St. Clair Training School

Historic site receives official marker

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos

Jennifer Gover gazed up at the historic marker with gold letters etched across the deep blue background and smiled.

It was that unmistakable look of satisfaction at the end of a long journey home, her work was done. St. Clair County Training School is now an official, historical landmark.

The school is already listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. Thee marker with the official seal of the Alabama Historical Association was erected by the St. Clair County Training School Alumni Association, led by President Don Allen and Vice President Barbara Collins.

Thelma O’Neal Jones addresses the crowd at the dedication

In late June, alumni unveiled the marker in a special ceremony at the Pell City school site, now known as The Legacy Center, during the Alumni Association’s reunion weekend.

The marker tells the story of the school and its origin – history Gover researched and worked in collaboration with the Historical Commission to develop.

It was dedicated in 1922 as “the Colored Industrial Institute, also called the Rosenwald Negro School at Pell City.” It began as a one-room classroom on two acres with one teacher. The land purchase and construction were made possible through the Julius Rosenwald Foundation and local community matching funds totaling $2,900.

A 1922 Birmingham News story described it as “the largest and best equipped school for Negroes in St. Clair County.”

In 1934, the state Board of Education was requested to change the name to St. Clair County Training School and add an extra teacher. Four years later, the St. Clair Board of Education approved extending the high school department to meet training school requirements and the state department approved the name change.

Willie Mae “Snookie” Turner Beavers, the oldest living alumni at 99

As part of the federal New Deal Program, the Public Works Administration allotted funds to build two more classrooms and make repairs.

From its beginning in 1922, the school educated Blacks in the surrounding communities of Pell City, Cropwell, Riverside, Piney Woods, Ragland and Acmar with the final class graduating in 1969 when the school closed for integration – 15 years after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision called for an end to “separate but equal” schools.

Over 100 people attended the June ceremony, where former elementary school principal and SCCTS alumnus Thelma O’Neal Jones delivered the keynote address. “Our grandparents dreamed of a better future for us,” Jones told the crowd. “We were the first generation of education achievements,” many of whom went on to college. 

The lessons they learned there extended well beyond academics. They were lessons “upon which our lives were built,” she said. “We celebrate more than a building. We celebrate a legacy.”

Videssa Woods talked of the history of the school and its importance in all of the alumni’s lives. “Without history,” she asked them to remember, “there is no present.”

Pell City’s historic mural

Sometimes the path to taking a good idea to reality presents more than a few challenges along the way. But when you see the 86-foot mural welcoming you to Pell City’s Downtown Historic District, you’ll know the journey was well worth it.

Three years ago, Pell City Historical Society envisioned and began discussion and planning for a historic mural, which led to a red-carpet ribbon cutting ceremony in late May paying tribute to the artists and all who played a role in making it happen.

“The mural is beautiful and nicely depicts Pell City’s historical past, and I believe it will inspire future projects our community will support and accomplish,” said interim Historical Society President David Murphy.

The mural isn’t the first project the Historical Society has spearheaded for downtown. Historic downtown flags were provided for Cogswell Avenue lampposts, focusing attention on the city’s historical roots firmly planted downtown.

Artists Sundi Hawkins (left) and Penny Arnold do the honors as Denise Olivastri observes

Local artists Penny Arnold and Sundi Hawkins created the new mural that majestically stretches across a white wall backdrop and depicts the founding of the town and key elements of its growth – a train, the mill, its businesses.

“When people look at this mural, my hope is that they feel a deep sense of pride in our city and see the boundless potential of our community,” Councilman Jay Jenkins said during the ceremony.

Denise Olivastri led the project, participating in the mural content along with Vicki Harmon, developing the letter of consent, securing the artists and the location at Glitz & Glamour, 2007 Cogswell Avenue. Pell City Council put its stamp of approval on the proposed artwork, and the artists went to work, completing it in record time.

“This amazing artwork serves as a visual bridge connecting our historic past with our bright future,” Olivastri told the crowd gathered for the ceremony as she acknowledged all who had a role.

She gave “a huge thank you to Pell City Sparklight for their alliance and cooperation in helping bring our city’s history to life! As funding co-sponsor and partner along with the Historical Society, they have joined us in giving our community a beautiful historic landmark that celebrates our roots. We are incredibly grateful to them for their kindness and generosity.”

She lauded city officials who were supportive of the historic mural undertaking throughout the project. “Your belief in the importance of public art and preserving the spirit of our downtown, helped make this vision possible. Thank you for recognizing how initiatives like this can bring people together, attract new visitors and create lasting memories for future generations.”

The mural’s location also deserved gratitude – “a huge thank you and much appreciation to Union State Bank who owns this building and to Pam Everidge and her husband, Steve, the owners of Glitz and Glamour, who generously and excitedly agreed to allow us to utilize the wall as the blank canvas for this incredible work of art.”

A special thank you went to Mason Roberts at Sherwin-Williams for supplying the vintage colors “to bring this mural to life.”

There were unexpected, but welcome role players as well. “We also want to thank Tim Mogren who just showed up and out and generously and freely provided the boom lift from THM Electrical which helped our artists complete their project in record time.”

Landon Honeycutt, who assisted with the scissor lift from The Rental Men, and Greg Gossett from the City Street Department, who installed the barriers around the wall perimeter to keep artists safe, were among those specially recognized.

Calling Hawkins and Arnold “incredible artists,” Olivastri stressed, “thank you is too small of a word for the talent, dedication and countless hours of hard work you put forth. Always smiling, always positive, you both worked diligently through long days and nights to bring this monumental vision to life, and your incredible creativity has added beauty, inspiration, joy and character to our dear city,” she said.

“This vibrant masterpiece of a mural will be admired by the masses for years to come, due to your tireless efforts, vision and skill. Our community is completely in awe of your work.”

Motioning to the crowd, Olivastri noted, “This historic mural belongs to all of us, and stands as a symbol of unity, progress and hometown pride. I hope it brings joy and a smile to your face every time you pass by.”

Deanna Lawley’s dedication

Pell City educator honored by library

Story by Carol Pappas
Submitted Photos

When Deanna Lawley was a child, a less-than-harmonious trip to the dentist one day with her mother ended abruptly when Lawley bit the dentist.

Her mother was “horrified” with the actions of her 6-year-old, she recalled, “and she turned me over to my daddy.”

But her father had a deal to dangle in front of the precocious, albeit challenging, child that just might make the next visit a bit less dramatic.

He coerced her into behaving at the dentist’s office with the promise that he would buy her that book she had been wanting – Black Beauty – “the one with the shiny cover.” The father-daughter ‘deal’ was struck, and it not only became the key to a smooth office visit that day, it unlocked a lifetime of love for reading. “24 hours later I had my book,” she said.

And she’s been reading ever since.

As a career path, she naturally chose teaching English and for decades, she shared her passion for the written word with countless Pell City High School students. In retirement, she paints books through travel.

Forming a group called Friends Bound for New Horizons, Lawley guides trips across the globe. They have become learning adventures that have raised nearly $100,000 for the Pell City Library.

The first trips generated funds for Pell City Schools Educational Foundation and later grew successful enough to support the library and after that, Museum of Pell City, a nonprofit she co-founded.

Among her early travelers were Library Director Danny Stewart and Carolyn Hall, a longtime library supporter. One day Hall wryly told her, “There’s no reason why you can’t give money to the library,” which led to years of travel – and funding – for the library.

Guild members sought to honor her in a special way, and they named a room in the library for her.

Actually, there were two rooms that needed naming – arts and crafts and teens – and Lawley chose arts and crafts. She picked arts and crafts, not only for the creativity and imagination found inside, but she joked she had years of teaching teens, and “most” were not too entertained. “Arts and crafts are fun for any age – my PCHS teens, not so much. They were getting ready with research and Shakespeare for college.”

“She wanted to see the happy, fun part,” said Stewart.

“There was a desire to have something to pay her back for all the money she has raised over the years,” Stewart said. “We thought it was only fitting to name a room after her.” She shares the honor with husband Barnett, who not only has helped her with the trips over the years, he has given back to the community as a public servant, a conservationist and a volunteer in many different arenas.

“How deserving,” Stewart said. “They are a great couple in philanthropic endeavors.”

A reception in her honor featured a meet and greet hour on a beautifully decorated patio at the Municipal Complex followed by dinner in the banquet room. “The ladies of the Guild were extremely good hostesses. It was so much more than we anticipated. It was such a lovely event, and the patio was a perfect venue for such an occasion.”

Making it even more special was when she learned her good friends, John Wandrisco of United Distributors and St. Clair Commissioner Bob Mize supported the event, making it “such a fine affair.”

Lawley sees her fundraising work on the library’s behalf as a labor of love. “I’ve always loved to read. I am very pleased to be connected to the library,” she said, recounting childhood memories in Newnan, Georgia, where the library was housed in a historic Carnegie building on the courthouse square. It was “holy ground to me. It was a major influence on me as a child.”

And now, she gets to give that gift back in her own way, helping new generations learn to treasure the riches of the library just like she discovered so long ago.

Medical Special: Helms Comes Full Circle

Building on a legacy of care in Pell City and region

When Dr. Rock Helms returned home to Pell City in 1999 after his residency, he was joining the physician who had cared for him as a child. That physician was Dr. Bill McClanahan, whose decades of faithful service helped shape healthcare in Pell City.

“Dr. McClanahan taught me that medicine is ultimately about people,” Helms said. “He loved this community, loved his patients, and modeled what it means to care with compassion.”

Helms confers with fellow provider, Jonathan Windham, CRNP

In 2001, Helms, McClanahan, Dr. Carl Frosina and others founded Northside Medical Associates. What began as a small, independent practice grew over the next two decades into one of the region’s largest physician-led groups, eventually serving the community with around 20 providers and more than 200 employees before being sold in 2020.

Following the sale, contractual obligations required Helms to establish his next practice in nearby Vincent. Helms Healthcare quickly became a thriving clinic there, and after one year, he was able to return to the community he had always hoped to serve.

“My goal was always to come back,” Helms said. “Pell City is home. Vincent has become a wonderful practice that continues to grow, but returning here, feels like coming full circle.”

Today, Helms Healthcare operates from a new 8,000-square-foot facility designed around one simple philosophy: healthcare should be personal, accessible, compassionate, and centered on the patient. The practice offers comprehensive primary care, seven-day urgent care, digital X-ray, a hospital-grade laboratory, advanced vascular ultrasound, and plans to add one of the region’s most advanced CT scanners, capable of high-quality cardiac CT imaging.

When patients call, they speak with a real person, not an automated system, and every member of the team is trained to create an environment where patients feel welcomed, respected, and heard.

“Technology matters,” Helms said. “But people never stop needing kindness. We want every interaction, from the first phone call to the front desk to the exam room, to communicate that every patient matters.”

Dr. Rock and Jennifer Helms cut the ribbon on new Pell City clinic

He also believes the future of primary care is physician-led team care, built around relationships, accessibility, and patient choice. He works closely with exceptional nurse practitioners and physician assistants, building strong relationships and continually discussing cases throughout the day.

“Even when I’m not physically in the exam room, I’m often involved behind the scenes, reviewing complex cases, discussing treatment plans, and helping guide patient care.” Each patient develops an ongoing relationship with a primary provider who knows them well, while Helms serves as the physician leader of the team.

Patients who would like Dr. Helms personally involved in a visit are always welcome to request that, whether as a new patient, during an annual visit, or anytime they want another set of eyes on their care. “The choice belongs to the patient,” Helms said.

He credits UAB St. Vincent’s St. Clair, along with generations of nurses, specialists, and primary care physicians for helping create a community where patients increasingly receive excellent care close to home.

He names longtime colleagues with genuine gratitude. “One of the things I’m most grateful for is the physicians who have invested their lives in serving this community,” he said. “I’m thankful for mentors like Dr. Bill McClanahan, Dr. Carl Frosina, for my longtime partner Dr. Michael Dupre, and for colleagues, such as Dr. Rick Jotani, Dr. Barry Collins, Dr. Ilinca Prisacaru, Dr. Hunter Russell, Dr. Steve Fortson, Dr. Laura Johnson, and many others. We’ve taken different paths, but we’ve always shared the same purpose, caring for the people of Pell City.”

Over the years, Helms says another part of his life has grown just as much as his practice – his faith. “My relationship with Christ has changed the way I see medicine,” he said. “Today, my deepest desire is to honor God by serving the people He places in front of me each day.”

He emphasizes that those conversations are always patient-led. “I never want anyone to feel uncomfortable or pressured,” he said. “But when a patient asks me to pray with them or wants to talk about faith, it’s one of the greatest privileges of being their physician.”

Looking ahead, he hopes to see continued growth and collaboration across the entire medical community. “If people remember anything about my career,” he said, “I hope it isn’t a building or a piece of equipment. I hope they remember that I loved this community, respected my colleagues, cared for people with compassion, and tried to honor God in the way I served.”

Medical Special: Major Healthcare Providers

Time was in St. Clair County when patients seeking medical care had to travel great distances to get the care they needed. That time has passed.


St. Clair is now a regional medical hub offering primary, specialty and urgent care. Throughout the St. Clair County region, comprehensive medical services are often found just a few minutes away.


Here’s a glance at what the region’s major medical providers offer:

UAB

St. Vincents St. Clair

7063 Veterans Parkway

Pell City

  • Advanced wound care center
  • Emergency care
  • Gynecology
  • Lab
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Neurological services
  • Orthopaedics
  • Pain management
  • Physical therapy
  • Radiology (MRI, CT, mammography, bone density, and ultrasound scans)
  • Respiratory care
  • Sleep disorders center
  • Speech therapy
  • Sports medicine

St. Vincents East

50 Medical Park Dr. E.

Birmingham (Trussville)

  • Behavioral health
  • Cancer care
  • Cardiovascular services
  • Diabetes care
  • Digestive disorder care
  • Endoscopy procedures
  • Emergency services
  • Orthopaedics
  • Primary care
  • Pulmonology
  • Same-day surgery
  • Sleep disorder care
  • Surgical weight loss
  • Thoracic surgery

UAB Medicine Leeds

1141 Payton Way

Leeds

  • Primary Care- for adults and children
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology
  • GI Surgery
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • OB/GYN
  • Orthopaedics
  • Lab and Imaging

UAB Leeds Outpatient Imaging & Laboratory

  • 3D mammography, MRI, and bone density scanning
  • Ultrasound
  • Low radiation dose CT scanner
  • Digital X-ray units
  • Radiologist review of all exams, with same-day reporting

UAB Family Medicine East

48 Medical Park Dr. E., Ste 154

Birmingham (Trussville)

  • Annual health evaluations
  • Physical exams
  • Preventive care, including health screenings and physical exams, for patients of all ages
  • Routine care for women, including Pap smears and pelvic and breast exams
  • Well-child care
  • Obstetrics & gynecologic care
  • Management of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma
  • Flu shots and routine immunizations
  • Treatment of minor injuries
  • Drainage of simple abscesses (pus-filled areas)
  • Treatment of minor wounds and cuts

Helms Healthcare

1310 WA Goodgame Parkway

Pell City

131 Florey Street

Vincent

  • Primary Care
  • Urgent Care
  • Extended Hours
  • Preventive Care
  • Lab Walk-Ins
  • X-ray
  • Advanced Imaging
  • Infusion Therapies
  • Comprehensive lab services
  • Telehealth

Complete Health

74 Plaza Drive

Pell City

2834 Moody Parkway

Moody

7201 Happy Hollow Road

Trussville

Services may not be available at all locations

  • Primary Care
  • Medicare Navigation
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Clinics
  • Chronic Care Management
  • Transitional Care
  • Palliative Care
  • Same-Day Sick Visits
  • Telehealth

Pell City Internal Family Medicine

41 Eminence Way, Suite A

Pell City

  • Primary Care
  • Specialist Care
  • Family Wellness Care
  • Women’s Health
  • Sports Medicine
  • Outpatient Care
  • Onsite Diagnostics
  • Onsite Physical Therapy
  • Extended hours, including Sunday clinic

Medical Special: Caring for Children

In the St. Clair County region’s medical community, pediatric services play a prominent role. From birth to adolescence to young adulthood, the region is home to four clinics specializing in the care of younger patients.
They are:

Pediatrics East (Children’s of Alabama)

520 Simmons Drive

Trussville

  • Well-child exams
  • Newborn care
  • Immunizations
  • Same-day sick visits
  • Sports and school physicals
  • Adolescent medicine
  • Chronic disease management (including asthma, ADHD, diabetes)
  • Referrals to Children’s specialists
  • After hours pediatric coverage
  • Patient portal (MyChart)

Main Street Pediatrics

2850 Dr. John Haynes Drive

Pell City

  • Newborn care
  • Well child visits
  • Sick visits
  • Mental health
  • Lab tests
  • Vaccines
  • COVID-19
  • Primary care

Purohit Pediatrics

2468 Moody Parkway

Moody

  • Routine check-up
  • Immunizations
  • Treatment of illness
  • First aid guidance
  • Developmental
  • Adolescent health
  • Nutritional counseling
  • Physical exams
  • Injuries
  • Chronic condition management
  • Behavioral screenings
  • Wellness
  • Sports physical

Springville Pediatrics

350 Springville Station Blvd.

Springville

  • Well child checks
  • Sick care
  • Acute injuries
  • Vaccinations
  • Sports physicals
  • Sensory inclusive visits