Crawford Road from the intersection with Hampton Road to the intersection with Heckle Boulevard “Brother David Boone Memorial Road.” The road is near St. Mary Catholic Church, where Boone served for decades as a volunteer and leader.

And earlier this month, signs depicting the road’s new name were erected.

South Carolina State Rep. John King, who represents Rock Hill, introduced the legislation that made Boone’s memorial road possible.

“I feel like by having that sign up, some kid is going to ask their parent, ‘Well, who is David Boone?’” King said. “And if their parent doesn’t know, they’ll go home and research. They’ll find out his rich history and the role he played in the civil rights movement as a white man. It is breathtaking.”

Boone organized several civil rights marches and sit-ins in the early 1960s. He participated in the 1961 sit-in at McCrory’s lunch counter where the Friendship Nine were arrested for protesting segregation. Boone also worked to desegregate several of Rock Hill’s recreation leagues.

He remained, until the end of his life, on the leadership board of the Rock Hill NAACP.

King, who is the only Black member of the York County legislative delegation, said he attributes much of the area’s forward and progressive thinking to Boone and those he fought alongside.

“David Boone sat at the counter to fight for Blacks to have equal rights not only in York County, not only in the state of South Carolina, but our country,” King said. “And so, we realize some of those things now because of people like him. And as a state representative, I felt one of the honors that I could do while I’m in office was to honor someone of his stature.”

Boone also spent much of his life working with the poor. He co-founded the city’s Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen. And at one point, he operated a credit union for Black people who had no access to credit.

“Brother David was such a unique individual,” said former Rock Hill Mayor Doug Echols, who was in office when Boone passed. “I don’t know that I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting someone as humble as he was. He never really wanted to draw attention to himself in any way. He just wanted to be of service to other people. That’s a worthy designation for that road.”

And while he often shied away from the recognition, Boone has been honored with several designations throughout Rock Hill.

“Quite frankly, I think he would be embarrassed by it all,” Echols laughed. “But then again, that’s done to perpetuate the kind of spirit that he had and that he exemplified throughout his life.”

A building at Carolina Community Actions on Oakland Avenue was named after him. Boone’s name was printed on one of the stools at the lunch counter where the Friendship Nine protested. Shortly before his death, he was recognized at Rock Hill’s civil rights walkway.

And the memorial road is one more way to keep Boone’s memory alive, Echols said.

“If people will think about Brother David when they see his name on the road and his name on a building, or other places, that’s the way you let the work the did some time ago and throughout his life live on,” he said.