The Mary C. Today - Room for the Arts

Each of the former classrooms and many of the school's other rooms are being converted into rooms for the arts.  Individuals and organizations have stepped forward to help support the effort and remarkable progress is being made and many of the arts rooms are already in use.  And despite the setbacks caused by Hurricane Katrina, we're hopeful that several additional rooms will be completed during 2006.

Each of the arts rooms are multiple-use spaces that can meet a wide variety of needs.  The arts rooms and other portions of the building are available to local organizations and individuals for special functions of all types.  Details

The Senator Trent Lott Performing Arts Theatre is the result of a major renovation and addition to the former public school auditorium.  The renovation included new fixtures, equipment, lighting and elegant seating and restored the original 1927 trim colors.  The addition widened the wings and provided essential spaces necessary for a full-featured theater, including a three-story fly space (the area where scenery is hoisted and manipulated), a two-story work area, dressing rooms, bathrooms, and a mezzanine.  

The Theatre is home to the Mary C. O’Keefe Youth Symphony and The Walter Anderson Players.  Reproductions of the original Walter Anderson Canvas Murals that once graced the walls of the theatre have been commissioned and will be in place by 2007, made possible by the Family of Walter Anderson.  

The HOSA Meeting and Conference Room is sponsored by the Historic Ocean Springs Association.  Appropriately, HOSA was the first organization to adopt and sponsor a room.  The HOSA room provides general use space that has already hosted conferences, workshops, craft sessions, and breakfasts. This room offers the best example of the restored original red pine floor. 

The Albert Duckett Gallery features a permanent wall dedicated to the Gallery’s namesake, illustrator and artist Albert Duckett.  The two-room gallery features the work of a different regional artist three times each year.  The Gallery is sponsored by Bruce Duckett.

The Elizabeth Lemon Roberts Room for Education is sponsored by the Ocean Springs Rotary Club and will provide space for study and classes in any medium, languages, and literature.  It will also function as a tutoring room for local students.  The Roberts Family has established a foundation to provide computers and other equipment from the sale of Giclée postcard prints from The Way Were by Elizabeth Roberts and J. K Lemon. 

The J. K. & Eleanor Lemon Woodcarving Room is a wood carving workshop that also houses works owned by J. K. and Eleanor Lemon and work by Willie Lemon, James McConnell Anderson, the Orwin Scarr family, and Joe Milstead.  The renovation work is complete and an official opening will be taking place soon.  When you visit, look for the original classroom blackboards that have been preserved.   

The Jimmy C. Trainor Performing Arts Room will focus on all aspects of the stage and will provide space for rehearsals, classes, and other functions.  The room features the Sandra Halat Performing Hearts mural.  Renovation work is done and we are awaiting a formal opening.  

The Scharr-Ello Music Room for Practice, Education and Recording is named in honor of Dr. Joseph Ello and in memory of Orwin and Ruth Scharr. It is sponsored by Travis and Alex Scharr, Bradley Dale, and Daniel Lorrain with the musical talents of their friends and support of their families.  The space provides a studio for rehearsing, study, practice, and recording.  Renovation work is done and we are awaiting a formal opening.  For more information visit OceanSpringsMusic.com.

Shearwater Pottery's studios and showroom have set up shop at The Mary C. until rebuilding is complete at Shearwater to replace.  facilities destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. 

The City of Ocean Springs Museum will celebrate the City's rich 300-year history in two rooms on the second floor.  The project has been funded and renovation and construction work has begun.  We're hoping for a 2006 completion. 

The Hayne Rudolf Sculpture and Papier Mâché Room - Work is underway, with sponsorship from the Rudolph Family.  The room will focus on sculpture in a variety of media, including papier mâché and will exhibit Hayne's sculpture and hand made masks donated by the family.

The Visual Arts Room - Under the sponsorship of Fred Moran, renovation and construction have begun.  Formerly the school library, this room was chosen for the painting room because of the north light. Teaching programs will address water color, oil, and other visual arts media.  Again, we're hoping for a 2006 opening.

Organizations at The Mary C.

Several local organizations make their home at the Mary C.

• Youth Symphony
• Walter Anderson Players
• Historic Ocean Springs Association

Things to see at The Mary C.

• The James McConnell Anderson Tile Murals, 1937
• Honey Locust Hickory Table crafted by Greg Harkins, Official Rocking Chair maker to the White House
• Stig Marcusson's Watercolor Prints, 2003
• The Lobby Chairs - The original auditorium chairs given a lively new role as functional hallway seating, painted by Krys Byrd, Sandra Halat, Mary Hardy, Chris Logan, Judy MacInnis, Betty Magee, Erica Rushing, Mariah Rushing, Norma Seward, Melanie Spiers
• The Groundbreaking Shovels, 2000 Designed and created by Joan Armstrong, Pat Bernstein, Annette Blocker, Corrine Carter, Hanneke Gast, Barbara Guin, Stan Hemby, Roberta Little, Chris Logan, Judy Mac Innis, Betty Magee, Pat Odom, Shane Sekul, Norma Seward, Chris Stebly, Sally Wilson
• Walter Anderson Tiles in Restrooms
• Handmade Paper Creations by Stan Hemby
• The Farrand Pump Organ donated by Kay Dawkins Carvin in honor of her father, Bobby Lee Dawkins
• The Bob & Virginia Meyer Fountain dedicated in honor of the Meyers by the Historic Ocean Springs Association
• James McConnell Anderson's beautiful coastal marsh mural formerly in the Jackson County Courthouse prior to Hurricane Katrina

The School Building

The 20,600 square foot building was erected in 1927 by William T. Nolan  The building was originally a public school and was designated a Mississippi Landmark in 1998 by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and was officially listed on the National Park Services Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Before renovations had begun the Old Public School was listed as one of the Ten Most Endangered Buildings in Mississippi in 2000.  We're proud that it has since been removed from that list.

The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education is named in honor of Miss Mary C. O’Keefe, the first female superintendent of Mississippi schools in 1929.  Her tenure as an educator and principal at Ocean Springs spanned from 1927 to 1945.  This strong and impressive woman set a precedent for the Ocean Spring School System which is evident today in our level 5 schools and superior instructors. 

The Renovation

The official groundbreaking for the renovation took place on August 6, 2002.  The initial phase of the renovation has been completed.  The beautiful lobby area houses the spectacular1937 WPA tile murals painted by James McConnell Anderson and fired by Peter Anderson and now lovingly restored and protected. The long and spacious, high-ceilinged corridors are complete, as are facilities such as restrooms and offices.  The exquisitely restored and greatly enhanced 384-seat Performing Arts Theatre is in full function.

Work continues on several rooms for the arts, described above.

The Future of the Mary C.

This historic building has been rescued from ruin and put to use as the focal point of the public arts community in Ocean Springs and the surrounding area.  Building on that accomplishment and the exciting work already in progress, there's more on the horizon.  We're already planning for Miss Minnie’s Cafe, the Pottery Room, and the Textile Room.  Beyond, there's a world of ideas and imagining and possibilities. 

Come join in and add your dreams to the local arts gumbo at The Mary C.

The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education is a non-profit organization maintaining a 501[c] 3 status (Tax ID 64-0915116)