Penn College News

Masonry Students Undertake Project at Local Nonprofit

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Corvin K. Oberholtzer, of Wellsboro, uses a slicker tool to compress the mortar and assure a tight fit once the stone has been bedded into place The mark of a skilled mason (represented here by student Travis M. Cain, of Bloomsburg) is the ability to read the stone and understand its composition, then to cut and shape it to fit into the puzzle Instructor Glenn R. Luse, standing at right, with his 2010-11 masonry studentsMasonry students from Penn College's School of Construction and Design Technologies recently constructed a natural stone veneer for the auditorium at New Tribes Mission Institute near Jersey Shore. Instructor Glenn R. Luse said the endeavor among the latest in a historical series of community-serviceprojects undertakenby a variety of college majors and organizations was challenging because students needed to match the 60-year-old stonework on the lower portion of the building. "The masonry students did an excellent job all around," Luse said. "Their accomplishments have left a mark on and off campus. These remarkable students have challenged my abilities and have made me a better instructor." Photos by Sarah K. Mariano, student photographer