Douglass Elementary Colored

Edited: 8/18/2023

Opening and Closing

The first Douglass Elementary School was incorporated in the Training Center, also known as Colored School A in Leesburg on Union Street. The second one was started in 1957 on the old Elgin property in Leesburg, where it served until Segregation in 1968. This was replaced in 2012 by a third Frederick Douglass Elementary School.

Physical and Map Location

The Training Center is at 19 Union St NW, Leesburg, VA 20176.

The second address was 510 Principal Drummond Way SE, Leesburg, VA 20175.   

This sire was also at 510 Principal Drummond Way SE, Leesburg, VA 20175

Petitions

  • 1930 Petition asked that “in appointing a fourth teacher in the Leesburg Colored public school; that your board will kindly appoint a High School and Normal school graduate, to fill the position of Principal in our public school. Hoping that our request may receive your most favorable consideration.” Signed by 32 patrons and “tax payers.” O.L. Emerick, Superintendent, replied in a positive way on May 14, 1930 “Your request by yourself and others that in appointing the fourth teacher of Leesburg we select a high school and normal school graduate has been received. I desire to say that it has been my plan to recommend a teacher with those qualifications or higher to our board and assign her to do work above the seventh grade in the school. ” Location: LCPS Archives, petition folder. Leesburg 1930 Petition for Teacher.
  • Undated Petition from Leesburg asking for a change “in the personnel of graded teachers in our colored public school.” Signed by 39 patrons and members of the Community League of Leesburg. Undated Leesburg Petition Location: LCPS Archives, Petition Folder.
  • Petition of May 10, 1932. A petition from the Community League and patrons of the school asking for changes. Petition May 10th, 1932 Leesburg Location LCPS Archives. Petition Folder.
  • Joint petitions of May 16 and May 18, 1932 from the “citizens, patrons and friends” of the Leesburg Colored School asked that Miss Mary E. R. Waters and Miss Annie E. Harris remain as teachers for the term of 1932-33.  What is interesting about this petition is that it was signed by both white citizens and “colored”. The first page notes this, “White citizens 6 and colored patrons 80. ”Leesburg 1932 Petition Location” LCPS Archives, petition folder.
  • The white supporters were:
    • Charles Fauntleroy Harrison, Mayor of Leesburg. Harrison served two terms as mayor—from 1913 to 1917 and again from 1923 to 1934. Harrison would later play an important role regarding Douglass High School.
    • JRH Alexander was known as Peck, the Circuit Court Judge who presided over the 1933 Crawford murder trial.
    • H.C. Littlejohn, who was a pharmacist in Leesburg.
    • A.B. Richard, who was the county treasurer
    • William Steadman
    • Louise P. King (L.M. Nurse)
  • The joint petition of 1932 is a reminder that the struggle for proper education for Blacks was a biracial effort, something the Superintendent for public education complained about once regarding the Conklin Colored School. His retort in 1941 to the State Board of Education in that matter was We do not haul white and colored children in the same bus and we haven't thought of allowing both races to attend the same school. These two things are what really are in the minds of the colored people and their white friends who are agitating this question the most. Conklin Petition 1941 (location LCPS Archives, Petitions Folder).
  • June 9, 1935. Petition to retain Mamie R. Waters for the 1935/36 academic year. Source: LCPS Archives, Petitions Folder Leesburg Petition for Mamie Waters. Note. Ms. Waters was born about 1873, Source U.S. Census for 1920 and 1930 for Leesburg.
  • In my opinion, the 1941 reference by the Superintendent implies quite wrongly that the Black population would not have stood up themselves, absent white agitators, which is a false argument we also heard when the government of Virginia under the political leadership of Senator Byrd, pushed back on the Supreme Court's decision to strike down segregation. There is a difference however between 1941 and 1932. While it is fair to say that the white voters in 1932 supported the “colored” community in this particular instance, it is also important to note that the petition wasn't a request to change the social structure, so it likely can't be placed into a civil rights context.
  • By 1952, Loudoun County Public Schools began looking at designs for a new Douglass Elementary to replace the Training Center site. The location ended up on 9.5 acres of land that used to be owned by Arthur T. Elgin, Jr., John Allen Johnson and Harry I. Tiffany.
  • In 1955/56, the President of the PTA was Mrs. Rachel Jackson, Leesburg Source: 4.9 Yr 1955/56 PTA Presidents.
  • On July 23, 1956 the Douglass Elementary PTA adopted a resolution approving School Board plans for the new school, construction of which began in 1957.9.3.2 Yr 1957 Douglass Elementary Construction edwinwashingtonproject.org/wp-content/uploads/9.3.2DouglassElementary/9.3.2-Yr-1956-Douglass-Elementary-PTA-Approval.pdf

Transportation

History

Instructors (more to be added)

  • 1892/93: John C. Walker, from Waterford. Grade of Certificate 3rd.  Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1893 Colored A Census of Colored Teachers for the School Year closing July 31, 1893), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.1893/94: William H. Ash and Mrs. Sallie B. Ash from Leesburg. Grade of Certificate 2nd.  Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 ( 1893 1894 Colored Reel 4418 Census of Colored Teachers 1893/94 – March 30, 1894), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1893/94: Ms. Annie Harris of Leesburg of Leesburg instructed on a third grade certificate. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1893 1894 Colored Reel 4418 Census of Colored Teachers 1893/94 – March 30, 1894), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1893/94: Ms. Martha R. Miller of Burkeville, VA instructed at Leesburg on a third grade certificate. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1893 1894 Colored Reel 4418 Census of Colored Teachers 1893/94 – March 30, 1894), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1894/95: Mr. William Ash of Leesburg instructed on a Second Grade Certificate, as did Miss A.E.B. Harris. Mrs. S.B. Ash instructed on a Third Grade Certificate the same year. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1895 Colored A Census of Colored Teachers 1894/95 – Done Dec 10, 1894), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1895/96: Mr. William Ash (see biography above) and Mrs. Sallie B. Ash continued as colored instructors at Leesburg on Second Grade Certificates. Ms. Mary E. Waters instructed on a Third Grade certificate. All were from Leesburg as well. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1896 Colored Combined Census of Colored Teachers 1895/96 – Done Dec 15, 1895), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1896/97: Mr. William Ash and his wife Mrs. Sallie B Ash continued to instruct, he with a 2nd Grade permit and she with a 3rd grade permit. Both were identified as from Burke, Nottoway County. Joining them was Ms Mary E. Waters of Leesburg, who instructed on a 3rd grade certificate. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1897 Colored Combined Census of Colored Teachers 1896-97 – Done Dec 15, 1896), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1895/96: Mr. William Ash (see biography above) and Mrs. Sallie B. Ash continued as colored instructors at Leesburg on Second Grade Certificates. Ms. Mary E. Waters instructed on a Third Grade certificate. All were from Leesburg as well. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1896 Colored Combined Census of Colored Teachers 1895/96 – Done Dec 15, 1895), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1896/97: Mr. William Ash and his wife Mrs. Sallie B Ash continued to instruct, he with a 2nd Grade permit and she with a 3rd grade permit. Both were identified as from Burke, Nottoway County. Joining them was Ms. Mary E. Waters of Leesburg, who instructed on a 3rd grade certificate. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1897 Colored Combined Census of Colored Teachers 1896-97 – Done Dec 15, 1896), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.

Principals

1956/58:   Hennetta G. Ellis (30 March, 1907 - 2 Aug 1976).  Instructor 1958-1969.

Insurance and Physical Description

1928.  Insured for three years by LCPS for $1500. Insurance Record. Purcellville: LCPS, pp 36/37.

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