MORGANTOWN — The Shack Neighborhood House celebrated its 90th birthday Saturday.
The party gave an opportunity for different generations of the Shack to come together and share their stories, Executive Director Tia Lasporgara, said.
Several different baskets, including a Yankee Candle basket, Mountaineer basket featuring WVU apparel and a family pet basket with toys and treats were up for raffle.
A fundraiser dinner costing $10 for adults and free for children was also held.
“We wouldn’t be here without the community,” Lasporgara said.
The non-profit organization provides a safe, inclusive and fun environment for learning and recreation.
“This was the hangout,” Donna Linville said. “If our parents would get mad at us they wouldn’t let us go to the Shack.”
The 74-year-old said she went to the shack on Wednesdays to skate and Fridays and Saturdays for the dances or basketball in the mid-50’s and 60’s.
Linville said she grew up in Osage but she basically lived at the Shack through junior high and high school.
Sen. Bob Beach – D, said he grew up in Fort Martin and many of his friends spent a lot of time at the Shack.
“It’s always been a great community asset,” he said. “It’s obviously stood the test of time.”
The Shack was founded in 1928 by Mary Behner, her daughter, Bettijane Burger said.
She explained her grandfather was a minister in Clarksburg and the two were becoming increasingly concerned about the conditions in Scott’s Run during the great depression so Behner set off as a home missionary.
Her mother’s mission began with Sunday school but quickly morphed into much more as she realized the area’s kids were often hungry or without shoes, Burger said.
Behner put a focus on education and helped the first kids from Scott’s Run graduate high school and college, Burger said. Behner also taught the children to be proud of their background – the area had 20,000 people from 19 different nationalities.
Behner recognized that WVU, just a few miles away in Morgantown, was a resource that should be used and got WVU students involved in helping out, Burger said.
She said Elizabeth Stalnaker, for whom WVU’s Stalnaker Hall is named, helped Behner start an integrated nursey – unheard of at the time.
A girl scout troop for black girls was started by Behner because the girls weren’t allowed to join the white troop, Burger said.
Lewis Hine, a famous great depression photographer whose photos helped change child labor laws in America, said the only time he saw people in Scott’s Run smile was when they were at the Shack, Burger said.
“She saw a lot of bad things and tried to do good,” Burger said of her mother.
