Richard Allen School officially changes hands

With a stroke of his pen, Gov. Jack Markell finished what a determined group of former students of the Richard Allen School had dreamed of for the school.

“This is a day we've been looking forward to, and it's finally here,” said Georgetown Mayor Bill West, during a bill signing Aug. 12 that officially turned over ownership of the historic school to the Richard Allen Coalition.

The coalition worked for about four years to obtain ownership of a building steeped in history as the area's school for African-American students during segregation. Their goal was to preserve the building and establish a museum of Sussex County African-American history.

A bill giving the coalition sole ownership flew through the state Legislature with no opposition last session, and with Markell's signature, ownership of the school was transferred from the Boys & Girls Club to the coalition.

“In the end, it came down to members of the community who had a vision that they wanted to keep alive,” Markell said.

Jane Hovington, president of the Richard Allen Coalition, flashed a broad smile and gave a sigh of relief for a perfect ending to the group's hard work.

“It was long and sometimes tedious, but we were able to pull it through,” she said.

Next step, she said, is turning the brick and frame structure into a museum for the community to enjoy, featuring artifacts, history and cultural events.

“Our children can learn about their families and the African-American culture in Sussex County,” she said.

Georgetown-area legislators Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, and Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, together worked to move the bill through the state Legislature.

“We realized the best place for the school was in the community where it belongs,” Briggs King said. “I'm looking forward to its growth and all the good things that can come.”

Pettyjohn, who attended the school following desegregation, said now the building can be preserved for future generations.

“We're here today to continue imparting wisdom on the next generation and generation after that,” he said.