References to religion
Loudoun Times Mirror, September 7, 1939
Nearly 4000 students entered the public
school system of Loudoun in the fall of 1939,
of which 3,500 were white and 500 AfricanAmerican, then called colored.
There were also 111 white teachers.
Religion played an important role in rural life,
and this was reflected in the public school
system, despite the separate of church and
state. As an example, preceding the opening
of school, the Reverend J.S. Montgomery led
devotion on September 6th.
Without Character, Education useless
Hutton Stresses, Loudoun Times Mirror,
September 7, 1939, Second Section, Pg 1
The September 7th issue allowed several
high school principals to address the
public, Artley Hutton of Lincoln High, L. A.
Womeldorph of Lovettsville High and J.
Lupton Simpson of Ashburn High.
One of the more interesting concepts to
emerge was Hutton’s strong call for
Christian values, indicating that education
pivoted around them.
Religion wasn’t the only topic in September.
Womeldorph’s article had
an especially interesting
observation, that too many
children were dropping out
of school once they
reached the compulsory
age limit, apparently
because of indifference by
the parents.
Oscar Emerick Article, Sept 7,
1939, Loudoun Times Mirror, pg
1, Second Section.
This issue held several articles on the schools, as it was
opening week. Most of the article by Oscar Emerick is a
practical call for matching education to the times, especially
relevant since the world was marching to global war.
Emerick recognized that the “main function of the schools is
generally conceded to be the intellectual development of our
youth,” but he then went on to say “However, we must
recognize that there is the opportunity for every teacher to
exert a powerful influence on the spiritual and moral growth
of her pupils. The good teacher does not neglect this
opportunity.
It’s clear from this and other documents in the files that
religion and spirituality were important concepts in the public
schools.