18-04-2025
Washington School fundraising gala raises $130k for repairs after roof sustains damage from March 14 winds
Stillwater's historic Washington School sustained roof damage when 70-mph winds roared through town March 14.
The winds ripped off the tar paper covering the gymnasium's roof, causing concern that more damage would affect the ongoing efforts to restore the historic, former all-Black Stillwater school on West 12th Street.
The Washington School Heritage Foundation hosted a fundraising gala April 4 to honor Washington School educators and their legacy of excellence and achievement. About 120 community members and City officials joined former Washington School students and educators at the gala, where coordinators had set up historical displays about the school.
About $130,000 was raised during the gala, both through the silent and live auctions, said Jim Beckstrom, chair of the foundation.
Oklahoma State University Professor and Public Historian Laura Arata, who serves on the Washington School Advisory Committee tasked with developing future plans for the building, told the News Press the funds will meet the immediate need for securing and protecting the roof.
Arata said the Washington School and community spirit was high at the gala.
'Everyone loved the historical exhibit and I think it gave a lot of idea of what an eventual museum can look like,' Arata said. 'The stories alumni told about their teachers were especially poignant.'
The 11-member advisory committee has been working since May 2024 to analyze and make recommendations to the Stillwater City Council on the assessment, proposed design, renovation and the redevelopment of the Washington School building and grounds.
The City of Stillwater approved an overview of the plan for the school in December 2024, after which the committee hired architects to develop the next phase of recommendations for the building. The committee revealed the latest reports from the architects at the gala, Arata said.
The committee plans to bring the latest report on the building's status to City Council at its May 5 meeting, Beckstrom said.
