19th Century Freedmen's Schoolhouse is restored

It was built on North Fourth Street soon after the Civil War's end by the federal Freedmen's Bureau as a place for teaching African-American youth who had been "robbed by slavery" of the formal education extended to whites. It served its purpose from 1869 until 1912, when the State of North Carolina began providing public schooling for blacks as well as whites.

Several hundred persons of both races gathered inside the nearby sanctuary of the First Missionary Baptist Church at the 11 o'clock worship hour Friday to pay tribute to the men and women who made the schoolhouse two doors away come to life – at times filled with as many as 150 students, according to Todd Johnson of the Johnston County Heritage Center.

Crystal Sanders – a native Johnstonian whose great-grandmother was one of those students – put Friday's event in perspective. An accomplished professor of African-American Studies at suburban Atlanta's Emory University, she told the gathering about white resistance to the educating of blacks, even after the war finished off the institution of slavery in the United States. (Town of Smithfield Facebook photo)

Dr. Sanders said more than 600 schools like the one established at Smithfield were destroyed by whites during the Reconstruction Era. Fortunately, ours survived the arsonists, although charred wood was discovered beneath the Smithfield school's flooring during the structure's restoration. For African-Americans in the South, "education was a hard-fought gain," Dr. Sanders proclaimed.

Appropriately, Friday's event coincided with the national observance of Juneteenth (June 19), the annual celebration of African-Americans' freedom from bondage.

Restoration of Smithfield's Freemen's Schoolhouse – said to be the only one of its kind still standing in North Carolina – was financed by a state grant from the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resouces augmented by contributions secured through the Historic Smithfield Foundation from numerous local citizens and companies as well as the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.

Following Friday's ribbon-cutting, scores of visitors explored the restored interior where old desks of the kind used in the 19th Century were on display.

At some point the building will be open for visitors and tour groups on schedules to be determined by the Historic Smithfield Foundation's directors.
 

Junior Women's League awards five college scholarships

Here are the winners of scholarships awarded by the Junior Women's League of Smithfield to this year's high-school graduates: pictured above (left to right) – Ava Pyrtle of Clayton High School ($500); Madison Moore of Clayton High ($1,000); Peyton Luxford of Corinth Holders High ($1,000); Lillian Mizner of Smithfield-Selma High ($250); pictured on the left – Symphony Murray of American Leadership Academy ($250). The League's Grants and Scholarship Committee had 30 applicants and interviewed 20 before choosing five recognized as "outstanding young women in the Johnston County community who demonstrate a strong commitment to personal growth, supporting others, and making a meaningful impact through academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement." (Junior Women's League photos)
 

The report's completion came too late to impact the County of Johnston's budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1 (next Wednesday). But it promises to be an important tool for the county's commissioners and staff in crafting future spending plans – including determination of property-tax rates, still a sore point in the wake of last year's countywide real-estate revaluation.

The "Cost of Community Services" report along with a "Fiscal Impact Analysis Model" – ordered earlier this year by the commissioners – was presented at last week's county board meeting by Crystal Morphis, founder of Creative Economic Development Consulting based in the small foothills town of Elkin in western N.C.

Her team based their findings on actual revenues and expenditures from the county's 2024-25 budget. For the fiscal-impact part of the study, they used the American Farmland Trust model, which Ms. Morphis said is looked upon nationally "as a trusted approach." The results are in line with what is commonly found by these studies elsewhere.

Here's the key finding in a nutshell:


Does that imply that counties like Johnston should discourage further residential development? Of course not, Ms. Morphis explained: Businesses and industries need residents to provide their labor and retailers need residents to provide sufficient customers to stay in business.

Residential development is more costly because amenities like parks and greenways and protective services beyond basic utilities are necessary to attract families to live here, the consultant emphasized. 

What, then, is the appropriate balance among residential and commercial and agricultural development to make sure the county has positive revenue? asked Commissioner Bill Stovall. That's a judgment call the county's board and staff will have to make, said Ms. Morphis. "It is a delicate balance," added Commissioners' Chairman Patrick Harris.

The "Fiscal Impact Analysis Model" is a mechanism for calculating the costs and benefits of particular real-estate development projects on the county's finances. In a theoretical example shown here, the left side of the chart lists expenditures associated with a new subdivision of 100 single-family dwellings appraised at $400,000 each; the right side lists revenues generated by the occupants of those homes, mostly from property taxes (based on numbers from 2024-25):



Commissioner Mike Rose wanted to know how Johnston stacks up with other counties regarding its management of growth.

"You're on par with other counties," Ms. Morphis replied. "You have strong industrial and commercial growth" to offset the cost of residential development, she noted, and "so far the leadership in Johnston County has done a pretty good job."

Commissioner Butch Lawter asked Ms. Morphis if her firm's study of Johnston County's operations had produced "any wow" in what they've seen. The county's staff, she replied – "they're top notch."

A summary of the consultant's report starts on page 34 of the complete agenda for last week's Board of Commissioners meeting>
 

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Story & photo from Downtown Smithfield Development Office

Danielle and Aaron Hilton have relocated to North Carolina from Gloucester, Virginia, where they successfully owned and operated an beloved independent bookstore. When the opportunity arose to open a shop in Downtown Smithfield, they knew they had found the perfect place to continue their passion for books, community, and bringing people together.

Once Upon A Crime –  an independent bookstore specializing in thriller, suspense, mystery, and crime fiction while also offering a variety of books across many other genres – will officially celebrate its grand opening this Saturday at 230 East Market Street.

At their previous store, Danielle hosted a book club that quickly became much more than a discussion group. What started as a shared love of reading evolved into a community of nearly 40 women who formed lasting friendships and meaningful connections, reports Heidi Gilmond, executive director of the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation.

"Many of these women didn't necessarily have a place to meet other like-minded people," Danielle explained. "The book club created a sense of belonging and friendship that has continued long after we left Gloucester."

In fact, many members of that original book club will be traveling to Smithfield to help celebrate the store's grand opening – a testament to the impact the bookstore has had on its community.

"Independent bookstores have a unique way of bringing people together," Ms. Gilmond noted. "We're thrilled that Danielle and Aaron chose Downtown Smithfield for their next chapter and look forward to seeing Once Upon A Crime become a gathering place for readers, friends, and visitors alike."

The community is invited to attend a ribbon-cutting at 1 p.m. today (Thursday) and return for the Grand Opening Celebration from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Regular store hours will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
 

 

 WHAT'S COMING UP 

It's our weekend to celebrate USA's 250th birthday

Johnston County's America250NC Committee has put together a weekend of events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It's scheduled now to avoid conflicting with the national celebration on the Fourth of July. (The Town of Smithfield will celebrate on Friday, July 3.)

Johnston's 250th weekend events start with Friday evening's performance of the Broadway musical "1776" in the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium at Johnston Community College. Ticketed performances are also scheduled for Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. HERE'S the link to reserve and purchase tickets>

Saturday is the big day here with an "America 250 Fair" on the grounds at JCC. Admission is free of charge. From 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. at the college, activities will include a "living history" encampment by Camp Flintlock re-enactors featuring a parade and cannon firing, art and history displays presented by the Johnston County Arts Council and the Heritage Center, a puppet show by the Woman's Club of Clayton, horse-drawn carriage rides, food and craft vendors, and a juried art and photo exhibition. CLICK HERE for details including a map of the day's setup>
 

Smithfield's "Signature Fresh Market" returns Saturday

It's Smthfield's version of a farmers' market, scheduled every other Saturday through the summer at Town Hall Park from 8 a.m. till noon. That's beside Smithfield's Town Hall at the corner of Market and South Fourth streets.
 

Extension adds Family & Consumer Sciences agent

Story provided by Johnston County Cooperative Extension

A native of Bath, North Carolina, Teresa Palma brings to her new job with Johnston County's Cooperative Extension Service more than 27 years of experience in public education and a lifelong appreciation for agriculture, nutrition, and community engagement. Growing up in Eastern North Carolina, she was raised with a half-acre family garden surrounded by tobacco fields.

“Some of my earliest memories are working in our family garden and learning where food comes from," she said. "Joining Extension feels like a natural way to bring together my passions for education, nutrition, agriculture, and community service.”

Ms. Palma earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from East Carolina University and later a Master of Arts in Education Leadership from George Washington University.

Throughout her career, she has served in a variety of educational roles, including teaching Culinary Arts, Foods and Nutrition, and other Family and Consumer Sciences courses. She also has served in K-12 school administration and has extensive experience supporting students, families, and educators through leadership, instruction, and program development.

“Family and Consumer Sciences has always been at the heart of my work, and I am excited to connect residents with research-based resources that help individuals and families thrive," she said. "I also look forward to highlighting the incredible agricultural heritage of Johnston County, promoting local produce, and supporting initiatives such as JoCo Grows Agriculture and the many programs offered through N.C. State Extension.”
 

 DEATHS AND FUNERALS 
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What appropriate scheduling for last Friday's ribbon-cutting celebration for Smithfield's restored Freedmen's Schoolhouse – coming on Juneteenth, the national commemoration of African-American emancipation from slavery and on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, remembered for its inspiring statement "that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...."

One of the scenes in the musical "1776" to be performed this weekend at Johnston Community College is the debate over whether the abolition of slavery ought to be included in the Declaration. The South's delegates to the Continental Congress for the most part objected to this attack on the region's economy, and the other delegates backed off in order to get the Declaration adopted without objection.

Slavery isn't specifically mentioned in that sacred document, yet the declaration that all persons are equal in the sight of God and ought to be afforded equal rights to live their lives without oppression eventually led to Civil War in the 19th Century and the Civil Rights Movement of our times.

Our Freemen's Schoolhouse was a local product of that quest and stands today as a monument to the struggle by blacks to educate their children to live out the American Dream. That quest has advanced significantly in our time, yet remains stymied by bigotry and racial prejudice which should have been long gone by now.
 

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