Skip to main content

Ratner Museum Closed After Extensive Water Damage

By WTOP Staff

The Ratner Museum on Old Georgetown Road, via The Ratner Museum The Ratner Museum on Old Georgetown Road, via The Ratner Museum

The main exhibition building of Bethesda’s only museum is closed after a sprinkler pipe burst last week, sending water gushing throughout and likely requiring three months of repairs and restoration.

The Ratner Museum (10001 Old Georgetown Rd.) is a popular destination for tour groups, religious school classes and others interested in co-founder Phillip Ratner’s sculptures and paintings of the bible, the “five founders” of the Statue of Liberty and work that has been featured at Ellis Island, the Smithsonian and the Supreme Court.

Ratner said he and his wife were staying on the museum property on Jan. 8 when they found water bursting through the ceiling of the top floor of the building around midnight.

The alarms went off and MCFRS arrived, shutting off the water and electricity. Ratner said he was surprised only three of his sculptures were damaged and those works can be repaired. But a necessary total restoration to the building will take about three months.

“It’s all very dramatic,” Ratner said. “But we are safe and there are so many tragedies going on with people losing their homes, people who have to stay in shelters, so what can you say?”

Ratner will open the carriage house and his personal studio behind the main building during regular hours, where visitors will be able to see his sculptures of children’s book characters that were at the now-shuttered original location National Capital Children’s Museum.

The museum is free to visit and financed by Ratner and his family. Ratner said he doesn’t keep track of how many people visit annually, but it is a popular spot for bible study groups and Hebrew school classes because of Ratner’s extended work based on the Old Testament.

It also hosts study groups, lectures, concerts and readings. About two months ago, Ratner partnered with Cornerstone Montgomery to bring art from those with mental health disabilities to the ground floor of the museum. His original Ellis Island sculptures and bronzes of the “five founders” of the Statue of Liberty — pieces featured on the grounds of Ellis Island and the Liberty Island in New York — are also popular attractions.

“The miracle is on the second floor we have over 100 pieces of art and only three sculptures were damaged,” Ratner said. “We’re going to open up my studio to the public, make it a place where groups can come and make the best of it.”

Photos via The Ratner Museum

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote