New Life for Garrett Whiteside Hall
A seventy nine year old structure in the Nashville School District may soon see some much needed repairs. Freddie Horne, a former educator and president of the Howard County Historical Society, presented information at Monday’s Nashville School Board meeting concerning needed repairs to Garrett Whiteside Hall gymnasium.
The structure was built in 1940 by the National Youth Administration, which was a New Deal agency sponsored by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a branch of the Works Progress Administration. The gym remains as the last school building of this period to survive in Nashville. The gymnasium is a representative example of the restrained, functional architectural style preferred by public works agencies during the Great Depression. Constructed using locally-available building material and exhibiting symmetrical massing and composition, the inclusion of a unique rounded roof makes the structure distinctive. The structure is so named for Nashville-native Garrett Whiteside, who served from 1907-1947 as a congressional secretary for multiple congressman and senators from Arkansas. Mr. Whiteside was responsible for securing funding for the building under the NYA program.
When completed in the fall for the 1940-41 school year, the Garrett Whiteside Hall gymnasium had a seating capacity of 800 for basketball games and over 2,000 people could attend school plays and graduations using floor seating.
The gym was placed on the National Register of Historic Places Collection on November 21, 1994.
Horne has worked with The Department of Arkansas Heritage in the past to restore the former Presbyterian church in Nashville through a historic preservation restoration grant. This grant would provide a 2 to 1 cash match. Repairs must ensure the historic integrity of the building and grants of $10,000 or more are available. Horne said he observed Florentine glass in lower level windows, with many needing repairs or replaced. He continued in saying that some of the wooden structure may need replaced, though termite repairs have been made in spots. Around ten doors will also need historically accurate wooden door replacements.
The school board has approved submitting a letter of intent to start the application process. Full grant applications are accepted through March and if accepted, work could possibly begin midyear 2020.
