GwinnettForum | Number 21.55 | July16, 2021
COMING SOON? It may not be too long before you’ll find more electric vehicle refueling stations at locations around the county. The Sugarloaf Community Improvement District is accepting proposals for a traffic enhancement program, which could include such stations. For more on the study, see Notable below.
The roots of Duluth Fall Festival go back over 50 years, to a festival held in Downtown Duluth in 1962. Now the 2021 great event is just a little over two months away, and plans are well underway. The 400 volunteers are getting geared up, the more than 300 Arts and Crafts and Food booths are almost all taken, and sponsors are coming on board daily. Also, the chairpersons of the over 50 festival committees are recruiting new volunteers. Look for the Festival tent at Food Truck Fridays if you are interested in volunteering, becoming a sponsor, or just knowing more about the organization. Visit duluthfallfestival.org.
TODAY’S FOCUS: GGC’s “Second Chance” helps students hit hard by Covid-19 time
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Andrew Haskell is another Gwinnettian who finds successful career
SPOTLIGHT: Lail Family Dentistry
FEEDBACK: Finds two items left out in comment about Post Office
UPCOMING: New Entrepreneur Center offers jumpstarts for businesses
NOTABLE: Tips offered to prevent your vehicle being broken into
RECOMMENDED: All the Best, George Bush by George H. W. Bush
GEORGIA TIDBIT: By age 35, architect W.T. Downing had established his reputation
MYSTERY PHOTO: Try to figure out where this Mystery Photo church is located
CALENDAR: Water Conservation District supervisors to meet July 21
GGC’s “Second Chance” helps students hit hard by Covid-19
By Ken Scar
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | The ripple effects of the COVID-19 lockdown are sure to be felt for years, if not decades. However, Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is launching a recovery program this summer to help smooth the waters for its students who may have suffered drops in grades because of the challenges caused by the pandemic.
Scar
It’s called “Second Chance Summer,” and invites students who, during the spring, summer and fall 2020 terms, failed or withdrew from select core classes. It allows students to re-take that class in an environment that features smaller classes, faculty supported by additional professional development, student success interventions (like tutoring and peer supplemental instruction) and scholarships.
Rachel Bowser, associate provost for strategic initiatives and professor of English, says: “We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what we can do to remediate the obstacles presented to our students by the pandemic,” said the program organizer. “This program came out of a number of us brainstorming how we might give them a hand up.”
Bowser said the DFW rate (D’s, F’s and withdrawals) rose significantly during the pandemic, particularly in many first-year core classes. She attributes that to the extraordinary obstacles thrown into the paths of students making the transition from high school to college in the middle of a lockdown.
“Students who came from high school didn’t have a lot of support and infrastructure around them in making the transition to college,” she said. “It’s tough. My daughter just finished ninth grade – her first year of high school – in her bedroom. It’s not the way to do it. You are in a muscle memory of depression all year – when you’re never getting out of bed.”
These classes were being offered in three core subjects: Math, English and Information Technology. Bowser said about 120 students from across multiple disciplines have chosen to participate.
Michaela John, a junior from Suwanee majoring in biology, one participant, says: “To say that I’m grateful for the Second Chance program is an understatement. After COVID-19 hit, and we suddenly had no choice but to be in online school, and it was a nightmare. I’d already been struggling with motivation and stress issues in the face of difficult classes like organic chemistry. Now, I was completely removed from any in-person aid.”Without the structure in-person classes demanded, John fell apart and applied for and received a hardship withdrawal.
Once hearing of the program, “I cried from sheer relief,” John said. “It felt like I finally had hope again. But, as I registered for my fall classes again, I still had that fear: What if the problem with my academic performance wasn’t COVID-19, but me?”
Taking such unique emotional tolls of the last year into account, Second Chance Summer is not only designed to give students a chance to replace disappointing grades, but to give them an inviting and accepting environment to do it in.
“It would be a real outlier situation typically to have a class that was made up of 100 percent retakes, so already it’s going to be different,” explains Bowser. “The classes are set up with the premise that we all understand that everybody needs a little bit of grace and compassion. It’s a very supportive atmosphere: Everybody is doing this again, it’s not something to be ashamed about, and it’s not insurmountable. It’s a blip.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Haskell is another Gwinnettian who finds successful career
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JULY 16, 2021 | Routinely, we bump into or hear about young people from Gwinnett who have achieved greatly, sometimes elsewhere, and at other times, locally. We spoke to another one the other day, this one who has become successful in the finance industry in New York City.
He is Andrew Haskell, 37, son of Christine and Channing Haskell of Peachtree Corners. He got his education at Peachtree Elementary, Pinckneyville Middle and Norcross High, before completing his last two years at Riverside Military Academy. He has both an undergraduate and master’s of science in finance from Georgia State, and plans this fall to begin work on a Ph.D. program from Georgia State.
Today he is product manager for the Bank of New York Mellon, the oldest bank in the USA, founded in 1784 by Alexander Hamilton. The bank has assets of $381 billion and employs 48,000 people around the world. It is a custodial bank, meaning it caters to large corporations and other banks, having no retail banking accounts.
Haskell
Andrew lives in midtown on the east side of Manhattan. He’s been in New York for eight years. Prior to that, he worked locally with FundTech in Technology Park, which makes software that banks use in their operations.
Andrew’s job is to manage a money transmission system, either ACH (automatic clearing house) or wire transfers, between companies. “Think of it this way. Once a buyer and seller negotiate a contract, the buyer must pay for the goods or services by transferring funds to the seller. That’s where we come in, and the faster they want to move the money, the more it costs to move it. An ACH transfer might take a couple of days, where a wire transfer may take a couple of hours.”
The bank’s customers are Fortune 500 companies and other banks, and Andrew essentially deals in large volumes of money transfers any day.
He is the director of immediate payments. His team makes dozens of transfers each day. But he modestly says: “Oh, there are a lot of bigger cheeses above me.” Before he joined the Bank of New York, he did similar work for Capital One Bank.
He enjoys living in New York, which he says is challenged by proximity and density. He likes the variety and diversity of scenery, people, food, culture and other elements. He spends a lot of time in the 843 acres of Central Park, running, biking and enjoying nature. “The park’s a 15 minute walk away. I especially enjoy the waterfall, the reservoir, the castle , really a little of everything. I go often and really like it.” He also is pleased with the varied architecture of the city “…where you see such a combination of modern and historic buildings.”
This fall Andrew will begin an ambitious three year, in-person monthly residence program at Georgia State in their Ph.D. program. “It’s an intensive once-a-month weekend in Atlanta. I’ll fly down on Wednesday night and stay with my parents. Then it’s all day on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, then I’ll fly back to New York on Sunday.”
Andrew is another Gwinnettian who is distinguishing himself in today’s world.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Lail Family Dentistry
Dr. Lail and his team
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Lail Family Dentistry has been serving the community in Duluth and Gwinnett County for 50 years. Being the longest serving dental practice in the county, our roots run deep within our community and will continue to do so for generations to come. The doctors at Lail Family Dentistry are all members of the Lail family and are here to provide for you and yours. If you are in search of a traditional, hometown dentist that utilizes the latest dental techniques and technology while also exemplifying the utmost sense of professionalism, timeliness, and hospitality, we would be glad to welcome you to our practice. For more information, visit our website at drlail.com or phone (770) 476-2400.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Finds two items left out in comment about Post Office
Editor, the Forum,
I am writing to inform you of two important points that were omitted in the Forum about changing your mailing address Your comment said: “You may get frustrated when you change a mailing address” was so interesting and so true.
However, you failed to mention that Louis DeJoy was chosen under the leadership of President Trump to head the U.S. Postal Service. The mail has been a disaster since, with him removing mailboxes, preventing staff overtime, eliminating mail sorters, etc. I know of no one who has not had some problem with mail delivery since he became Postmaster General.
Some people think the USPS should be privately owned, instead of nonprofit, when it has served us well since 1776 until now.
The other issue was the two stories on the demise of professional media in the Forum on July 6. There were various reasons given such as cable TV and social media. I agree they are important factors but the most important one and the one not mentioned is that all media now is the increasing corporate control of media, while the number of news corporations has dwindled.
I do miss real journalism. The evening news now is weather, celebrities and feel-good stories. Remember Walter Cronkite going to Vietnam and reporting on what was actually happening with film to accompany his broadcasts? And I remember investigative reporting such as that done by Woodward and Bernstein!
So thank you for the stories on mail delivery and professional media but those two major issues, probably the main causes, should not be excluded. I always look forward to receiving GwinnettForum.
— N.J. Foster, Grayson
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
New Entrepreneur Center offers jumpstarts for businesses
If you’re a new business owner in financial need or one who needs a jumpstart, the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center wants to lend a helping hand.
The center is now accepting applications for membership from budding business owners.
Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson says: “Small businesses are essential to a thriving economy — bringing jobs, stimulating economic growth and driving innovation. With more than 26,000 businesses here, the center will help nurture those entrepreneurs by providing guidance that will help their business.”
Sponsored by the Board of Commissioners, the center is an incubator to help the county’s small businesses with coworking and office space, classes, workshops, business coaching and networking connections. The center will also offer tailored support services to local non-member entrepreneurs.
Georgia Gwinnett College will help manage the facility.
There are two membership levels and under the center’s Opportunity Program, business owners who meet certain financial criteria are eligible for a 50 percent discount on dues.
Those interested are asked to attend an informational webinar about the center before applying.
- More information is available at GwinnettEntrepreneurCenter.com.
Gwinnett Stripers 2021 season is extended by 10 games
Gwinnett Stripers of Triple-A baseball will play another 10 games for the 2021 season.
Major League Baseball said that the 2021 Triple-A Baseball season has been extended by 10 games. The Gwinnett Stripers will play into October for the first time in team history, with a pair of five-game series added to the schedule: September 22-26 at Durham, and September 29-October 3 vs. Jacksonville at Coolray Field.
The Stripers will continue to run regular weekly promotions during the five added home games, with one change. The game on Wednesday, September 29 will be an Education Day, with area students to enjoy an 11:05 a.m. game in a fun and educational environment.
- Single-game tickets, including tickets for the added homestand, are on sale now at GoStripers.com/tickets.
Sugarloaf CID seeks proposals for transit enhancements
The Sugarloaf Community Improvement District (CID) was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative program for a Transit Enhancements and Future Station Planning study. The study will further examine planned Bus Rapid Transit stations at the Gas South District and Sugarloaf Mills as well as short-term transit enhancements.
The CID is now seeking proposals from qualified consultants to complete the study. Questions regarding the requests for proposals should be directed in writing to Alyssa Davis, executive director, at adavis@sugarloafcid.org no later than noon July 26, 2021. Proposals will be received until 3 p.m. on August 6, 2021 in the Sugarloaf CID office at 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, Ga. 30097.
Tips offered to prevent your vehicle being broken into
The Sugarloaf Community Improvement District (CID) is partnering with the Gwinnett Police Department to help reduce the number of vehicle break-ins in our commercial district by urging drivers to “take your valuables and lock your vehicle” when leaving a parked vehicle. Below are some tips to help you avoid being the victim of a car break-in.
Vehicle Break-in Prevention Tips:
- Always lock your vehicle and close your windows completely.
- Park in areas that are highly visible with good lighting.
- Check your door handles before walking away to assure the doors are locked.
- Do not leave any valuable items inside your vehicle; purses, backpacks, laptops, cell phones, tablets, GPS units, and firearms should be secured with you each time you leave your vehicle.
- If you do need to secure items in your vehicle temporarily, always place them out of sight and do so before you reach your final destination. Criminals watch when you place a purse or laptop in your trunk.
- Never leave valuables in your vehicle overnight.
- Nothing should be visible when looking in your car. Charging cords, sunglasses, garage door openers, and loose change should be out of sight.
- Report any suspicious vehicles or individuals to the Police Department.
The CID is helping our commercial property owners to raise the visibility of the “take and lock” message. The CID will provide property owners with signs reminding patrons to “take your valuables and lock your vehicle” in the district’s parking areas. Property owners interested in getting the “take and lock” signage for their property can contact the CID for details www.sugarloafcid.org.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
All the Best, George Bush by George H. W. Bush
From John Titus, Peachtree Corners: Refusing to write a personal memoir, the former president was persuaded to “write” a personal book reflected in his writings – letters, memos, diary entries, and notes to family members. Organized chronologically, the book begins with letters to his parents during WWII and ends with a note to his first great grandchild in 2011. These writings give readers insights into his career beginning with the oil business and through his many years of government service. Brief notes precede each item which helps readers decide whether it is of interest. They reveal a man of great civility in the domestic and international political world and a devoted husband, father, friend and America. It is a different window into a prominent person’s life and times.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
By 35, architect W.T. Downing had established reputation
By the end of the 19th century, W. T. Downing, at 35, already had developed a reputation as a designer of stylish homes for an elite clientele in Atlanta. His houses were innovative in their combined stylistic references and sophisticated in their up-to-date Late Victorian taste. He was responsible for several of Atlanta’s oldest extant churches. In his later collaborations with architect Thomas Morgan (of Morgan and Dillon), Downing created significant tall office building designs in the Fairlie Poplar district in Atlanta as well as collegiate architecture at Oglethorpe University.
Downing
Walter T. Downing was born in Boston, Mass. in 1865 and as a child moved with his mother to Atlanta around 1876.
He began his architectural career as a draftsman for Hannibal I. Kimball (1884-85) and L. B. Wheeler and Company (beginning in 1885), with whom he briefly entered into partnership. His first significant success was winning the competition for the Fine Arts Building for the Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895. Wheeler had left Atlanta by 1891, and the firm W. T.Downing, Architect, was established in 1890, when Downing was only 25. He focused extensively on residences. In 1897 he published Domestic Architecture, which illustrated his houses of the decade, only two of which—the William P. Nicolson (1891-92) and Gay (1895) Houses—are still standing. Perhaps his most noteworthy house in the region was Lyndhurst (1909, razed), a mansion built for J. T. Lupton in Chattanooga, Tenn. Its size (more than 34,000 square feet) and amenities made it second in splendor only to the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, in all of the Southeast.
In his first major public building, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1897-98), Downing demonstrated his sure eye for proportion and scale as well as quality of detail. The craftsmanship in brickwork resulted in one of the finest Romanesque revival churches of the Southeast. His other major Atlanta churches include Trinity United Methodist Church (1911) and First Presbyterian Church (1919), the latter an exercise in Gothic revival brownstone enriched inside by Tiffany windows. He translated his medieval theme to commercial architecture at the Healey Building (1913, with Bruce and Morgan), a Gothic revival office building erected in Atlanta the year before Cass Gilbert’s world-renowned neo-Gothic Woolworth Building in New York. The façade of his Eiseman Clothing Company store (1901-2), a Beaux-Arts palazzo dominated by sweeping multistory arches and a crowning cornice, is preserved in the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority station in Five Points.
Lupton Hall (1920, with Morgan and Dillon) at Oglethorpe University was completed after Downing’s death. Earlier school designs include Swann Dormitory and the Electrical Engineering (Savant) Building (both 1901) at the Georgia School of Technology. He also designed buildings at Shorter College in Rome, and at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Throughout his career Downing continued to build houses for well-to-do Atlantans and was a leader in domestic taste in the eclectic tradition. Among his best-known surviving houses in Atlanta are the Wimbish House (1898, later Atlanta Woman’s Club) in the French Renaissance Revival (or Chateauesque) style; the Frank Ellis House (1910-14), a small Italianate palazzo on a prominent site at an entry to Ansley Park; the John Grant House (Craigellachie), later the Cherokee Town Club, 1921) in a simplified medieval vernacular aesthetic; and the Dodson House (1915-18) in Druid Hills. The Tudor Revival character of the Dodson House influenced work by both Robert Smith Pringle and Francis Palmer Smith, each of whom served as a draftsman for Downing.
In 1918, at the age of 53, Downing was struck by an automobile during a family trip to Philadelphia, Penn. He died as a result of his injuries.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Try to figure out where this Mystery Photo church is located
It was a beautifully sunshiny day when this photograph was made. Put on your thinking cap as you try to pinpoint the location of this church, since it’s today’s Mystery Photo. Send your idea of which church it is and where located to elliott@brack.net.
For the last edition, Steve Spellman of Dunwoody immediately recognized the library at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. The photo came from GwinnettForum files.
Others making the recognition included Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Allan Peel, San Antonio, Tex.; Rick Krause, Lilburn; and Lou Camerio, Lilburn.
Peel added: “The Long Room at the library is most famous as the current home of the Book of Kells (sometimes known as the Book of Columbia), a beautifully crafted, highly decorated, and excellently preserved, handwritten book of the four Gospels. The work was done by Columban Monks around 800 A.D. and has been housed at Trinity College since 1661.
“Here are some interesting facts about the Long Room:
- The room is ~ 215-feet long, and was built between 1712 and 1732;
- It has over 200,000 of the library’s oldest books, including one of the few remaining copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic;
- It houses a 15th century Irish harp, the oldest of its kind in Ireland; and
- When the Long Room was first built, the ceiling was flat, and bookshelves were only located on the lower level. By the 1850s space was cramped and so the roof was raised in 1860 to make way for the eventual addition of the barrel-vaulted ceiling and upper gallery that can be seen in the mystery photo.”
The supervisors of the Gwinnett County Soil and Water Conservation District will be conducting their monthly public meeting on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 beginning at 9 a.m. This meeting will be hosted by the City of Peachtree Corners and held in-person in the pavilion at Jones Bridge Park, 4901 East Jones Bridge Road, Peachtree Corners.
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