Edwin Washington Project

The Visiting Teacher program began on a state-wide basis in Virginia in 1945 to reduce truancy and further democratic values, even for students with difficulties. These were teachers with social work training, who in 1955 had to possess the highest form of Virginia Teacher’s certificate, then Collegiate Professional (Graham 1954, March 19)

• Visiting Teacher 1944-1957:  Mrs. Alice L. Cady of Hamilton, Va.[1]
• Records cover Visiting Teacher Report Forms, 1950, 1955-56, invitations to white and Negro conferences in 1953.
• September 25, 1953. Memo on how a Visiting teacher can help. Filed in 4.1 Circulars to Teachers/Principals, 1947-54. 

Visiting teachers traveled a great deal and had to deal with the Sheriff and the courts.  In a report by Alice Cady in 1945, she indicated that her role was to reduce absenteeism by helping students suffering from:

• Poorly educated parents or parents of low mentality.
• Indifference
• Failure of parents to understand children
• Cruel treatment by parents
• Family row
• Divorce
• Both parents working and seldom at home.
• Very poor homes and lack of clothing.
• Undernourished families
• Illness
• Children needed at home to carry on work,
• Deserted children.

To coordinate their work, discuss funding needs, etc., the Visiting Teachers of Northern Virginia met monthly, apparently at a coffee shop in Manassas.[1]  Cady was Chair of the group in 1950.