Edwin Washington Project

Leesburg Colored Schools

Edited: 8/18/2023

There were several public and private schools in Leesburg catering to Blacks between 1866 and end of segregation in 1968. More will be said about each.

This page covers:

• Caroline Thomas Quaker/Freedman's School
• William O. Robey School
• Richard Bailey school AKA Bailey's Institute
• Loudoun Training Center, AKA Leesburg High School..  Founded 1883 and added on in 1935.

Douglass School, AKA Douglass HS

The first institution was a Freedman's School, established in 1866. The teacher most known was Caroline Thomas, who was also the instructor for Edwin Washington, for whom the project was named. Very likely, this was located at or near 209 South King Street. (On the digital map, this is listed as a private school because public schools didn't start until 1870).

The second school was at 2 North Street, was the home of William O. Robey, set up in 1866. Robey was both a blacksmith and a preacher. He also led the campaign to build the initial Mount Zion United Methodist Church. (On the digital map, this is listed as a private school because public schools didn't start until 1870).

The third establishment was established in 1867 at 211 South King by Richard Bailey", a literate Black" The school was first called the Bailey School Society, then Bailey's Institute by 1873. By the 1930's, it was a nursery school and day care by 1953 became Bailey's Community Center. The building was later sold off and the proceeds used for a scholarship fund. (On the digital map, this is listed as a private school because public schools didn't start until 1870)

The next and still standing structure was built about 1880 and served as a public school called the Loudoun Training Center, Leesburg Colored School, Douglass Elementary, Leesburg High School or simply the Leesburg School. The lower floor was an elementary school, which went to the 7th grade when known as Leesburg Graded Colored School A (1920-1924). From 1930 to 1941, the second floor was an unaccredited High School (until 1940), which also offered some secondary training from about 1920 to 1930. It was the first accredited HS program for Blacks. With the creation of Douglass High School, the entire building reverted to being for elementary education until closed in the 1950's when children were moved to a new Douglass Elementary School.

The Edwin Washington Project has developed a study on access to High School courses by Blacks from the 19th century, onward. Some level of high school training (less than a full year) may have taken place on the second floor as far back as 1920/21, generally a few hours a day for primary students, essentially splitting their day. This was increased to two years in 1930 of all-day schooling , then three years. Until 1941, those wanting an accredited High School education generally had to go to the Manassas Training Center in Prince William County, which was set up by Evangelist Jennie Dean, or to high schools in Washington, DC. Location is at 20 Union St., NW, behind the School Board Annex. Editorial Note: A Special page on this school house is being developed.

An ordinary joisted, two story detached frame building on a stone foundation, with a metal roof. It contained five rooms, was lit with electricity and heated with stoves, the flues to which were of standard construction. The building is of approximately 20.5' x 50.5' with a one story addition of 20.5' x 27.5'. Pictured above in 1940 the building was considered only in fair condition, and when inspected by the Edwin Washington Project in 2016, was determined to be uninhabitable without significant repairs and upgrades. In 1940, it was insured for $6,000.  Note: At the Black History Meeting of 9/8/2018 Jim Roberts, a former student who supported the heating of the building indicated that the addition (left structure in above photo) was the former Sycoline Colored School, added in 1927 by a local developer firm, the Dodd Brothers. Jim and his brother were the fire gathers for several years, gathering up coal each morning for 5 stoves for the classrooms around 8 am, making sure the school was warm before the teachers and children arrived. For this service, they were collectively paid $75 a month. This story is also reflected in Loudoun Discovered by Eugene Scheel, Vol II, pg 85, though in Gene's version, the lumber is used, meaning not necessarily a straight swap.

According to a report by Oscar Emerick dated Aug 23, 1929, ‘Leesburg Colored School has three teachers and offers a part of the first year high school course (See Oscar Emerick article in EWP Archives 3.1 Yr 1929 Public Schools of Loudoun County. Other evidence points to high school training having begun much earlier in the building. The term Report for Sycoline Colored School for 1925/26 listed Miss Annie Parkey as the colored instructor and according the biographical information section, she attended Leesburg High School, which would have been the Training Center. Parkey was then 23 years of age and had instructed for three years, which implies that her last year of high school would have been about 1921 or even 1920.  (See EWP Archives 6.3.3  Yr 1925/26. Term Report for Sycoline Colored School and EWP Archives 6.14 Yr 1925 to 1926 Term Report for Fannie Parkey We have not found any record of Parkey in Ancestry.com; but we know Parkey lived in Leesburg in 1925/26, operated on a local permit issued Dec 9, 1925, which was good until 1926. The Term Report also indicated she had three years of experience; but the 1925/26 citation in the Superintendent's Record of Teacher Certificates indicated only two years. (See 1924/25 and 1925/26 in EWP Archives 4.4 Superintendent's Record of Teacher's Certificates – 1914-1945.). In 1925 and 1924, Annie earned $45 a month and contracted for about 7 months. (See EWP Archives 4.5 Yr 1899 to 1929  “Lists of Teachers Contracted.”)

• 1909/1910: The Annual Report of the Superintendent reported in Table 4 that 4 Blacks took Higher Branch course work in the Town of Leesburg, so perhaps this was probably in the Training Center. (See EWP Archives: 3.3 Yr 1909/1910 Annual Report of Superintendent of Schools).
• 1911/1912: The Annual Report of the Superintendent reported in Table 4 that 4 Blacks took Higher Branch course work in the Town of Leesburg (two boys and two girls, so perhaps this was probably in the Training Center. (See EWP Archives: 3.3 Yr 1911/1912 Annual Report of Superintendent of Schools).
• 1913/1914. The Annual Report in Table 4 showed 2 Blacks taking Higher Branch training in the Town of Leesburg, so we have assumed this was at the Training Center. (See 3.3 Yr 1913/1914 Annual Report of Superintendent of Schools)
• 1916/1917. Ten Blacks taking High Branch Training, vs 399 white pupils. 2 Blacks were in Leesburg Town. 4 were in Mercer District and 4 were in Broad Run District.
• (See 3.3 Yr 1916/1917 Annual Report of Superintendent of Schools)
• 1918/1922 No Blacks were shown in High School and the term Higher Branch stopped being used. ( See 3.3 Yr 1919 to 1925 Annual Reports of Superintendent of Schools) This doesn't mean higher branch classes were not offered. If the HS was less than a year, then Richmond didn't consider it a High School, regardless of what local patrons said, so it's possible that some level of Higher Branch learning did take place, including by Parkey (above).

Unlike at Lincoln or other white high schools that emerged(1), tradition holds that an accredited program for Blacks did not occur until the creation of the four year high school in 1941 called Douglass, the result of significant lobbying by the County-Wide League of Black PTA's, the NAACP and ordinary citizens. It stayed in service until integration arrived in 1968. However, a HS school for Blacks actually began in 1920 on the second floor of the Training Center.

Report of Progress for Virginia Accredited High Schools, 1940/41, implied by its title that the Training Center program was accredited that academic year, but this still being researched. (See EWP Archives 6.3.3 Yr 1940 Sept 6.  “Report of Progress for Virginia Accredited High Schools.) The same report discussed plans for a new plant, which would be Douglass.

It is useful therefore to understand that schools offering less than two years of curriculum were not considered High Schools, even if called such by their patrons. By the time Oscar Emerick became Loudoun's Superintendent in 1917, the rule was that a school offering only two years of classes was considered a third-grade high school. If it offered three years, it was a second-grade high school, and only a four-year institution could be considered a first-grade high school. Thus, the Leesburg facility was never considered a high school from 1920 to 1930, when it might have been considered third grade. If indeed accredited in 1940/41, it would have been a third-grade high school. ( see pg 168 of Buck, J.B. (1952). The Development of Public Schools in Virginia, 1607-1952. Richmond State Board of Education.)

(1) By 1929 there were nine four-year accredited high schools for whites: Aldie, Ashburn, Leesburg, Lincoln, Lovettsville, Lucketts, Round Hill, Unison-Bloomfield and Waterford. See EWP Archives 3.1 Yr 1929 Public Schools of Loudoun County.pdf.

On March 16, 1940, the NAACP informed the Superintendent that an inspection of theirs found the building to be a fire trap, citing an inaccessible fire escape and a floor under the stairs being saturated by an oil drum. See EWP Archives 2.5.A Yr 1940.  Petition by NAACP Complaining about Fire Trap).

Douglass School, (Public) 407 East Market Street is the most famous, It was established in 1941 after a long struggle led by the County-Wide League, various teachers and the NAACP, as well nearly the entire Black community across Loudoun County. 8 classrooms, a kitchen and gymnasium were added in 1951/53 at the cost of $150,000, funded by the Literary Fund. EWP Archives: 9.3.2 Yr 1919 to 1952 Construction Costs. Deed book 11 F's Folio 227.

April 8, 1941 the Board Minutes reflect: “the colored high school be named Douglass High School in memory of Frederick Douglass”.

More will be said about the school in the future. It is also the venue for the 2018 Edwin Washington Conference. See https://www.lcps.org/douglass

Sources

• African American Heritage Trail: Leesburg Virginia by the Loudoun Museum and the Black History Committee of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library.
• Inspection and Survey Report, Property of Loudoun County School Board, by Garrett Insurance Agency, Leesburg, October, 1940. Edwin Washington Archives, File 11 Insurance\1940InsurancePhotos.

Instructors at The Training Center

1917/18 to 1938/39:   Annie E.B. Harris of Leesburg.  Born 20 April 1872.  Educated in public schools, as well as Petersburg and Hampton normals. 18 years experience in 1917, according to the Superintendent's Record of Treachers' Certificates.  How her employment card indicated she had 26 years of experience, beginning in 1918/19.

1917/18: John C. Walker.  31 years of experience.  Founder of the High School Program in 1920.

1917/18:  Mary Waters of Leesburg. 18 years experience.

Petitions at the Training Center.