FLORENCE– The 2014 Alabama Preservation Conference will host guest speaker John Paul Huguley, founder of the renowned American College of the Building Arts located in Charleston, South Carolina, during the Saturday, April 26 track “The Building Arts and Developing Curricula for Your School.” Huguley, a native of Gadsden, will discuss the importance of historic preservation, the fostering of the building trades, and how to ensure craftsmen are trained in today’s world.
“Huguley is iconic in the preservation world for recognizing the importance and value of trained craftsmen in today’s 
technology-driven world. By founding the American College of the Building Arts, he helped foster an educational program that has given student’s a solid training ground and the opportunity to restore historic properties and study the building arts from plasterwork to carpentry to paint restoration,” stated Bo Osborn, co-chair of the conference and Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation board member. “We are honored to have him as part of this year’s conference training. We want to share this success story with educators, as well as preservationists, and learn how educational programs can be created and incorporated in today’s school curricula. ”
Dr. Janet Womack
Huguley will be joined by Dr. Janet Womack superintendent of the Florence City School System. Dr. Womack will discuss the innovative program that the Florence City School System is developing to encourage the arts, preservation, and the building trades.
Teachers of the Florence City School System will receive free admission to the Saturday track and teachers outside the Florence system may attend for the discounted admission of $20. Continuing education units will also be awarded to all teachers attending.
The 2104 Alabama Preservation Conference will be held at the Florence City School System’s
Technology and Professional Development Center, 541 Riverview Drive. The Saturday Track begins at
9:00 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m. “The Building Arts and Developing Curricula for Your School” is sponsored by Bank Independent and the Florence City School System.
The 2014 Alabama Preservation Conference is presented by the Alabama Historical Commission, Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Black Heritage Council of Alabama. For a conference schedule and registration form please visit http:/alabamatrust.info.
MEDIA RELEASE/Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation/Rhonda Davis
