Two windows of the historic Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center have been replaced with plywood and one’s first thought might be that the stained glass windows, an outstanding feature of the building, have been broken bringing permanent damage.
Such a supposition is not the case. The windows are being repaired and refurbished. A team of specialists from Pearl River Glass Studio, Inc. removed the windows last week and carried them to Jackson to begin their restoration at the company’s facility.
Through the years, the windows have been damaged by the effects of sun, wind, rain and time resulting in loose glass and missing pieces in some of the frames, according to members of the Attala Historical Society, owners of the center. Preservation of the windows necessitated the repairs, they said.
The MRT Cultural Center is the building formerly occupied by the First Presbyterian Church. The windows, donated to the church in memory of several pioneer Kosciusko families, are among features of the building and are well over 100 years old.
The restoration of the two windows will cost the society $40,000, according to Judi Bell, president of the society. “Our contract says they have 180 days to complete the restoration. A wedding is planned in the center for September, and we need to have them back by then for sure,” said Mrs. Bell.
Heading the removal of the windows was March Nabors, restoration specialist and craftsman. He was assisted by Tim Jones, installation manager, Bob Hudson, installation specialist, and Josh Little, production manager and craftsman.
Andrew Young is owner/director and chief engineer of Pearl River Glass Studio. The studio had its beginning in 1975 as the result of Young’s dream and has continued to advance and excel over the years to become one of the nation’s top stained glass studios.
Young is scheduled to be guest speaker at the historical society’s annual meeting in March.
Young detailed the process of restoration on the company’s website. He said, after careful inspection of the panel, craftspeople begin by taking a charcoal rubbing of the panel to use as a reference tool for lead and glass replacement which aids in rebuilding the panel. Upon reinstallation, it gives an exact representation of the original. Future generations will then know what alterations were made.
“We then remove and replace badly broken glass pieces with new glass from our inventory. If available, old glass is used. Where appropriate, we use a copper foil technique or a technique utilizing two-part epoxy to glue broken pieces together,” said Young.
“Replacing broken glass pieces is an exacting and time consuming process, as every piece of glass may be a different size, shape, color, density and/or texture. Any damaged or fatigued lead is also replaced to give the panel proper strength. Sometimes, it is necessary to apply additional reinforcement bars for further strengthening. If any millwork holding the window is rotten or broken, it is repaired or replaced,” said Young.
In the final assembly, the glass, leads and solder joints are cleaned and the remaining cementing compound is removed from the lead channels. The panel is re-soldered, after which fresh cementing compound is placed between the lead and glass to strengthen and waterproof the panel.
The restored window is placed back in its frame and reinstalled in the opening from which it was taken. The process ensures that the window will last for many years to come.
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