When it comes to the latest trends in women's apparel, there's no better place to shop till you drop than Downtown Chucktown. And if you're searching for the finest threads in Johns Island, look no further than Copper Penny - the Lowcountry's go-to shop for anyone that has a passion for fashion.

We have been dressing women in Johns Island for over 34 years and offer upscale designer collections curated with a Southern eye. Here, women from around the United States discover sophisticated, effortless beauty for every season. Whether you're looking for a sassy new dress to impress that special someone or the perfect outfit for your next vacation, your options are endless at Copper Penny.

With easy-to-find locations close to Johns Island's hottest spots, our curated selection of the newest, most popular women's clothing lines reflects the effortless glamour of Johns Island. Whether you're a tidy professional or a fierce trend-setter, our goal is to help you find the perfect look for your own unique style. With designer brands like CK Bradley and Holst & Lee on hand year-round, finding your new look is easy and fun when you visit Copper Penny.

Our clothing lines give ladies a refreshing mix of one-of-a-kind authenticity with real wearability, allowing them to shine with confidence and style all year long. So, go ahead and spoil yourself - you deserve to look like a million bucks!

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Find the Perfect Dress to Impress

Diamonds are pretty and all, but honestly? Dresses are a girl's best friend. Dresses are fun, comfortable, and versatile. At Copper Penny, they're also fashionable and cute. We have a huge selection of women's dresses in Johns Island, SC, from stylistic sheath dresses to drop-waist styles that will make your girlfriends jealous.

We offer several styles and shapes from which you can pick. Not sure what style fits best?

It all starts at the waist:

 Boutique Clothing Johns Island, SC
 Boutique Dresses Johns Island, SC

A-Line Waist

These dresses are made to fit your waist and then gradually flare out towards the hem. A-line dresses are excellent for minimizing thighs, hips, and midsections while pulling the eyes to your bust. This style of dress is a great fit for almost any body type. There's a reason why so many brides settle on A-Line dresses for their big day! With plenty of varieties, this is a kind of dress that you can wear again and again.

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 Cloths Shop Johns Island, SC

Empire Waist

Like the A-Line style, empire dresses are made to fit through your bust. Rather than creating a distinctly angular shape like the A-Line, the Empire style flows from the bust down. This is another kind of dress that fits many body types. From curvy to apple body shapes, the Empire draws focus to your bust and minimizes everything else. For lovely ladies on the shorter side, this style defines your silhouette, especially if you choose a maxi length dress.

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 Cloths For Women Johns Island, SC

Drop Waist

A throwback to the roaring 20's style flapper dresses, Drop Waist dresses look best on lean, athletic bodies that don't have too many curves in the hip area. The key to pulling off a Drop Waist style dress is to ensure that it's not hugging you. This dress is best worn when it is able to hang freely on your body.

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Once you know the kind of waist that fits your body type, it's time to find your shape. A few of our most popular dress shapes include:

Fit & Flare Dresses in Johns Island

Any clothing store for women in Johns Island, SC, worth its salt, will have plenty of fit & flare dresses for you to try. This common-shaped dress is one of the most popular on the market, mainly because they look great on every woman, regardless of age or shape. A timeless choice, fit & flare dresses fit through the bodice and flare out just below your hip. This helps develop a balanced, slimming silhouette for most women. If you want to accentuate your best assets and hide everything else, ask our experienced fashionistas to show you some the most popular fit & flare dresses at Copper Penny.
Time to start doing your happy dance! Fit & flare dresses have very balanced proportions, making them a true winner for every body type. Women with athletic builds love this dress for the extra curves. Women with apple-shaped bodies love how fit & flare dresses define their waistlines. Because this dress already looks like an hourglass on the hanger, it will be a natural fit for ladies with such a figure.
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 Clothing Stores Johns Island, SC
 Fashion Stores Johns Island, SC

Shift Dresses in Johns Island

Shift dresses are typically rectangular in shape and tend to be comfy and forgiving since they aren't fitted. Also called a column dress, the shift dress is a great choice for polished professionals needing a conservative, fashionable outfit for work.
These dresses look fabulous on women with athletic, lean shapes and women with an apple-like figure. This kind of dress doesn't work well with a belt, so ladies with an hourglass figure may not be able to show off their curves in a shift. Try pairing this dress with a nice pair of heels for a beautiful new look!
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Wrap Dresses in Johns Island

Wrap dresses are one of the most popular styles on the market, because they give ladies of most shapes and sizes a flattering, fashionable dress option.
If you have an hourglass, apple, or generally curvy body shape, you're going to love wrap dresses. This style of dress offers a natural waist while placing emphasis on your bust. Wrap dresses give you a balanced silhouette and, with a knee-length fit, are great for any type of color or style, both day and nightwear.
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 Fashion Boutique Johns Island, SC

Timeless Tops for Every Style

Unless you're feeling extra sassy, chances are you're wearing a top at this very moment. Tops are garments that cover the top half of your body. At Copper Penny, we have an endless selection of tops in a wide range of styles - from basic tees to blouses and everything in between. If you're looking for the highest quality women's tops in Johns Island, SC, you just hit the jackpot!

With that said, finding the right top for the right occasion is easier said than done. However, at Copper Penny, we make finding the right top fun. Whether you're looking for a top that makes a statement or you need a classic button-down for a subdued style, we've got your back. We only carry the most popular tops from the best brands and designers around the world.

 Ladies Clothing Johns Island, SC

Here are just of our most popular tops:

 Online Boutique Johns Island, SC

Women's Poplin Tops in Johns Island

Sometimes called broadcloth tops, poplins have classic characteristics and are often woven with an over/under weave. This kind of weave gives more substance to your top while also giving you room to breathe. Poplin shirts are typically soft and smooth, and are great for everyday business attire, some formal occasions, and for certain ceremonies. Sweet and feminine, our Bruna poplin eyelet bib top features ruffles at the sleeves and an eyelet lace yoke at the front. Pair your poplin with your favorite pair of shorts or jeans for a contemporary, relaxed look.

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Boutique Johns Island, SC

Women's Wrap Tops in Johns Island

Great for wearing solo or layered over a camisole or tank top, wrap tops are lightweight, versatile, and great for many different occasions. Wrap tops go well with jeans, maxi dresses, and high-waisted jeans or trousers. Our V-Neck Wrap SLV Top by Jayden is uber-popular at Copper Penny and the perfect choice for dressing down or dressing up. The choice is yours!

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 Boutique Clothing Johns Island, SC

Women's Off the Shoulder Tops in Johns Island

For a dose of feminine fashion, be sure you add an off-the-shoulder top to your everyday wardrobe. A casual, sexy choice, off-the-shoulder tops have unique necklines that cut across your upper arms and chest, leaving your shoulders bare. The result is a flirty flash of skin, which elongates your neck and gives a relaxed, "daytime casual" look. Our Nola off-the-shoulder top pairs perfectly with shorts or even a flowy skirt and is hand-woven in Spain using Jacquard fabric.

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 Boutique Dresses Johns Island, SC

Women's Tank Tops in Johns Island

Who doesn't love a good tank top?! Tank tops are lightweight, versatile, and equally great for lounging in the yard or running errands on weekends. Tank tops lend an air of simplicity to your outfit and can be styled in endless ways. Take our Velvet Heart Victory Tank, for instance. This tank is a refreshing update on our classic sleeveless tank top, complete with fray details and a scoop neck. Throw in the fact that it's machine washable, and you have a wardrobe winner.

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Having trouble finding the best top for your size and style? As the most trusted women's clothing boutique in Johns Island, SC, Copper Penny has helped women discover new looks in the Lowcountry for more than two decades. We take pride in providing a personalized, boutique experience for our customers. If you have questions, give us a call or swing by one of our locations. We would be happy to give you our professional opinion.

Until then, here's a quick guide you can follow to help you find the right fit for your women's top in Johns Island:

How to Find the Right Fit for Your Women's Top

When choosing a women's top for your outfit, you have to consider how comfortable, confident, and beautiful you will feel. The best way to feel your best in an outfit is to make sure it fits correctly. To get started, you'll want to take your measurements. For most women's tops, the best areas to focus on are your hips, waist, and chest.

  • Hip Measurements: Measuring your hips is fairly easy. Take your measuring tape and use it to wrap around the widest area of your hips.
  • Waist Measurements: Take your measuring tape and place it at the very top of your hip bone. Wrap it all the way around your body. Try to keep your measuring tape in line with your belly button. For the most accurate measurements, stand up straight and breathe normally.
  • Chest Measurements: For an accurate chest measurement, take the end of your measuring tape and place it on the fullest area of your bust. From there, wrap the tape around your body, under your armpits, and around the blades of your shoulders. Then, wrap the tape tightly from the back of your body to the front, where you started.
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 Cloths Shop Johns Island, SC

Need help measuring? Swing by Copper Penny and ask one of our friendly sales associates to help you out! While you're there, don't forget to check out our huge selection of women's tops in Johns Island, SC.

Contact Us

Looking to take your style to the next level? You can also get in touch with a personal stylist directly from our website. With a personal stylist by your side, you can find stunning looks for specific occasions, using comfortable clothing in your favorite colors and cuts. Copper Penny is your one-stop-shop for fashionable, fun, fabulous designer clothing in Johns Island. But don't take our word for it – come see for yourself!

Latest News in Johns Island, SC

Toxic 'garbage juice' transports navigate narrow roads, tight traffic on Johns Island

“My concern, and the concern of people on the island, is that River Road is getting more and more crowded," Charleston City Councilman Jim McBride said at an April 22 Committee on Public Works and Utilities meeting."It’s a two-lane road, with not a lot of shoulders, which contributed to the crash, I think.”Leachate is created when water filters through a landfill, and picks up all kinds of chemical and organic pollutants along the way. It's like filtering water through coffee grounds to make your mor...

“My concern, and the concern of people on the island, is that River Road is getting more and more crowded," Charleston City Councilman Jim McBride said at an April 22 Committee on Public Works and Utilities meeting.

"It’s a two-lane road, with not a lot of shoulders, which contributed to the crash, I think.”

Leachate is created when water filters through a landfill, and picks up all kinds of chemical and organic pollutants along the way. It's like filtering water through coffee grounds to make your morning brew — just replace the beans with garbage.

The utility's spokesperson, Mike Saia, told city leaders in April that there are many reasons the system sends leachate to the processing plant on Johns Island, located at the intersection of River and Murraywood roads.

That includes a "symbiotic relationship" with the Oakridge Landfill in Dorchester County, where the truck that crashed in February was coming from. Oakridge takes Charleston's solids, and CWS takes Oakridge's liquids.

SC Climate and Environment News

The system can't send the leachate directly to its central Plum Island facility, as the highly-concentrated wastewater can "wreak havoc" on that plant's infrastructure if it arrives untreated. The Johns Island plant was also built large enough to handle a population boom, so its upper capacity hasn't been reached.

Perhaps most importantly, Saia said processing the so-called "garbage juice" above Charleston's watershed would be risky.

“It is a tremendous benefit to the entire Lowcountry that we treat this leachate and then release the water into the harbor, versus above us where our drinking water comes from,” he said.

Each truck can carry between 4,000 and 6,000 gallons of leachate. Saia said it's unclear how much was on the truck when it crashed, but "most of it was spilled." Clean-up took a few hours and the scene was "fully remediated." Saia said the truck was operated by a subcontractor hired by the Oakridge Landfill, which was responsible for the managing the cleanup.

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In response to the February spill, and feedback from the community, Saia said the utility is adding more pavement on the turn-out from the site onto River Road to give trucks more room to safely maneuver. But any improvements to the narrow road beyond that might be tricky.

River Road, like many roads across the state, is managed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, not a local government. In an emailed statement, a department spokesperson wrote that the SCDOT "does not currently have any plans" for updating or widening the two-lane road.

"However, we encourage anyone with issues on a state-maintained roadway to be in touch with us directly at 855-467-2368," the spokesperson wrote.

Toxic versus hazardous

Technically, "toxic" is not the same thing as "hazardous."

"The toxicity of a substance is the potential of that substance to cause harm, and is only one factor in determining whether a hazard exists," according to Purdue University. "The hazard of a chemical is the practical likelihood that the chemical will cause harm."

Saia said the wastewater that spilled forth from the February accident was toxic, but not hazardous since the landfill it was from doesn't accept hazardous waste.

“People ask us what’s in it. We don’t know what’s in every drop, because we don’t know what people send to the landfill," he said. "But we do know that it meets industry standards and that it’s a high-strength wastewater.”

SC Climate and Environment News

Andrew Wunderley, executive director of Charleston Waterkeeper, said leachate is a significant environmental threat.

"It's a cocktail of toxic substances," he said. "It can be anything from heavy metals to solvents to herbicides to pesticides. It can be PFAS and forever chemicals. That being discharged into the environment is incredibly dangerous — not only to environmental health, but also to human health."

Saia said CWS will be discussing the spill, and potential solutions to prevent future accidents, with the Johns Island Council at a public meeting on July 11.

Each Friday, the Rising Waters newsletter offers insight into the latest environmental issues impacting the Lowcountry and the rest of the South.

Vandalism causes 60-gallon diesel spill on Johns Island: Charleston Water System

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Clean-up efforts are underway after vandalism resulted in a 60-gallon diesel fuel spill on Johns Island, officials with Charleston Water System said Monday.The diesel fuel spilled into a stormwater ditch behind homes along Colonel Harrison Drive that leads to the Stono River. Residents initially discovered and smelled the fuel spill over the weekend. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control was called on Sunday to help with the spill.Read more: ...

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Clean-up efforts are underway after vandalism resulted in a 60-gallon diesel fuel spill on Johns Island, officials with Charleston Water System said Monday.

The diesel fuel spilled into a stormwater ditch behind homes along Colonel Harrison Drive that leads to the Stono River. Residents initially discovered and smelled the fuel spill over the weekend. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control was called on Sunday to help with the spill.

Read more: "Successful oil spill cleanup in Charleston by Coast Guard, no marine life threats."

“Our contractor cleaned up a portion of the spill, immediately called in a professional environmental remediation company, and notified SC DHEC and the EPA’s National Response Center,” said Mike Saia, Charleston Water System's public information administrator. “It may take several days for them to recapture all remnants of the fuel.”

This is the third instance of vandalism to contractor equipment in recent weeks, and the Charleston County Sheriff's Office is investigating.

“I mean it is a very, in depth vandalism. It's not just a rock through the window. It’s someone who came out here to destroy this 200-something thousand-dollar machine,” said Chad Hunter, owner of Hunter Landworx Construction, the contractor onsite.

Hunter showed up to his Johns Island job site Monday expecting to quickly finish a project he’s been working on since October. Instead, he found his machinery completely vandalized.

“There are wires in there, cut and hidden like that. We wouldn't be able to find it if we didn't see that all the fuel around it, my guys would've gotten in the machine. He put rocks and all in our engine to try to blow the engine up,” Hunter said.

But the damage doesn’t stop there.

Read more: "Suspicion arises over two Colleton County mobile home fires in three days."

The vandalism led to a 60-gallon diesel fuel spill into the surrounding area along the Stono River. Charleston Water System owns the construction project, and its staff says they’ve never seen damage this bad.

“We don't see a lot of vandalism. If we do, it's very, very minor, and easy to repair. But this is a different situation because not only did the person damage the equipment related to the job, but they've also damaged the environment,” Saia said.

Saia said they were able to soak up as much of the liquid fuel as possible and the Coast Guard confirmed to CWS that the spill didn't reach the river.

Now, Hunter must pick up the pieces.

He said the damage to his machine alone will cost a few hundred thousand dollars and his crews are now behind on all their current projects.

“We're out here to clean up somebody's mess as well as take time from our family and slow down the project. I mean, it's hurting everybody, the neighborhood, everything around us is just getting messed up from one person,” Hunter said.

“One hour's worth of work is causing weeks of fix-up.”

News 4 has reached out to CCSO for more information.

Charleston city councilman looking at ways to alleviate traffic on Johns Island

Ask any John's Island residents their main complaint and they will likely tell you traffic.Charleston city councilman for District 3, Jim McBride, is brainstorming ways to alleviate the stop-and-go drive on and off the island.On Maybank Highway, two lanes are coming onto Johns Island and only one going off towards James Island.Councilman McBride said it's a bottleneck and taxpayers are sitting in traffic, wasting time and money.There are three projects in the works.McBride said the first project that will a...

Ask any John's Island residents their main complaint and they will likely tell you traffic.

Charleston city councilman for District 3, Jim McBride, is brainstorming ways to alleviate the stop-and-go drive on and off the island.

On Maybank Highway, two lanes are coming onto Johns Island and only one going off towards James Island.

Councilman McBride said it's a bottleneck and taxpayers are sitting in traffic, wasting time and money.

There are three projects in the works.

McBride said the first project that will alleviate this problem is the Northern Pitchfork, which is expected to be finished in March.

It will allow motorists to take a right coming onto the island at the fairly new stoplight near Fenwick Hall Allee and take them to River Road, meaning no one has to sit on Maybank.

The second project is restriping Maybank Highway near the intersection of River Road.

Right now, there are short turn lanes and McBride said cars get backed up, slowing traffic coming onto the island.

He said after the striping, there will be a left turn lane only. The middle lane will be three lanes and a new right turn lane will be added.

The third planned project is the nearly $30 million Southern Pitchfork, creating a possible left turn when you come onto Johns Island.

The traffic light for the Northern Pitchfork would potentially be moved and realigned with the entrance to the Southern Pitchfork closer to the bridge.

"If that gets funded, and if that happens, the estimated completion time would be somewhere somewhere around 2028," McBride said. "I don't want to wait for four years and no one on the island wants to wait for four years. So, we're trying to come up with some ideas to improve things before that."

McBride said these projects will allow traffic to flow better coming onto the island, but there is nothing funded now to help people get off the island.

"Every single morning taxpayers are sitting in traffic wasting money wasting time," McBride said. "And it's a problem that needs to get fixed."

One idea McBride is researching is reversible lanes.

With reversible lanes, the middle lane would switch directions in the evening, potentially alleviating traffic.

"In the morning you have two lanes going off the island, and then in the evening, you'd have two lanes coming on the island," McBride said.

McBride said it would require large signaling and possibly entry gates to make it very clear which direction people would drive.

"In 2019, the county did a study on this idea, and they determined that it would improve traffic going off the island in the morning by 66%. That's a huge improvement," McBride said.

McBride said the county recommended they could not do reversible lanes because currently there are too many stop lights too close together.

He said if the Northern Pitchfork is realigned with the future Southern Pitchfork, there would be one intersection closer to the bridge which would create a more continuous stretch of road, potentially allowing this idea to work.

McBride said the reversible lane idea would cost about $5 million.

"In comparison, the Southern Pitchfork is estimated to be about $30 million. So, $5 million is a lot of money, but it will save taxpayers so much money over time and save time. Instead of sitting in traffic you know, wasting time and gas money," McBride said.

This is just one idea McBride is researching.

He said he is working alongside Mayor William Cogswell, city staff, and county council members Jenny Honeycutt and Joe Boykin to find a solution for Johns Island traffic.

River Road and Maybank Highway are state-owned, meaning they are managed and funded by the county.

McBride said this requires collaboration between the city and county.

This November, the county will vote on a 2024 Half Cent Sales Tax Referendum to potentially replace an old sales tax set to expire in the next 2 years.

McBride said it would raise an estimated $5.4 billion.

He said $2 billion would help fund the Mark Clark Expressway, and the other $3.4 billion would help fund the County Infrastructure Improvement Projects.

Johns Island woman receives keys to new home from Habitat for Humanity

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman neighbors describe as a staple of the community has a new home thanks to a group of volunteers.Sea Island Habitat for Humanity celebrated another closing on Johns Island Friday, handing over the keys for the second house they completed this year to Clareatha Matthews.Matthews says she has been waiting for this day to come. She previously lived in a trailer right behind her new home for almost 40 years. On average, trailers are only supposed to last 10 to 15 years.Matthews is an active ...

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman neighbors describe as a staple of the community has a new home thanks to a group of volunteers.

Sea Island Habitat for Humanity celebrated another closing on Johns Island Friday, handing over the keys for the second house they completed this year to Clareatha Matthews.

Matthews says she has been waiting for this day to come. She previously lived in a trailer right behind her new home for almost 40 years. On average, trailers are only supposed to last 10 to 15 years.

Matthews is an active member of the community and has been a resident of John’s Island since 1989. She is involved in multiple Bible studies and has worked at the John’s Island Subway for 20 years now.

“Oh my god today means so much to me. I have been blessed and truly blessed for this day. I have been waiting for this day,” Matthews says.

The project to build her home began in September. When a new homeowner is picked, they are required to work a certain amount of “sweat equity” hours by working with volunteers to help build their own home. Matthews was required to work 300 and volunteers say she continued to come out and work on her house even when her required hours were completed.

“She is just a staple. She is a very active part of this community, and she was also very involved in her habitat sweat equity hours. Continuing to come out and help work on her house even after she finished her hours,” Construction site supervisor Kali Tanguay says.

She also said that they have seen some new homeowners in the past fall short on their hours or not want to commit, but that Matthews went above and beyond.

Her friends and family came out to celebrate and help Matthews move in. Her daughters said their mother worked three jobs when they were growing up and that she never complained. They said that she deserved this greatly.

“We owe our entire life to Habitat for Humanity. It’s very special because my mom is such a dependable, hardworking, and deserving lady and it’s good to see her just totally happy,” Matthew’s daughter, Veronica Huggins, says.

Sea Island Habitat for Humanity completes an average of five to six houses per year and they are hoping to see that number continue to grow.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Hicks: Naming Johns Island's new school shouldn't be complicated

For once, none of the board members have done anything that anyone could reasonably criticize — yet they are still in the middle of a simmering controversy.And they have to sort this mess out next week.The trouble here is unfortunate: An excessively large committee of school officials and community members recently recommended christening the district’s new River Road school as Johns Island Elementary.Which is only a problem because just about everyone really wants to name it after local civ...

For once, none of the board members have done anything that anyone could reasonably criticize — yet they are still in the middle of a simmering controversy.

And they have to sort this mess out next week.

The trouble here is unfortunate: An excessively large committee of school officials and community members recently recommended christening the district’s new River Road school as Johns Island Elementary.

Which is only a problem because just about everyone really wants to name it after local civil rights icons Esau and Janie Jenkins.

Now, there are no villains in this story. No one set out to slight the Jenkins family. On the contrary, by most accounts this is actually the result of a well-intentioned attempt to avoid disrespecting anyone.

Unfortunately, the result is a generic, homogenized name that many board members say would be a wasted opportunity to honor a nationally acclaimed legend in education.

Last year, the district set up a naming committee for the new school, which will open in August 2025. Following preliminary discussions, the panel took its first tally in the fall, allowing members to vote on two names that would move forward for consideration. Esau Jenkins Elementary came out on top by one vote.

But then everybody got to talking.

See, Johns Island has a rich history — and a long line of African American residents who’ve done a lot of good in the Lowcountry. We’re talking about community activists like Bill Saunders, John and Mattie Washington, Hermina Traeye.

These are folks who worked to end segregation, help their fellow citizens engage in public discourse and bring civil rights to this country. For instance, Traeye was a nurse famously involved in the Charleston hospital workers’ strike; Saunders helped broker its resolution.

Esau Jenkins worked with many of those folks and, a lot of people would argue, led their efforts. He set up the first local citizenship school so African Americans could pass the literacy tests required to vote back in the day, started the island’s famous Progressive Club, founded the district’s Haut Gap school, hosted Martin Luther King Jr.

He and his wife, Janie, bought a Volkswagen van to drive students to school, because they knew education was the key to everyone’s success. As Jenkins drove students to downtown schools, Janie taught them to read.

It’s such a powerful story that part of their van ended up in the Smithsonian.

Most old-timers will tell you Jenkins is a local superhero, and the island's most famous native son. The bridge between Johns and Wadmalaw islands bears his name, as will a new senior housing complex that just broke ground.

Maybe that’s why some committee members started talking about honoring other locals from the Sea Island’s history. A little competition developed, and most folks understandably wanted no part of taking sides.

So they fell back on a district policy that says, in general, school names should reflect their geography. In fairness, many Charleston schools do just that: You’ve got James Island, North Charleston and Ladson elementary schools, and neighborhood schools like Stiles Point, Belle Hall and Oakland.

But the district also has nearly two-dozen schools — about a quarter of its facilities — that are named for somebody: A.C. Corcoran, E.B. Ellington, Mamie Whitesides, James B. Edwards elementary schools, just to mention a few.

In recent years, the district has named a middle school after local philanthropist Jerry Zucker and a high school after longtime Wando principal Lucy Beckham. Both of which were appropriate, worthy candidates for such an honor.

The Johns Island committee, however eager to avoid controversy, has only stirred up more. As The Post and Courier’s Valerie Nava reports, the committee received letters supporting the Jenkins name from a majority of Charleston County Council.

No pressure or anything.

Johns Island School Board member Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson suggests the board thank the committee for its work, take its recommendation to name various rooms in the school after local residents such as Saunders, the Washingtons and Traeye — and officially name the school Esau and Janie Jenkins Elementary.

In other words, the board should make the hard decision the committee sidestepped.

“They’re only making a recommendation,” Dunmeyer-Roberson said. “It’s up to the board to make a final decision.”

She’s correct, but things are rarely that easy at 75 Calhoun St. — even though, when the board first discussed this in February, there seemed to be majority support for the idea.

Several board members say all the names brought up in the committee’s debate are worthy of honor, but Esau and Janie Jenkins should have the school named for them because education is their legacy.

And this is really not that complicated.

Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings.

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