Waterford Colored

Waterford, 2nd Street Colored School

See also Paeonian Springs. See also Waterford Industrial School in history section.

Opening and Closing

Opened: 2nd street was built in 1867 or 1868 for $350.  Closed: 1957

Physical and Map Location

15611 2nd St, Waterford, VA 20197

During segregation was in the Jefferson School District

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/admin/item/31281 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

See also Waterford Foundation program.  Also known as School A in the Jefferson District.

See also history page by Waterford

A copy of the school register for 1904-06 is in the Balch Library. The original is owned by John Middleton of Ashburn, a former student,

  • 1867 is proposed as the construction date in Waterford's Second Street School in a History from the Balch Library. 1868 was proposed in a different source, which confirmed it was constructed at a cost of $350. Source: Report of Survey Committee on Long Range Planning for Loudoun County, Jan, 1940.  Location: EWS folder 2.2 County School Board, 1918-1952.  Conflicting dates often pop up as 1867 was also proposed in an article “Public Schools Open For Blacks,” by noted Waterford-based historian Eugene Scheel in 1,000 Years of Loudoun, the Washington Post. The printing was supported by the Loudoun County Millennium Commission, Dec 1999.
  • In 1938/39, the number designation for Water Colored was #15. Source EWP 1.7 1939 Socio Econ Study.
  • Closed 1957, making it the last one-room schoolhouse for blacks.
  • Waterford Industrial School/Odd Fellows Hall. This research is courtesy of the Waterford Foundation. “The residence (15603 Second Street) to the right of the Second Street School was built originally as a hall for Waterford's African-American Lodge No, 2631 of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization. It was erected in 1893 without interior partitions on either floor. The entry door opened on the street, rather than the side as it now does. By 1899 the lodge faced financial difficulties: Quakers Martha and Ann Sidwell, paid the debt and assumed ownership. In 1904 the building was serving as an “industrial” school for black students. Children from the Second Street School, next door, learned vocational skills such as housekeeping from 1909-1912. The Sidwell sisters themselves probably did the teaching.”

Instructors

  • 1867 or 68: Likely Sarah Steer, a local figure who was also a founder of the Waterford News, a Civil War era pro-union newspaper.
  • 1892/93: John C. Walker was a colored instructor at Waterford. His home was in Leesburg and he operated on a 3rd grade certificate. Source: Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975 (1893Conklin Census of Colored Teachers for the School Year closing July 31, 1893), Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education
  • 1893/94. John C. Walker continued to instruct at Waterford 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. Walker, from Leesburg continued to instruct on a third grade certificate. 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. Walker was still instructing at Waterford on a 3rd grade permit. 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:
  • 1896/97: Mr. Walker continued to instruct 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.
  • 1904/05   William B. Minor
  • 1905/06   Letitia A. Burrell
  • 1917/18:  Nellie Coates. Born 15 Nov, 1889.  Elementary school education.  3 years of experience.   Salary was $35 a month.
  • 1930/31: Esther Randolph was appointed as the colored teacher for Waterford in July, 1930 by the School Board. For her services, Randolph was paid $65 a month. She also had 40 years of experience. Sources: Loudoun Times Mirror Staff. (1930, July 10). School Board Holds Its Regular Session. Loudoun Times Mirror. See also Virginia Department of Public Instruction. (1892-1975). Virginia Dept. of Education, Lists of Teachers, 1892-1975. Richmond, Virginia, USA: Virginia Department of Public Instruction/Education. See 1930-1931 Conklin. July, 1932, Patrons of Waterford petitioned to have Ms. Randolph removed, due to problems of ineffectiveness and severe discipline (Source: Petition of July 6, 1932. See EWP Petition Box).
  • 1942/43: Christine Scott was instructor. Source: Loudoun Times Mirror, Times Staff, School Board (from page 1), pg 2 showed colored teachers. April 16, 1942.  Scott had also been an instructor at Conklin Colored School for 1940/41 and 1941/42.
  • 1944/45- 1957/58   Violet Eva Arter. Born 2 July 1903.  Graduated from Storer College.

Insurance and Physical Description

One room schoolhouse.

1929 Insured by LCPS system in 1929 for three years. Source: LCPS Staff. (1924-1936). Insurance Record. (Found in Box 11, EWP Archives. Page 3/4

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