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Title
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EWP 9-1 Yr 2019 Future of the Union Street Bulding
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Tag
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Deed
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April, Larry Roeder, Edwin Washington Project, Union Street building, Colored School A, Loudoun County Training Center, Leesburg High School, African-Americans, William Horace Ash, John C. Walker
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Place
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Virginia, US
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Identifier
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1028035
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Is Version Of
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1028035_EWP_9-1_Yr_2019_Future_of_the_Union_Street_Bulding.pdf
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Is Part Of
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Deeds Schools and Construction
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Date Created
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2023-08-02
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Format
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.pdf
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Number
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b9c44ff0bbd3c5dfc6508c9c0dac75d865b15c99f9f30b982dd26ec1583c60f3
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Source
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/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP_Files/source/Ingest One/9 Deeds Schools and Construction/9-1 Deeds/9-1 Leesburg Colored/EWP_9-1_Yr_2019_Future_of_the_Union_Street_Bulding.pdf
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Publisher
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Digitized by: Edwin Washington Project
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Rights
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Loudoun County Public Schools
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Language
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English
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Replaces
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/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP_Files/source/Ingest One/9 Deeds Schools and Construction/9-1 Deeds/9-1 Leesburg Colored/EWP_9-1_Yr_2019_Future_of_the_Union_Street_Bulding.pdf
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extracted text
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THE EDWIN WASHINGTON PROJECT
26128 Talamore Drive, South Riding, Va. 20152
4/22/2019
Dear Phyllis,
It was wonderful seeing you Friday when my team won the group award as the best in
Loudoun County. All thirty-five volunteers are very proud of that achievement. As you
know, the Edwin Washington Project is dedicated to memorializing and understanding
the efforts African-Americans made during segregation to gain an education. So, I’m
very glad to hear of your intent is to preserve the Union Street building, sometimes
called Colored School A, Loudoun County Training Center and Leesburg High School.
Though we believe that this historic building should remain the property of the people of
Loudoun, not that of any one non-profit, we propose that a coalition be assembled to
advise you on reconstruction, long-term preservation and use. Perhaps you might call it
the County-Wide League in remembrance of the body of the same name created over
80 years ago to improve Black education. Other partners might be the Loudoun
Museum and the Black History Committee of the Friends of the Balch Library, as well as
Black churches from around the county, e.g. Pastor Michelle’s church and Prosperity
Baptist in Conklin. Our hope is that Edwin Washington volunteers might also be part of
that consultative process. We are a 501©(3) and a member of the Country Schools
Association of America, an alliance of scholars interested in preserving such buildings,
so we could be of value raising funds and expertise, as well as volunteer support.
We are developing several books on Loudoun’s segregated education. You probably
have a complete brief on the building’s history; but to help in Tab A, I’ve listed a few
bits. There is much else to say about the building, made remarkable because of its
people. which strongly argue for its preservation and reconstruction. It’s very fragile, as
we learned from various visits, and needs serious, professional help. That will surely will
cost hundreds of thousands of dollars unless labor and material are donated.
You probably have a complete brief on the building’s history; but to help I’ve listed a few
bits in Tab A. There is much else to say about the building, made remarkable because
of its people. I’d just like to end by again reiterating that my team, some of whom are
former students, has also learned to love the structure and its history. We therefore
request that we be permitted to assist you in determining its future.
Warm regards,
Larry Roeder, MLS
Principal Investigator
The Edwin Washington Project
www.edwinwashingtonproject.org
TAB A: Relevant Facts on the Union Street African-American School
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The land deed was obtained for $400 on June 2, 1883 from John R. and Mary V Beuchler
of the Town of Leesburg by School District No. 1. See deed books in the Circuit Court
Archives of Loudoun County, Book 6T, Folio 498.
On July 5 the school system placed an ad to construct “a … Two-story, Three Roomed
school house. … By order of Board of Trustees. W.N. Wise, clerk of Board.” This became
the largest school for African-Americans in Loudoun, at the time.
One of the early principals was William Horace Ash, a remarkable man who represented
Amelia and Nottoway counties in the House of Delegates during the 1887-1888 session.
Known as Horace, he was born into slavery in Loudoun, found freedom and an education
outside of our county, then made a career of improving how Blacks were educated. Ash
was Principal from 1893 (perhaps earlier) to 1901.
Another principal was the equally remarkable John C. Walker. When retired in 1941, he
had served for over half a century as an underpaid but essential and greatly loved leader.
We have conducted an extensive study of access by African-Americans to some level of
high school training before 1941. Limited access to what then was called “higher branch
learning” was provided in various one-room schools, going back to reconstruction; but the
largest concentration appears to have been at the Training Center, probably back to 1908,
likely under Mr. Walker. Walker also built a modest high school level curriculum in the
1920’s. Some of his graduates then went on to teach in the one-room schools.
In 1930 under the leadership of Edythe Harris, a true high school was created on the
second floor, which evolved from a one-year program to four years by 1941. French was
offered and science classes, the later thanks to the donation of supplies by local Black
families. Elementary school was on the first floor. The year before Douglass was created,
the program was accredited.
Colored Teacher Association meetings took place at the turn of the 20th Century, led by
Walker in one-room schools around the county in organize efforts towards better quality
teaching.
Between 1908 and about 1924, the largest social event in many Virginia counties was the
School Fair; they began in 1910 in Loudoun as whites-only events, attracting over 1000
students, plus teachers and onlookers from around the region to see exhibitions in growing
corn and tomatoes, as well as contests in spelling, speech and other academic and
industrial education skills. Walker built a coalition of remarkable teachers and led a
Colored School Fair at the Training Center in October 1921, a first for African-Americans.
The flag that once flew from the second floor was a gift by the Hamilton Colored School, in
recognition of the heroic efforts by its educators and the determination of the students to
learn.
The small circa 1935 addition on the west side was probably made of wood from the former
Sycoline Colored School.