Edwards Association to hold Open House, Save Ceiling campaign

The Edwards Association will host a Black History Month Open House and begin their Save The Ceiling Campaign from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 24, at Edwards School Gym, 1427 Fly Street, Gonzales.

The event will start with a welcome, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and information about the history of the gym’s Lamella roof. At 2:30 p.m., the Gonzales County Buffalo Soldier Association will conduct historical, educational demonstrations. A reception and tours of the Edwards School Gym will take place beginning at 3:30 p.m.

The Edwards School Gym was built in 1950 at a cost of $59,000 and includes eight classroom spaces while also doubling as an auditorium. The gym features a historic and architecturally significant lamella roof system.

The lamella roof system was devised in 1908 in Dessau, Germany, by Frederich Zollinger, the city architect. Lamellae are the vertical membranes you see when you examine the underside of a mushroom. They also form the chambers in the shell of a univalve mollusk. These very lightweight pieces support the membrane which protects the plant/animal.

In the Lamella roof system, the wood members themselves are called lamellas. The individual pieces are joined together with bolts and/or plates to form intersecting transverse arches that create a rhomboid pattern. The sheathing covering these pieces completes the structure. These roofs were especially popular between World War I and World War II when metal was in short supply.

The Edwards Association mission is to provide and maintain a meeting and gathering space for the community; provide facilities and organization for activities for all age groups; provide educational opportunities and facilities for all segments of the community; and articulate the history, face and meaning of the Edwards High School experience and ensure that it becomes publicly known.

Board members include President David B. Tucy; Vice President Quincy Johnson; Secretary Tena Roaches; Treasurer JoAnn Lewis and Parliamentarian/Sergeant at Arms Eugene Wilson Sr.

Eugene Wilson Sr., a Korean War and Vietnam War veteran, also founded the Gonzales County Buffalo Soldier Association, which was officially recognized by the City of Gonzales in 2015.

In 1948, President Harry Truman issued an executive order (EO 9981) eliminating racial segregation in the armed forces. The Korean War (1950 to 1953) was the first overseas conflict that put President Truman’s order into action. The 24th Infantry was the last Buffalo Soldier regiment to be desegregated.

In addition to Saturday’s event, there will be a Save The Ceiling Campaign dinner on April 19. Tickets for a catfish plate with all the trimming are $15 per person and all proceeds will go towards roof restoration at the gym.

To donate to the Edwards Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, you can mail checks to P.O. Box 1823, Gonzales, TX 78629. They have a Zelle set up at 830-263-1611 and the groups EIN is 74-2550974.