Project preserves local heritage

It was said of pianist Marvin Chandler, allegedly by his mother, "all you had to do was tell him what you wanted him to play and sing, and he took right off." Chandler attended Bloomington's Banneker School from grade one through eight. All Bloomington's African-American elementary and middle school students were required to attend Banneker from 1916 until 1955, when it became Bloomington's Westside community center.\nThe Banneker History Project attempts to preserve the heritage of Banneker School and Banneker Community Center. Elementary school children from Bloomington's schools composed a "Cooperative Biography" of Benjamin Banneker, the school's namesake. Born in 1731, Banneker was the son of a man who had come from Africa and the grandson of an indentured servant. He attended an all-boys Quaker school. Banneker is best known for his work in architecture -- planning and putting the Capitol in the center of the city in Washington, D.C. He is also known for his invention of a wooden clock and for his correspondence with Thomas Jefferson. \nHigh school students from Bloomington North have been recording oral history interviews with people who attended Banneker when it was a school. IU students from an honors enrichment seminar for pre-service teachers of color have assisted in the collection of the oral history recordings. About half a dozen past directors of the Banneker Center have also been interviewed. The center offers a wide variety of recreational activities for all ages including daily and seasonal events for children, young adults, older adults and families.\nThis project was initiated by Clarence Gilliam, president of the local branch of the NAACP. Many of the educational arrangements were made by Dr. Marilynne Boyle-Baise, a professor at the IU School of Education.\nThe Banneker History Project's goals have included not only preserving and recognizing the history of the school and the community center, but also learning the techniques of oral history, helping high school youth become informed and responsible participants in the community and helping future teachers become responsive to community concerns.\n"During the open house, people who had attended Banneker Center when it was a school and would like to be interviewed were asked to sign up," Boyle-Baise said. \nThis has been a community-city-school-university partnership project. Among the leaders in it have been Bev Johnson from Adult and Family Services of the City of Bloomington, Leslie Brinson, current director of Banneker Center, Pat Wilson, Bloomington High School North's social studies division, and Kathy Rabold, principal of Fairview elementary school.\nGilliam has emphasized the importance of this educational and cultural heritage and its significance as the place where pupils "could get their education before going on" and that it is important that "the center be given its rightful place in history." \nGilliam initiated the project to document the history of the center's name and the activities sponsored by the center. Gilliam's proposal met with favorable response at the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Division. The project's participants have worked throughout the school year to learn about the center's history. They held an open house in October, a panel discussion in February and a culminating celebration March 29. \n"This has been a very positive experience," Johnson said. \nWhile the participants have finished recording oral interviews, they still have to be transcribed.