McGraw’s Ridge White
Additional Information since the 2014 study.
Opening Closing
1889-1939/40. Building was sold on 22 July 1939 to Roger Crosen for $76. Source: EWP 8.1 Loudoun County School Budget for Fiscal Year starting July 1, 1940, Pg 15a. Students were transferred to Arcola.
Physical and Map Location
My impression is that the school was constructed on the west side of Gum Spring at the junction of Buckner Road and Gum Spring (Route 659) on the south side of the junction, north of Fairview Church and south of Braddock. Buckner Road appears to be today’s Lennox Hale Road.
Petitions
Transportation
Walking was a common method of school transportation even before the creation of Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS). It’s believed that students who lived within 3 miles of a school could walk from their home to school. The figure at https://edwinwashingtonproject.org/s/ewp/item/31215 shows the location of the school with a circle representing the area from which students could have walked, back and forth from their home to the school. Travel by horse was also used and could have extended the travel distance.
History
Significant history in vertical files of Edwin Washington Society, Douglass HS Building, Leesburg. See history by Larry Roeder, December, 2014 in attached pdf. History of McGraw’s Ridge. McGraw’s Ridge serviced white students from the Conklin community as well as Arcola.
AY 1915/16: February, 1916, school was reported to be over-crowded, there being 43 on the roll. “Attendance very good owing to condition of roads. There are enough pupils for two rooms the size of our present school room, a shame to have so many children crowded in one little room and only one teacher to do the work.” Source: Loudoun Mirror, Feb 11, 1916 ‘McGraw’s Ridge Items.”
AY 1926/27: Sported a library of 138 volumes. The school also seemed to cater to families of modest means. Based on an examination of the 1923 Oscar Emerick map and a later mapping exercise by Eugene Scheel, as well as examination of maps
in the Loudoun County government HQ, my impression is that the school was constructed on the west side of Gum Spring at the junction of Buckner Road and Gum Spring (Route 659) on the south side of the junction, north of Fairview Church and south of Braddock. Buckner Road appears to be today’s Lennox Hale Road, and it’s a good example of what happens to history with development. The ridge is very nearly gone, carved away for a fresh development called
Virginia Manor. Very tidy, attractive HOA, but bearing no resemblance to the past.
1939: in January, 1939 Frank Byrne had small pox, but was back in school by January 20. The PTA met on the 20th as well, but due to bad weather and roads, attendance was modest. The president was Mr. Allison.
The school was authorized to purchase a first aid kit and mart materials. Plans were also made to have a minstrel sometime in February. In addition, it was revealed that the students were enjoying hot lunches. Source: Blue Ridge Herald, 1/26/1939 Pg 5 “McGraw’s Ridge School.”
1939/40: School was closed and student hauled to Arcola.
Instructors
- 1918/20: Miss Mattie S. Matthew
- 1920/21: Miss Alice Pangle.
- 1921/23: Miss Creola M. Daniel of Arcola Born 1901. Had three years of high school and a year of teacher training.
- 1923/25: Miss Mattie .S. Matthew (real name Martha Susan Mathew). Also in 1915/16 taught at Conklin, a "Colored" school. Very unusual for a white teacher to instruct at a colored school.
- 1925/26: Charles Costello
- UNK: Mr. Kidwell. Source. 2014 Reunion brochure, Arcola Elementary School.
Insurance and Physical Description
Built as a one room frame school house in 1889 for the cost of $400.