Later this year, Brooksville hopes to see the return of The Little Rock Cannery School. A 2600 square foot educational building constructed by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) in 1941, the historic local school has served many purposes over the years.
Following its initial purpose as the Hammock Consolidated School, it was transformed into a boys and girls’ home, a library, and finally a cannery. It had operated in its most recent role since the 1970s.
To the delight of many in the community, kindergarten teacher Tishia Wingate and her family are looking to renovate and restore the building for its original purpose of instruction. “Our family has purchased it, and we are doing a whole restoration project on it. We want to turn it back into a school (Roots Academy),” said Wingate. “The really cool part is that a lot of people have interest in the building […] they reach out to make sure that we are preserving its roots.”
According to the Roots Academy Brooksville website, the renovations include a new roof and flooring with updates to the paint, landscaping, and parking lot. Once complete, students will be able to “enjoy an open, cozy learning environment designed for project-based learning,” the website continued.
Some citizens are hoping to see this piece of history preserved because they lived it. Lois, an 85-year-old Brooksvillian who still lives near the site, attended the school for six years during the 1940s. Upon learning of its positive change of fortune, “I was thrilled to death because I didn’t want the school torn down,” Lois said.
When asked about the Cannery School, she noted that it was “just like any other school.” Lois was raised “right across the street” from the building on Citrus Way, and added that she “had some good times” at the academy during her childhood.
With preservation certainly being important to locals like Lois, it certainly appears that Mrs. Wingate and company will do right by Brooksville in bringing the school back up to speed. The educator has even created a website to let people know more about her efforts and the types of classes that will be offered. “I only want to take about 30 kids,” Wingate added. “It is a really unique type of education. We are doing mastery-based learning – small groups. I’m a teacher. I have a master’s degree in curriculum. So, I kind of want to bring a different type of learning to Brooksville.”
Mrs. Wingate also owns an adjacent plot of land that she plans to use for forestry/gardening school, and she noted that there is significant interest from the community regarding this as well.
While she has already put together $60,000 of the funds necessary to begin the restoration project, she is still looking to raise another $15,000 for the windows. She hopes to see the goal met by August.
An expense that took Wingate by surprise, the steel windows that currently adorn the school are exceedingly old and need to be removed and replaced. Since these windows are built into the cement and stone structure, significant difficulties and cost will be incurred as a result. “I have got some window people out here and they said it is definitely a job. They are the original steel windows,” said Wingate. “They are safe […] [the building inspector] says it has got great bones actually. So, the windows, no lead or anything like that, but they are not opening. They are old. Getting them out of a building that was constructed out of cement and stone is half the battle.”
Besides the shockingly pricey windows, the early stages of the project are progressing well. The only other hiccup Wingate and company are hoping to get ironed out is the zoning situation, as they are currently awaiting the county’s action on rezoning the property away from its current Agricultural designation.
The local educator has been encouraged by the amount of trust and support of the community while the project has gotten underway. The renovations are scheduled to begin on April 7, and Wingate hopes to have the school ready by September or October of this year. “I would love people to know the experience I am bringing,” said Wingate. “The building needs a lot of work. So, I just want people to know we have a big team of supporters, the community. I also have the experience. We are really taking it seriously and just so excited to bring this to Brooksville.”
