The Manassas Industrial School
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Jennie Dean Memorial

The Manassas Industrial School, also, Jennie Dean Memorial. . , The point of the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth, as stated in its Chartered, was "ultimately and primarily to improve the moral and intellectual condition of the youth placed under its care and influence." This was accomplished not only by academic and trade courses, but by extracurricular activities as well. The Glee Club, theatrical groups, and other organizations encouraged social interaction. Sports included football, basketball, and track, among others. The range of activities, coupled with the residential nature of the campus, contributed to a sense of community that was not unlike that of a small college., In 44 years as a private institution, and later as a regional high school for blacks, the school founded by Jennie Dean sought to realize for her dream. Over 6,500 African-American men and women received education and training here, making life better and more productive for themselves and their descendants. The current public school named for Miss Dean (opened in 1960) has educated students at the high, middle, and elementary levels. From the 1890s to the present day, this site has been associated with education and with fostering positive moral and ethical values in children of many races., The Manassas Industrial School realized one woman's life-long goal, and was a unique element of African-American life in Northern Virginia. Long after its door closed, it remains a powerful symbol of the will to learn., The Manassas Industrial School site was placed on the Virginia and National Registers of Historic Places in 1994.