Masonry Students Repair Weather-Beaten Planters at Local Church

Published 10.27.2016

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Building Construction
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Construction & Architecture

Gwendolyn M. Wagner, of Cressona, a building construction technology: masonry emphasis student, concentrates on the task at hand. Penn College at work!The job site: a venerable landmark in Williamsport's East EndA brief pause in action to oblige a passing photographerNicholas E. Mills, of Tyrone, signals his workplace satisfaction. Enrolled in building construction technology: masonry emphasis, Mills earned a residential builder degree in May.In yet another visible and lasting community example of Penn College know-how, a group of construction students is rebuilding two composite wall planters at Calvary Baptist Church in the city. The Advanced Masonry Principles class was asked by Daniel W. Yoas (a member of the Calvary congregation and a Penn College faculty member) to reconstruct the planters near the sanctuary door at 42 Washington Blvd. "What a blessing to have these opportunities," said Glenn R. Luse, instructor of building construction masonry. "The students could observe how masonry structures can fail due to lack of maintenance. In this case, the planters were exposed directly to years of hard winters with no protection." The brick-and-block planters split apart, and students are rebuilding them – while paying close attention to matching the brickwork of the original structure.