July 1998

EDITOR NOTES

Summertime is officially here with sweltering heat, 13 hour daylight days and home improvement projects. While walking through the neighborhood, I've talked several residents working on their homes or thinking about starting a project and asked them about the Historic Preservation Tax Credit. Most did not know about it and had questions about the program. I figured this would be a good topic for this issue of the West Ender, since any work done on a home increases the property values of the entire West End neighborhood as well.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JUNE MEETING

Twenty-two people attended the June meeting. It was great to see several new faces in the crowd. West End Association meetings are open to anyone interested in the neighborhood, so come on out and see what makes West End a great place to work and live.

Helene Cannon Tyson presented an update on the Holiday Home Tour. Here are the facts:

About the tour: The tour, held every two years by the West End Association, shows seven to eight beautiful, seasonally decorated homes throughout the neighborhood. Homes of different styles and sizes are included to give visitors a taste of the unique mix of the West End. Visitors can walk from house to house for most of the tour, or take advantage of the transportation included in the price of the ticket. The tour generates great publicity for the neighborhood, and shows the constant improvement happening from year to year. Proceeds from the tour help underwrite Association projects.

Date: This year's tour will be on Sunday, Dec 6, 1998 from Noon - 5:00 pm.

What can I do? Several tour veterans have already signed up, but we always need fresh blood. The time commitment varies from "day of" to "advanced planning." Volunteers will be needed for the following areas: - Fundraising - Publicity - House Captains - House Volunteers - House Decorations - House Operations - Music - Advance Ticket Sales - Day of Ticket Sales - Reception. Volunteers (both those who are already helping and those who are planning to help) should plan to meet briefly immediately following the July 7 West End Association meeting. Decorations are done either by the owner or with the help of the committee.

How are the houses selected? Houses are selected based on recommendations from board members, committee members and neighbors. House selection is done as early as possible to allow homeowners plenty of time to prepare. The process has started but we still need suggestions (and house volunteers). Please call Helene Cannon Tyson at 722-9804 with either.

The Annual West End Fourth of July Celebration is on Saturday, July 4th at Grace Court Park, from Noon until 3:00 PM. Please bring lawn chairs and a side dish to show off your hidden culinary skills. Hot dogs, ice cream and cold drinks will be provided. Fun for all ages!

Standing Committee Report - the report will be presented at the July meeting. The committees are : Zoning Monitoring Committee, Government Board Committee, West End Economic Development Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, West End Traffic Committee, Signage/Neighborhood identification Committee. They meet on the second Tuesday of each month at Grace Court Park. All committees still need more participants - volunteer some time to help out. Call Eric Elliot at 724-4913 for more information.

Volunteers are needed for newsletter delivery on 6th Street. Call Lisa & David Elam at 724-5282.

Some West Enders have asked us to remind everyone about leash laws and poop scoopers - enough said.

Summit Street has a parking problem - Wachovia employees taking up the spaces in front of homes. If you live on Summit, you should talk to your neighbors and call the City Dept. of Transportation at 727-2707

The Winston-Salem School Board is trying to gain some authority in City Parks and Recreation - specifically the Board is looking to make some changes at the Hanes Park baseball facility used by Reynolds High School. This may include permanent stands, a concession/restroom structure and a lighted scoreboard. Many at the June meeting felt this would negatively impact the West End. A petition is being drafted to address this issue. Come to the July meeting for more information.

WEST END HAPPENINGS

The next West End Association meeting will be on Tuesday, July 7 at Grace Court Park Gazebo from 7:00 to 8:45 PM. All meetings are open to everyone - come on out and get involved in the West End community.

There is now a phone number available to residents of the West End to help us in fighting crime in our neighborhood. The program is called CrimeTIP (Crime Telephone Information Partnership) and has been established with the help of the Winston-Salem Police Department. Here's how it works: each week a report from the police department's crime computer is delivered to our

neighborhood's CrimeTIP coordinator. The information is specific to our neighborhood and is

recorded on a voice mail system. By phoning the number below, you can hear each week's CrimeTip message and obtain information on the types and locations of crime in our neighborhood and the description of criminals or vehicles that the Police Department may be looking for. CrimeTIP is intended to make all of us more aware of criminal activity and give us another tool to fight back. Please phone the number below each week to stay informed. CrimeTIP Information Line 607-7260

On the subject of crime, there has been a transient disturbing some residents in the neighborhood. He is knocking on doors late at night or will walk up during the day and ask to do yard work or clean the gutters. Do not give this person money or work - he is unstable and possibly dangerous. If you would like a description of this individual, call the Winston-Salem Police Department and speak to Officer JW Robertson.

The Women's Club located across the street from Grace Court Park on 4th Street, is holding a benefit dinner on July 16. Tickets are $20.00 per person and profits will go towards painting the building. Only 100 tickets are available. Please help support the renovation this West End landmark. Call 722-0533 for more information.

Several people have inquired about contributing financially to several of the projects suggested by the Long Range Planning Committee. The committee will make a formal presentation at the September meeting and address this issue. Call Eric Elliot at 724-4913 for more information.

WEST END HISTORIC DISTRICT GUIDELINES

This is a letter that Ferrell Clay, the Chairperson of the Historic District Commission, sent to all the realtors in Winston-Salem.

"As the 1998 chairperson of the Historic District Commission, it has come to my attention that several new owners of residences in either West End, Old Salem,or Bethabara seem to have been unaware that the property which they purchased was in a Historic District. Remember, certain restrictions are placed upon the property. Restrictions include any exterior changes, landscape changes, tree removal, roof replacement, deck alterations, etc. Such exterior changes must be presented to and approved by the Historic District Commission before any work can begin. This includes new construction on vacant lots and commercial properties. If a Certificate of Appropriateness is not issued and exterior work is under way, the work will be halted and restoration to the prior condition of the home/building may be required."

If you don't know what the regulations are, you can get a copy from Robbie King at the Historic District Commission. His phone number is 727-2087.

WEST END RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT

The following is a continuation of the series started in March on longtime West End resident Jacqueline Dorminy of Dorminy Dance Studios on 4th St. She recently celebrated her 92nd birthday.

LONDON & BEYOND

Cordell Hull, Head of the Department of Interior, sent young Jacqueline to London, England as the sole representative of the United States to a conference to establish what dances belonged to which countries - a world library of dance. The event was held in Prince Albert Hall - a unique structure with a self-supporting circular roof. This design was later used in Texas to build a football stadium. On the second morning of the meeting, master of ceremonies Professor Meyers from Stratford-On-Avon started his introduction with the following inflammatory remarks, "We invited the United States to enter this discussion and to send a representative who would claim the dance that the United States owns. We did not ask for a demonstration because the dances would likely belong to England anyway. Since they sent this black-haired petite dancer to tell what America has - she will now speak."

Miss Dorminy stepped up to the podium and addressed the audience, "It is wonderful to cross the Atlantic to see the other great mysteries created by man. I have to correct the most erroneous statement I have ever heard. America boasts some of the greatest folklore of any country in the world. The Blackfoot Indians have 72 separate dances - up to now the greatest number of folk dances have been from Spain and Italy. So if we consider the Cherokee, Iroquois and many of the other Indian tribes, the number of dances belonging to America is enormous. However, it gives me great pleasure to tell you that last night, I saw a great musical in London. Eight girls entered the stage from left & right and did a strut from Charleston, South Carolina. This dance came from a tribe known as the Geeches. I don't know where the Geeches originated and history doesn't tell. But they had a language, customs and many dances. I am proud to know that the Geeches brought this to the world." The entire audience, representing 47 countries, erupted in a standing ovation. Once they settled down, the representative from Sweden spoke and said that the minuet, which England claimed as her own, originated in Sweden in the 13th century. It was originally a solo dance done by the shepherds in the time of Julius Caesar. On their nightly stops, the shepherds would take their meal, drink white oak acorn "wine" and dance around the fire in a circle. One person would go to the center - hence the minuet was born. Sweden had an official document from the 13th century to support their claim. Professor Meyer came back to the podium, subdued and said this was the very reason this conference needed to take place. He also asked Miss Dorminy to sit on the Board of Directors of English Dance in London. The world can now write to the Cecil Sharpe House in London and find the greatest knowledge of folklore in dance of any country in the world. She spent 3 years at the Sadler Wells College, now known as the Royal Ballet. Queen Elizabeth took dance lessons there as a child and remembered Jacqueline Dorminy. The night before her coronation, Queen Elizabeth sent her footman with a rare bottle of wine to Miss Dorminy's place in London and the card read "To Little America" NEXT MONTH - "BACK TO THE STATES"

WEST END BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

The Deep End on 855 Reynolda Rd. is owned and operated by Moira Greene. Formerly a corporate interior designer, Moira decided to start this business 2 « years ago after using a Softub portable spa at a vacation home on the East coast. The Deep End is the only Softub spa dealer in the area. Standard 110 volt power and light weight (34 to 80 lbs. depending on model) makes these spas portable enough to place anywhere, indoors or out , upstairs or downstairs. Softubs kept platform divers warm during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and were also used in Kramer's apartment on television show "Seinfeld". Consumers Digest May/June 1998 issue rated Softubs a "Best Buy". Softubs are available in six models and a wide variety of colors. Drop by the Deep End and talk to Moira about a free demonstration.

THE WEST ENDER

Published by the West End Association

P.O. Box 10055 Salem Station

Winston-Salem, NC 27108

http://www.slkp.com/westend/