Old school gets new shingles

The group hoping to restore Bettendorf'sold Forest Grove School is nearing itsaimof getting the building "buttoned up before winter."

That was the hopelast year, too, but this year the goal is within its grasp: An Adel, Iowa,roofing crew ishammering on a cedar shingle roof, and two volunteers are restoringwindow frames so they can receive new glass sashes by the end of the month.

As she prepared to drive to Dubuque earlier this week to pick up historically correct roof flashing, Sharon Andresen, a leader in the restorationefforts, summarized the progress made over the summer.

A big shot in the arm was the notification in July of a $50,000 project grant from the state of Iowa for additional work on the one-room school, which was built in 1873 and closed in 1957.

Of that amount, the group will receive $33,000 from the State Historical Society of Iowa, and members will have to raise the remaining $17,000 on their own, either in cash or in-kind contributions. Acommittee has been formed to organize fundraisers over the winter.

The money will pay for gutters, siding repair and replacement, the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, and rebuilding the bell tower. The deadline for that work is autumn 2016.

Andresen had hoped to find volunteers to install theshingles, but because working with wood is a special skill set, she had to hire out the work.

The shingles themselves cost about $4,000, but Spahn & Rose Lumber Co.of Charlotte, Iowa, donated a $500 credit and a former student donated two squares of the shingles, bringing the total to about $3,000, Andresen said.

And two volunteers are helping with the windows. Dennis Walters, a 50-year carpenter who owned Dennis Walters Construction, and John Overbeek are scraping, sanding, rebuilding and priming the window frames so that when the glass sashes are finished, they can be installed.

"I was told to do all I can to preserve any of the wood that is in good enough shape," Walters said. "But some will need to be replaced."

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Old school gets new shingles