‘A fire is like death’: Group vows to keep fighting to save historic Black Conway school

A Conway group that has been fighting to save a historically Black school will continue its efforts despite city leaders’ consideration of an emergency demolition due to a fire at the property.

The Racepath Historical Society, a group of alumni who say the Whittemore Elementary School is foundational to the Black community, submitted a plan to city officials in December proposing it be converted to housing and a community center.

The city was accepting proposals until 2024, so it wasn’t yet clear what would happen to the school. But, after Tuesday’s fire, the future of the Whittemore has become even more uncertain.

Conway City Council will hold a special meeting Thursday at 4 p.m. to consider an emergency demolition and closing out the request for proposals for the property. There is no public input section listed on the agenda.

Rev. Cheryl Adamson, president of Racepath, said tearing down what remains of the property would be premature.

“Our intent is to take what’s left of that building and do what can be done to preserve the history,” she added.

Adamson said the city has neglected the building and didn’t do the necessary steps to maintain the property, including what had been recommended by their own consultants.

“I really felt that no matter how or why the fire started, the city is responsible because of their negligence in caring for the property that was given to them to re-purpose the building as a community center,” she said.

Crews from the Conway Fire Department responded to the fire on Maple Street at 12:46 a.m., according to a Facebook post.

June Wood, a city spokeswoman, said some portions of the building had to be pulled out with heavy equipment and hosed down Tuesday because it was unsafe to send crews inside. It took them about 17 hours to finish the job, according to Wood.

The entrance of the school and the area to the left of it were demolished, she added.

Regardless, Adamson said she would like to see what can be saved from the building after Tuesday’s “devastating” event.

“A fire is like a death in the family, and places have life; they have stories, and they have impact,” she said.

If the city was to destroy the building without letting the community mourn, Adamson said it would be like having a funeral without the body.

The school was built in 1953 as an equalization school to meet the “separate but equal” standards of racial segregation at the time. It was damaged by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and decommissioned by the Horry County School District.

Buildings at the property have been condemned by the city due to the presence of asbestos and damage from the hurricane, according to a Request for Proposals document.

It is not yet clear what caused the fire. But the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Arson Unit is investigating, according to SLED spokeswoman Renee Wunderlich.

Wood said more information about the incident will be relayed at Thursday’s meeting.

If the council was to accept the historical society’s proposal, the property would be purchased for $1.

The link to watch Thursday’s meeting via Zoom can be accessed through the city’s website.

This story was originally published March 8, 2023 at 4:26 PM.