Support emerges to rename Beckley street after Stratton

Oct. 27—A 1954 graduate of Stratton High School whom Gov. Jim Justice has honored as a "Distinguished West Virginian" has joined Mayor Rob Rappold in asking Beckley Common Council to name a portion of South Fayette Street in honor of the late Rev. Daniel Stratton.

Rappold suggested that Council consider naming South Fayette Street after Stratton, a former slave who became a Christian minister. Stratton established a series of Baptist "meeting houses" throughout Raleigh County. When the county's first all-Black high school, Stratton High, was built at South Fayette Street and Beaver Avenue in 1919, the school bore the name of the highly respected reverend.

The move, if approved by Council, would eliminate an Oct. 6 proposal by Beckley Human Rights Commission that the Council name the street Martin Luther King Jr. Way in honor of the late American civil rights leader.

Madrith Chambers, 86, graduated from the all-Black Stratton High School in 1954, the same year that the Supreme Court of the United States desegregated American schools with the decision in favor of the plaintiff, a Black student, in Brown vs. Board of Education.

By then, the school had moved to its current site at South Fayette, between G and Adamos streets.

Chambers represented Ward 5 on Council for 12 years. During her time as a representative of Ward V, Chambers established community policing and the Kids Classic celebration, served as chair of the Human Rights Commission and launched the initiative to annex the Red Brush district into the city, ensuring fire, police protection and other city services for citizens in the predominantly minority neighborhood.

On Tuesday, she said she supported Rappold's suggestion to name South Fayette Street in honor of Rev. Stratton.

"You can name it either way, Stratton or Martin Luther King, but it would probably be Stratton," said Chambers. "Give him the credit.

"Give the originator of the school the credit. It would have to be named after Daniel Stratton."

Chambers remembers her graduation day — May 26, 1954 — and has been an avid supporter of Raleigh County Board of Education's construction of a new Stratton Elementary School behind the historic building that was once Stratton High, her alma mater.

"This is our local school, the people from down the Gulf," said Chambers. "This is the only Black high school that they had, and everybody from the county of Raleigh that was Black attended Stratton High School.

"That's the history."

During the regular Council meeting on Tuesday, Rappold reported that another older resident of Beckley, whom he did not name, had suggested to him that the street bear Stratton's name.

"With all devotion and respect he has for Dr. King, his line of thinking, which I think is certainly worthy of some consideration, was to recognize somebody with a true local presence who's made a difference in our community over the years.

"He mentioned Rev. Daniel Stratton," said Rappold. "Stratton High School has been a tremendous high school, been a tremendous middle school, now, an award-winning elementary school.

"I just throw that out to say there is some thought that is certainly deserving of Council's consideration, as we move along toward taking a step of this magnitude."

Stratton was born a slave and became a Christian minister who built Baptist meeting houses throughout Raleigh County.

Ward 1 Councilman Tom Sopher suggested on Tuesday that the street could also be named after legendary songwriter and singer Bill Withers, a Slab Fork native.

Chambers said that Stratton was a Beckley native, which made the naming of the street in his honor more fitting.

Human Rights Chair Dr. Kristi Dumas responded Tuesday to Rappold's suggestion.

"I can respect this suggestion and can appreciate its benefits," said Dumas. "However, this is an ordinance being brought by the Human Rights Commission. and the change should be discussed with the HRC and then presented, as amended, if this is the pleasure of the HRC and City Council.

"I think either name serves the same purpose, which is to honor civil and human rights."

In other actions:

—Two residents of Stifler Street, Jodi Lovelace-Patrick and Robin Moore, asked Council for help regarding their street. The women said the street has a drainage problem, it is full of potholes, and kids can't ride their bikes. They said that they pay taxes and would like Council to address their concerns. Lovelace-Patrick said that At-Large Councilman Cody Reedy has looked at their street in an attempt to address the issue and Board of Public Works Director Jerry Stump has shown an interest.

Rappold said a meeting would be set up among residents, Stump and others in the city who may be able to help.

—Council approved on second reading the purchase of 6.518 acres on New River Drive for $240,000 in order to build new offices for the Beckley Sanitary Board (BSB). BSB will be paying for the property.

—Rappold announced that Beckley Fire Department Capt. Joe Coughlin, Chief Code Enforcement Officer Capt. Donald Morgan, and city treasurer Billie Trump have developed a map that shows the boundaries of the five wards in the city.

The new map displays the population change in the city, based on 2020 U.S. Census information.

Trump said the map was collated almost in the same method that a ZIP-plus-four code map is developed. The ward map is broken into small fractal patterns, with the population of residents ages 18 and over shown inside each fractal.

"By looking at that, you could look at the previous ward map and tell they were quite a bit out of bounds," Trump said of the ward boundaries. "By adjusting some of the boundaries and looking at the numbers, Joe was able to just balance those out, as the population, in each ward.

"It may not be absolutely perfect, but it's within the margin of error of the Census," said Trump.

Rappold said he had asked Coughlin two weeks ago to develop the map.

"It's like working a jigsaw puzzle," the mayor said.

—Council appointed Jessica McGuire, at the suggestion of Dr. Ayne Amjad, to fill a vacancy on the Human Rights Commission.

—A bid of $46,500 by JH Building and Contracting LLC was submitted to At-Large Councilwoman Sherrie Hunter, At-Large Councilman Cody Reedy, Trump and Board of Public Works Director Jerry Stump for consideration. The bid is to add a metal roof to the Welcome Center and is the sole bid received for the project by deadline, according to comments made at Council.

—Rappold proclaimed Nov. 1, 2021, "The Extra Mile Day." He urged each person to "go that extra mile on that day, in his or her own life" and said the day would also recognize those who inspire others by making the world and their families a better place.

—Prior to the meeting, Sopher and Rappold discussed the scarecrows that Beckleyans made as part of the city's first Scarecrow Decorating contest, launched by Jill Moorefield of Beckley Events. Sopher's wife, Teresa Sopher, was a judge of the contest.

Rappold noted several scarecrows, including filmmaker Shane Pierce's "Phantom of the Opera" straw figure.

Sopher asked city attorney Bill File if he had gone to New River Gorge Regional Development offices to see their scarecrow.

NRGRDA staff had fashioned their contest entry after Rappold.

"I heard it was rather handsome," Rappold interjected. "That was the rumor; I don't know."

"Oh, it isn't a rumor," shot back Hunter, who is the mayor's sister-in-law.

"I'm surprised the shoes are still there," teased Sopher.

"I really liked that tie," Rappold said of "his" scarecrow's tie.