2.3 School Trustee Electoral Board
Background on 2.3 School Trustee Electoral Board
There was an intimate overlap between the activities of the School Trustee Electoral Board and the School Board, as well as the Superintendent (who was clerk for the Trustees Board). The School Trustee Electoral Board met in the School Board office and the records of the two bodies were interwoven. However, because these really are two different organizations, we decided to place School Board Records in Section 2.2 and The School Trustee Electoral Board records in 2.3. That will ease the effort to search for their relative actions. Keep in mind, however, that some records in one section will refer to the other body.[1]
[1] See 3.3 Annual School Reports, 1926 to 1937 for names of Trustee Electoral Board and their appointment dates.
Also within the files were memoranda on the legal authority of the Schools Board and the School Trustee Electoral Board. We have placed those files in 2.11.
School Trustee Electoral Boards for each county were established by law on January 11, 1877 and initially consisted of the County Superintendent, Commonwealth’s Attorney and the County Judge. The Board had the job of hiring District level school trustees and then after the public school system evolved into a county or division consolidation, they elected the members of the county school board[1]. By 1918, the board consisted of the County School Superintendent, Commonwealth’s Attorney and a citizen appointed by the Court. Its duties were to appoint school trustees for each district and hear cases appealed from the local board of trustees. Interestingly Educational Commission of Virginia of 1927 recommended abolishing the Trustee Electoral Boards as then configured, replacing them with elected school trustees, and that appeals from the school Boards should thereafter go to the State Board of Education.
In his address to the General Assembly on January 16, 1928, Governor Harry Flood Byrd agreed with most of the recommendations and expressed doubts as well about the non-democratic practice of an appointed electoral board appointing school board members. He preferred a single board elected by the people to discharge duties of both the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. Byrd then proposed the General Assembly in 1930 pass legislation permitting elective school boards.
[1] Editorial Note: Define precise dates and legislative mandates,
Editorial Note: Under Statute Section 653, perhaps by 1926 or 1928 (to be determined by research[1]), the Board consisted of three resident qualified voters, who are not county or state officers, to be appointed by the circuit court of each county, or the Judge thereof in vacation within thirty days after the first day of July, 1930 and every four years thereafter[2].” They then appointed the School Board, which also handled vacancies[3].
[1] See 1926 dispute between Lincoln-Purcellville in white petitions, which may explain this.
[2] See 2.3 Aug 14, 1951: School Trustee Electoral Board hearing on the eligibility of James Ashton to represent Mercer. At the time of appointment in June, 1949, Ashton was a Justice of the Peace
[3] See Code of Virginia (1928, p 1186; 1930 p. 878; 1932, p 124 and 1936 p 497). See also 2.11 Virginia School Laws and Regulations dated 1936 because that is the last reference in the memo; but the memo itself has no authoring date.
Documents in 2.3 Trustee Electoral Board
2.3 Memo from Emerick of 2/2/52 to Loudoun News re bill for advertisement for Trustee Electoral Board.[1]
See also Records of School Trustee Electoral Board, 1908-1957, Misc Court Records, School Box 2, Archives of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County[2]. Those records cover appointments to the School Trustee Electoral Board for the years 1908-1943; but do not include 1913-1924, 1928, 1931-33, 1935, 1940-41.
Eventually (date to be determined) appointments were made by the Board of Supervisors, but then in 1994, a referendum switched the county from appointed to elected School Board Members. The election took place in November, 1995, with the first elected Board assuming office January 1, 1996. It would appear that they were appointed by the Circuit Court at one point, so we need to research all of this, get the dates, mandates, etc. straightened out.
In the archives (2.2) records covering specific actions of the School Trustee Electoral Board are:
July, 1921. Resignation of J.R. Hutchison as Trustee for Broad Run District was accepted. First elected in 1896 by Town Council of Leesburg. Once clerk of the County School Board and Clerk of the Broad Run School District. Mr. E.I. Norman was elected to replace him
Oct 21, 1936: Message from Superintendent of the Bath County Schools to Oscar Emerick regarding what constituted the power of the Trustee Electoral Board to appoint and when they could not.
1936-1937: J.H. Purcell asked for court intervention because the appointment of a school trustee had not happened within the prescribed time[3]. This was William Groom, who died February 11, 1936, thus creating a vacancy.
June 15, 1940: List of appointments to the School Board, four year terms beginning July 1, 1940.
1940: Attorney General Declares Arlington School Post Filled Too late. Undated newspaper clipping.
July 8, 1942: Memorandum by Judge J.R.H. Alexander that vacancies must be made within thirty days. He also listed incumbents.
January 25, 1943: Emerick wrote that Howard Armfield didn’t want to serve on the School Board but felt that Dr. R.L. Booth of Middleburg was a good choice.
February 25, 1943: Approval of School Trustee Electoral Board meeting for March 12, 1943.
[1] 2.3 Memo by Emerick 2/2/1952.
[2] Note: Represent Districts on School Board. See Archives of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, School Box 2, (1850-1959), See also Folder 6: School Trustee Board. Records between 1909-1955.
[3][3] Virginia Code 653 which directed an appointment be made within thirty days after a vacancy occurred.
March 3, 1943: School Trustee Electoral Board to meet March 12, 1943, to fill unexpired term of Mercer District.
March 3, 1943: Suggestion by Emerick to P.J. Coleman that he resign from the School Board due to lack of attendance so that School Trustee Electoral Board on March 12 can appoint a replacement.
March 4, 1943: P.J. Coleman resigns from School Board and asked that letter be presented to School Trustee Electoral Board.
March 11, 1943: Notice to Dr. R. L. Booth of Middleburg that he was elected as Trustee for Mercer for unexpired term to end June 30, 1944. There is a reminder that to qualify, Booth must take oath of office before Clerk of the Court.
1943: Emerick memo stating resignations of Augustus Zerega for Mercer and of P.J. Coleman for Broad run had been accepted. Booth was accepted for Mercer.
Aug 6, 1943: Emerick asked John M. Douglas to sign letters calling for meeting of School Trustee Electoral Board
May 10, 1943: School Trustee Electoral Board reported it would meet May 10, 1944 to appoint Trustees for each of the school districts for terms of office, starting July 1, 1944.
May, 1946: School Trustee Electoral Board announced it would meet on June 7, 1946 to elect school trustees for Leesburg and Town of Leesburg school districts for terms beginning July 1, 1946.
May 1947: School Trustee Electoral Board notified the public it would meet June 11, 1947 to appoint trustees for Broad Run and Lovettsville, for terms beginning July 1, 1947.
June 1, 1948: School Trustee Electoral Board notified it would meet June 21, 1948 to appoint Trustees for Jefferson and Mercer for terms beginning July 1, 1948.
June 14, 1949: School Trustee Electoral Board announced it would meet June 28, 1949 to appoint School Board members for Mt. Gilead, Broad run, Town of Leesburg and Mercer.
Aug 11, 1950: Confusion in Lovettsville. Mr. Parson Hickman resigned, but no acceptable candidate living in the area had been presented. That last point was written to Mr. Lloyd.A. Womeldorph, so perhaps he was a prospective candidate. Womeldorph died two years later of a heart attack
June 12, 1950: School Trustee Electoral Board notified it would meet June 29, 1951 to appoint trustees for Broad Run and Lovettsville Districts for the regular term starting July 1, 1951.
Aug 14, 1951: School Trustee Electoral Board was to meet Aug 31, 1951 to discuss eligibility of James Ashton to represent Mercer. The issue was that at the time of appointment in June, 1949, Ashton was a Justice of the Peace, so perhaps his election was illegal. He also resigned as a Justice of the Peace on Aug 6, 1951. Despite all of that, they decided to reappoint him for Mercer for the unexpired term ending June 30, 1952. There are notes on common law as it applies to the case.
Dec 10, 1951. Notified to meet on Jan 4, 1952 to consider resignation of Ben Middleton of Broad Run and to appoint a successor.
Apr 15, 1952: Appointment of Mt. Gilead trustee for term ending June 30, 1953.
Aug 1, 1952: Notice to Shirley Myers of Leesburg that she was appointed trustee for Leesburg.
Dec 5, 1952: Discussion over pay for time by a member of the School Trustee Electoral Board.
May 16, 1953: Appointment of Mt. Gilead District Trustee.
May 24, 1954. Shirley Myers reappointed for Leesburg.
Feb 16, 1955: James E. Arnold resigned from School Board for Lovettsville. Emerick wrote to the School Trustee Electoral Board that they might not wish to meet to accept “until after proper notice is given and a meeting arranged for appointment of his successor. The regular appointments for Broad Run and Lovettsville districts are to be made within 60 days before July 1, 1955, that is in May or June.” This is interesting, as it indicates a member could not resign before certain dates.
Mar 15, 1955: Shirley Myers resigned for Leesburg.
April 2, 1955: Agenda with handwritten notes for meeting. Also notice of March 15, 1955 that Board would meet on that day to appoint Trustees for Lovettsville and Leesburg. In addition, letter from R.K. Green commending Yeager Gum for consideration as a member of School Board. A biography is provided. One of his qualifications was “a fine Christian gentleman.” Question. Were non-Christians ever considered or did they even apply? Also in file is a letter to Ms. Frieda Johnson of Lovettsville notifying her that she was chosen to be on the School Board. A similar letter was in the file for Yeager Gum.
June 17, 1955: Notice that School Trustee Electoral Board will meet on June 17, 1955 to appoint trustees for Broad Run and Lovettsville. Fern Marshall was elected to represent Broad Run and Frieda Johnson was elected to represent Lovettsville.
May 19, 1956: Purpose was to appoint trustee for Jefferson District and one for Mercer.
Oct 15, 1955: Thickest file in group. Meeting was to consider resignation of J. Terry Hirst as trustee for Mt. Gilead and to consider a replacement. Enclosed are clippings on this from the Herald and the Times Mirror. Enclosed are clippings on this from the Herald and the Times Mirror giving names of those endorsing Mrs. Helen Hirst for Mt. Gilead and announcing the resignation of JT Hirst. A letter notifies Helen Hirst Marsh that she was elected to represent Mt. Gilead. She responded with a formal letter from her home in Purcellville that she fulfilled the qualification requirements.
May 24, 1967. School Trustee Electoral Board to appoint School Board Members for Broad Run and Lovettsville.
Folder for 1966 School Trustee Electoral Board
Folder for 1967 School Trustee Electoral Board