Pringle School Restoration

Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie

Those attending Sunday's program in the 1867 Pringle School were treated to a unique and fun form of time travel, as Miss Hoffmann (Ellie Carlson) took "students" through their paces while "parents" and members of the "school board" watched with delight. In addition to raising awareness about this National Register-worthy structure, the program generated donations toward completing the school's restoration.

Pringle School Restoration Plan
I. Preservation Actions

A. Excavate building perimeter and address foundation issues  and install tile drain.

B. Repoint limestone walls with mortar matching original, replacing stone as necessary.

C. Evaluate electrical system and replace, if necessary.

D. Plant windbreak on southwest corner.

Restoration and Interpretation Actions
1. Restore East Cloakroom  - DONE

2. Replicate and install historic shutters – For interpretative purposes, work with a craftsperson to create a single wooden window shutter. Reference the historical photograph that depicts shutters on the school.

3. Install custom doors between foyer and classroom – Paint analysis and common sense support the theory that doors historically hung in the two doorways between the foyer and the classroom. It is recommended that appropriate 4-panel doors be acquired and placed in these locations, again using the Hughes School photograph as a reference.

4. Repaint foyer – Paint samples were taken from the north wall of the Foyer, the east wall of the Foyer, and the east Toilet Room door on the Foyer side and submitted for paint analysis. Based on the results, the color options assumed to date to the 1917 remodeling were identified. It is recommended that a flat finish paint be mixed to match the color sample provided here (Munsell 10 GY 6/1). It is recommended that an oil- based primer be topped with two coats of acrylic latex. A latex caulk with silicon should be used where needed. A base shoe matching existing should be installed prior to painting.

Ellie is a historian and a performer with concentration in the domestic arts. For more than 30 years she worked as a curator in small to mid-sized museums. Ellie earned a bachelor's degree from Roosevelt University and a master's degree in historical administration and museum studies from the University of Kansas.