Staunton History of African American Schools

Staunton History of African American Schools. 115 Sunnyside Street. The end of the Civil War launched a new era for African American education in Staunton. Religious missionaries and agents of the Freedmen's Bureau arriving in the city found the newly freed African Americans eager to learn. Progress was rapid with children being taught by day and adults at night., 1870 , A new constitution brought segregated public education to Virginia. Staunton's Black schools suffered from inferior buildings, worn schoolbooks, and a lack of basic educational supplies. The schooling that the city's African American students received, however, was always of the highest quality because the well-trained and highly professional educators were dedicated to their students despite low pay and poor working conditions., 1915 , After years of pressure from the African American community, Staunton erected two new schools for Black children, one on West Johnson Street and the other on Sunnyside Street. The two lots and buildings cost about $18,000. The city commissioned Staunton architectural firm T.J. Collins and Son to design both structures. To reduce expenses, both buildings were veneer rather than solid brick and classrooms were furnished with used desks., This school on Sunnyside, named Booker T. Washington School after one of America's most famous Black educators, included six classrooms, basement restrooms, steam heating, and a playground area. The West Johnson Street school was named D. Webster Davis School after a prominent African American civic leader and educator from Richmond. The two schools shared staff, with Oliver J. Derritt serving as principal at both., 1925 , This school became a junior high school and added industrial classes. When a new Black high school was built in 1936, the name Booker T. Washington transferred to that school. The name D. Webster Davis then transferred from the West Johnson Street school to this school and the former D. Webster Davis School on West Johnson was renamed T.C Edmunds Elementary School in honor of the school's beloved principal. , , 1966 , On August 15, a dozen years after the U.S Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education that segregated schools were inherently unequal, Staunton closed its African American schools and integrated the public schools. Today (2021) this building, sold by the city in 1979, functions as the House of Prayer Church., (captions) , Plans by T.J. Collins and Son in 1915 for the colored school" of Staunton that became known first as Booker T. Washington School and then as D. Webster Davis Elementary School., Built in 1915, the Booker T. Washington School on Sunnyside Street was renamed D. Webster Davis Elementary School when a new African American high school opened in the city in 1936., Booker T. Washington (later known as D. Webster Davis) graduating class-in the middle of the back row is Oliver J. Derritt who served as principal at both of Staunton's African American schools that opened in 1915., Rachel E. Gaines was a dedicated and well regarded teacher in Staunton's African American school system. She taught elementary students from 1919 to 1958., May Day celebrations were popular events at area African American schools as can be seen at this event held at D. Webster Davis Elementary School in the 1950s., On May 4, 2013, a May Day remembrance celebration/open house was held at the original Booker T. Washington School (later renamed D. Webster Davis Elementary School) that opened for African American children in late 1915. This event was held as a tribute to the surviving teachers who taught during the era of segregated schools.