Loudoun County Training Center Colored

Opening and Closing

1883:  The deed for the property was obtained June 2, 1883 from John R. Beuchler and Mary V Beuchler his wife of the Town of Leesburg by School District No. 1 in Leesburg Magisterial District.   See deed books in the Circuit Court Archives of Loudoun County, Book 6T, Folio 498.  The  price was $400.

1883: July 5:   The school system placed the following ad to construct a new school building in the Loudoun Mirror.  ” Proposals to build a School House in Lesburg, Va.  Sealed proposals will be received at the Office of the Clerk of the Board of Trustees of Public Schools for Leesburg District until 12 o’clock, noon, on Wednesday, July 11, 1883, and opened immediately thereafter for building a Two-story, Three Roomed school house. Specifications, &c can be seen at said office.  The Board reserves the right to reject any of the bids, or to waive defects.  By order of Board of Trustees.  W.N. Wise, clerk of Board.

1883:  The structure was constructed in around 1883 as a two-story frame with five classrooms for primary education of African-Americans.  Source: EWP Archives: 9.3, 1940, Construction and Pop Study.  See also deed books in the Circuit Court Archives of Loudoun County, Book 6T, Folio 498.

Physical and Map Location

19 Union St NW, Leesburg, VA 20176

Petitions

(being researched) Box 2.5.B in EWP archives. (Douglass HS Building)

See section on Sanitation.

See section on Transportation

Petition Undated (Probably May, 1930) asking for a 4th teacher to the school, as well as High School and Normal School graduate as Principal.

Petition Feb 1931 Edith Harris asked Emerick and the School Board to improve the high school program at the Training Center. More resources were required.

Petition May 10, 1932 The Community League and patrons wanted to see changes in the graded departments, due to inefficiency.

Petition May 18, 1932. Request to confirm E.R. Waters and Annie E. Harries as teacher for the academic year 1932-33.

Petition June 9, 1935. Requested Miss Mammaie R. Waters as the teacher for the primary departments for the term of 1935 and 1936.

Undated Petition Requesting a change in personnel. Supported by patrons and the Community League of Leesburg, but no details were provided.

Undated petition, arguing not to purchase land adjacent to the “colored” high school and also adjacent to the Union Cemetery. Likely the reference is really to the Loudoun County Training Center. More research into the archives will required to determine the exact date. This appears to be a petition by white citizens. We do know that a Reverend Charles W. Caulkins and his wife signed. A reverend with that name in 1938 was a pastor with the Potomac River Baptist Association. (Source: Manassas Journal, Aug 18, 1938, Page 1, Col 3). The 1940 U.S. Census for Leesburg also identified him as a “white” Clergyman. In 1947, Caulkins gave the commencement address at Aldie High School, which was also white school. Others on the petition have also been identified as white. This doesn’t mean that the petition was necessarily detrimental to the “colored” population; but more research is required. Location: Folder: 2.5.A Colored Petitions, EWP Archives Loudoun County Training Center School.

History

Schools for Blacks were given number designations, in addition to their names. The same system was used for White schools except that they were given letter designations. In 1938/39, the number designation for the Training Center was #25. Source EWP: 1.7 1939 Socio Econ Study.

Draft 2014 Report to be updated. Loudoun County Training Center School

1930: June 10. $150 was authorized by the School Board for repairs to building and roof, to be done by J.B. King. Source: Loudoun Times Mirror Staff. (1930, June 12). School Board Holds Its Regular Session. Loudoun Times Mirror

1935: An addition on the western side in 1935 may have been made of wood from the old Sycoline Colored one-room school, which was closed in AY 1930/31. Sources: Douglass Alumni Association recollections, Douglass High School Fiftieth Anniversary (DHS Fiftieth recollections). Closure of the Sycoline school is found in 9.1 Yr. 1930 School Board Minutes for March 8.

Instructors

  •  1893/1894:  William H. Ash, Principal.  Offered six grades.  3 teachers on station.  129 pupils were enrolled.
  • 1894/1895:   William H. Ash, Principal. Offered six grades.  3 teachers.  135 pupils enrolled.
  • 1895/1896:   William H. Ash, Principal. Offered six grades.  3 teachers.  147 pupils enrolled.
  • 1896/1897:   William H. Ash, Principal. Offered six grades.  3 teachers.  158 pupils enrolled.
  • 1897/1898:  William H. Ash, Principal. Offered six grades.   3 teachers.  149 pupils enrolled.
  • 1898/1899: William H. Ash, Principal.  Offered six grades.   3 teachers.  97 pupils enrolled.
  • 1899/1900:   Superintendent’s annual reports did collect statistics; but column listing names was blank.  Very likely, the schools were in the same order as in prior years.  Based on that logic, the principal offered six grades.  3 teachers were on station and 92 pupils enrolled.
  • 1900/1901:  William H. Ash, Principal. Offered six grades.   3 teachers. 104 pupils enrolled.
  • 1901/1902: Walter O. Lewis, Principal. Offered six grades.  3 teachers. 119 pupils enrolled.
  • 1902/1903: Walter O. Lewis, Principal. Offered 7 grades. 3 teachers. 109 pupils enrolled.
  • 1903/1904: John C. Walker, Principal. Offered 8 grades. 3 teachers. 109 pupils enrolled.
  • 1904/1905: John C. Walker, Principal. Offered 8 grades. 3 teachers. 107 pupils enrolled.
  • 1905/1906: John C. Walker, Principal. Offered 8 grades. 3 teachers. 116 pupils enrolled.
  •  1917/1918 – 1924/1925: John C. Walker, Annie Harris and Mary E. Waters were teachers.
  •  1925/1930: Annie Harris, John C. Walker and Mary E. Waters were teachers.
  •  1930/1936: Annie Harris, Harris Edythe Biography (starts formal HS program), John C. Walker.
  •  1937/1938: Archie H. Lucas, John C. Walker, Annie Harris, Edith Harris (first name spelling varies)
  • 1938/1939: Estelle Riddick, Archie H. Lucas, Annie Harris, Edythe Harris.
  • 1939/1940: Miss Thelma Garnes, Archie Lucas, Edythe Harris, John Walker.
  • 1940/1941: George W. Liverpool, Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, Miss Edythe Harris, Miss Thelma Garnes, John C. Walker
  • 1941/1942: Miss Elsie E. Pierce, George W. Liverpool, Moses D. Knox, Mrs. Gladys Kent.

Insurance and Physical Description

Sanitation

Petition  May 9, 1951.   Edwin C. Brown, Counselor at Law, advised Mr. Emerick, Superintendent, the local branch of the NAACP and the PTA Association of Douglass Elementary School (the then name for the Training Center),  that is the sanitaton situation was not remedied, he planned to sur in Federal Court.

May 14, 1952.  Emerick responded that the situation would be remedied before schools were to be opened the next fall.  He begged patience, feeling that a federal law suit would delay progress and promised that the School Board would take up the matter on June 12th.

May 18, 1952.  Emerick memo to the School Board copying Brown's complaint about "the question of sanitary toilet facilities at Douglass Elementay School."

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