Sycoline Colored

Sycoline Colored School, Leesburg District

Edited 8/23/2023

 

Opening and Closing

 

Unclear as to opening; but at least as far back as 1894.  School was closed in 1930/31. Source EWP Archives 6.6 Sycoline C Grades 1 to 7 Yr 1917 to 1931

Physical Location 

Petitions

Transportation

History

May 18, 1920: Received $40 in library supplies. Source: 2.4.2District Accounts and Census Returns for 1882-1921, pg 440.

  • Apparently in 1930 there was talk of constructing another school for “colored children” at Sycoline; but the School Board took no action on the request during their October meeting. Sources: Loudoun Times Mirror Staff. (1930, Oct 16). School Board Votes $600 for Sanitation. Loudoun Times Mirror. Staff. (1930, Oct 18). Loudoun Reports School Increases. Washington Post, p. 22.
  • Note: At the Black History Meeting of 9/8/2018 Jim Roberts, a former staff member who supported the heating of the Loudoun County Training Center indicated that the addition was the former Sycoline Colored School. This story is also reflected in Loudoun Discovered by Eugene Scheel, Vol II, pg 85.
  • Note: There was also a white Sycoline school in the Leesburg District, which on May 5, 1928 won a Virginia Flag for having the highest percentage of five-pint children in that district. Source: 7.3.1  Yr 1928: Broad Run Gala.

Instructors

 

  • 1894/97: Mr. Callor B. Norris of Sycoline instructed at Sycoline on a Third Grade Certificate. Judging by 1900 Census, Norris as born in Virginia in August, 1857, perhaps in servitude, and in 1900 was working and living in New Port, Rhode Island. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1895 Colored A Census of Colored Teachers 1894/95 – Done Dec 10, 1894). Also (1896 Colored Combined Census of Colored Teachers 1895/96 – Done Dec 15, 1895), also (1897 Colored Combined Census of Colored Teachers 1896-97 – Done Dec 15, 1896), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education.
  • 1899/1901 C.B. Norris. Source EWP Archives 4.5 List of Teachers Contracted, 1899-1929.
  • 1917/23 – Mary B. Norris. Had 13 years of experience. Lived in Leesburg. In 1921, age was 40.  Studied at Petersburg in 1900 and may have graduated. Source. 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates – 1914-1945. See also 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930
  • 1923/24 – Miss Dorothy Thomas. Had 1 year of experience.  Lived in Leesburg. Attended Normal School in North Carolina.   Source. 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates – 1914-1945.
  • 1924/25 – 1925/26. Fannie F. Parkey. Lived in Leesburg. In 1924 was age 21.  She had attended but had not graduated from Leesburg High School, nor had graduated from college; but had attended Petersburg. Had 1 year of teaching experience. Source. EWP Archives 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates – 1914-1945 and 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930. See also 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930. The Leesburg note is interested. Most scholarship so far has indicated that unaccredited high school training for Blacks did not start in Leesburg until 1920 under John C. Walker at the second floor of the Training Center.
  • 1926/27. Augusta A. Arnold. Lived in Alta-Vista. 24 years of age in 1926. Had 8 years of experience. Attended Petersburg and St. Paul Normal Industrial Institute. Source. 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates – 1914-1945 and Source: 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930
  • 1927/28. Edna L. Moton. Lived in Leesburg. Age 19 in 1927/28. Had 2 years of experience. Had not graduated from High School but did attend Petersburg. Source. 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates – 1914-1945 and  Source: 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930.
  • 1928/29.  Miss Josephine Wheeler, Born, 1920. graduated from Dunbar HS in Washington, DC. Had one year of experience. Source. EWP Archives 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates – 1914-1945 and 4.5 Colored Teacher Cards
  • 1929/30.  Miss Helen Daly. Lived in Frederick, Maryland. 25 years old in 1929.  Had 1 year of experience.  Graduated from High school and Storer College, West Virginia. Source. 4.4 Superintendent’s Record of Teacher’s Certificates EWP Archives 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930.
  • 1930/31 – Closed

Insurance and Physical Description

1924/27: Insured as a “colored” school by LCPS system for 1924/27 in the Leesburg District. See page 6/7 in EWP Archives, 11 Insurance Record 1924-1957.

Structure1 room pine wood school house on 1 acre of land. In 1924 held 12 desks and sat 25 students. Poor state of repair. Heated by a stove. Toilets were in fair condition. School day consisted of six hours. Windows were used for ventilation. There was an American Flag on the school house. Source: EWP Archives 6.3.3 Sycoline 1921 to 1930

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