USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia and representative citizens, V.1 > Part 27
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square miles of area and an average depth of five feet, the whole of which could be used for. agricultural purposes in the region east of the Dismal Swamp Canal. This would afford, making allowance for evaporation, a sufficient amount of water to meet in dry seasons the exigencies of garden tillage of an area of about 150 square miles or say about 100.000 acres. With a somewhat more costly system of storage which would not probably tax the tilled land for reservoirs to the annual amount of more than $Io per acre, the water could be husbanded and would afford irrigation facili- ties to the whole of this district.
It is thus evident that we have in this re- gion a combination of the advantages for high- grade tillage such as are rarely found in any part of the world, an excellent soil, ready water communication, a favorable climate and opportunities for obtaining abundant irriga- tion water in times of drought. In a word, the region affords all the advantages of the best artificially unwatered soils in Belgium and Holland with a cost for the improvement far less than that required to win to agriculture the low-lying semi-marine swamps of that sec-
CHAPTER XII
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES
THE FIRST SCHOOL OF THE COUNTY -- THE FIRST GENERAL PUBLIC SCHOOL LAW ENACTED -- ST. BRIDE'S ACADEMY-CHURCHLAND ACADEMY-FIRST COMPLETE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ESTABLISHED IN THE COUNTY -- SEABOARD TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION-PUBLIC SCHOOLS RE-ESTABLISHED AFTER THE WAR, UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION-PUBLIC . SCHOOLS OF NORFOLK-PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF PORTSMOUTH-THE NORFOLK ACADEMY- NORFOLK'S LIBRARIES.
Very early in the seventeenth century the ; on the Northwest River, Norfolk County." people of Norfolk County and of Elizabeth River Shire (of which Norfolk County was at one time a part) began to be interested in education. Not only were parochial and pri- vate schools opened for the better classes, but arrangements began to be made for the edu- cation of the poor. In this shire Benjamin Symes by devise, confirmed by law, in 1642, gave certain lands for the purpose of estab- lishing a free school. "and for the encourage- ment of all others in the like pious perform- ances."
In 1659 Symes and Eaton bequeathed to Elizabeth City County an amount equivalent to $10,150. the interest to be applied to the education of the poor, the proceeds of which are still being used in said county.
Richard Russell, by will probated Decem- ber 2, 1667, set apart a portion of his estate to be devoted to the education of six of the poorest children in Norfolk County ; and Capt. Hugh Campbell, in 1691, donated land and tobacco for the "employment of suitable per- sons to give instruction to the people living
Yet. while throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries there were a number of pa- rochial and private schools located in the towns of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and in the county at. Hickory Ground, Great Bridge and Syca- more Hill. where the children of the well-to-do classes could receive instruction in reading. writing and arithmetic. it was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century that any organized system of free public education was undertaken by the corporate authority of the county or State.
Through the influence and suggestion of Thomas Jefferson, the General Assembly of Virginia, on the 22nd day of December. 1796. enacted a school law. entitled "An Act to Es- tablish Public Schools," the preamble of which is as follows :
Whereas, it appeareth that the great advantages. which civilized and polished nations enjoy beyond the savage and barbarous nations of the world. are prin- cipally derived from the invention and use of letters. by means whereof the knowledge and experience of past ages are recorded and transmitted. so that man, avail- ing himself in succession of the accumulated wisdom
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and discoveries of his predecessors, is enabled more suc- cessfully to pursue and improve not only their acts, but that also which tends to illuminate and ennoble his na- ture and understanding; and
Whereas, upon a review of the history of mankind. it seemeth that however favorable Republican govern- ment, founded upon the principle of equal liberty, justice and order, may be to human happiness. no real stability or lasting permanenee thereot can be rationally hoped for, if the minds of the citizens be not rendered liberal and humane, and be not fully impressed with the im- portanee of those principles from whence these bless- ings proceed. With a view. therefore, to lay the first 1 foundation of a system of education which may tend to produce the desirable purpose,
Therefore be it enacted by the General Assembly of T'irginia, that in every County of the Commonwealth there shall be chosen annually by the electors qualified to vote for delegates to this Assembly, three of the most honest and abie men of the County, to be ealled Alder- men of the County.
This Act further provided that these alder- men should lay off the county into sections, have authority to appoint teachers, visit schools, examine pupils and so forth ; That the householders of each section should meet and select a place for the location of a school, and that all free male and female children should be entitled to attend three years free, and as much longer as their parents, or guardians, should provide for by paying necessary ex- penses.
Under this Act the electors of Norfolk County, on the 16th day of April, 1798. elected William White, Robert Butt and James Browne, aldermen, as shown by the fol- lowing writ. or certificate, of the sheriff, dated April 17, 1798:
I do certify that pursuant to an Act of the General Assembly, pasred 22nd day of December. 1796, entitled an Act to Establish Public Schools, a poll was taken at the Court House on Monday, the 16th day of April. 1798. for the election of three Aldermen: and that William White. Robert Butt and James Browne were duly eleeted.
(Signed) ROBERT SHELTON, Deputy Sheriff, for Wilson Butt, Sheriff.
Thus in 1799. at the opening of the nine- teenth century, schools were opened in several localities of Norfolk County for the free in- struction of children for three years. Two of these schools are worthy of special mention
as centers of education for the people of this county, which has always favored public edu- cation. One located at Hickory Ground, a community in the southeast section of the county along the "Great Road," on which was the "Great Bridge," where one of the first bat- tles of the Revolution was fought and won by the Virginia troops. This community was early a center of culture and influence, and the school became a prominent factor in the edu- cation of its men and women through the early years of the nineteenth century, and grew and developed into a high school or academy for primary, grammar and high school work. In 1835 it was rebuilt, a com- modious brick structure taking the place of the old frame or log building, and .it was in- corporated by the General Assembly under the name of St. Bride's Academy. A new site was donated by Josiah Wilson, who in con- sideration of "love, zeal and earnest desire for the rising and future generations, and believ- ing that a well grounded education will be a powerful and happy auxiliary to obtain this object, doth grant to Natheniel Wilson, Rich- ard W. Silvester, Samuel Browne, Jr., Na- hamani Foreman, David C. Wilson, William Wilson, William Scott and William Tatem, trustees, etc."
This school had several excellent teach- ers, who ranked with the best educators of the State or nation. Among whom may be men- tioned Robert Ould, lawyer, judge and Con- federate commissioner for exchange of pris- oners ; G. T. Exall, E. S. Dulin and William. T. Davis, each of whom, in after years, be- came professors or presidents of colleges in this State and Missouri. The second was lo- cated in the northwest section of the county and in the community now known as Church- land, also a wealthy and cultivated section. This school was known in 1802 as the Craney Island School, and in 1840, when the record shows it was rebuilt, it was called the Syca- more Hill School, and in 1854 it was again rebuilt and enlarged to a building of three rooms, and was enriched by James H. Carney,
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who by will set apart $1,500 to be invested and the proceeds to be applied for the benefit of the school, "to provide free education for all the children of the community," which eu- dowment continues . to assist in the mainte- nance of this school to the present day.
In November, 1872, the County Court in- corporated one branch of this school under the style of the Churchland Academy, with J. T. Griffin, W. T. Carney and others as trustees, for instruction in higher English and classics. This school, like St. Bride's Academy, has been greatly instrumental in shaping and de- veloping the educational work of this county, and also had many excellent and distinguished teachers, among whom may be named Col. A. K. Yancey, John R. Bagly, Josiah Ryland, W. T. Rhinehart and C. W. Coleman, who in after years were trustees, professors and presi- dents of colleges at Richmond, Virginia, Thomasville, Georgia, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Mexico, Missouri.
On the 3rd of March, 1819, an Act was passed to reduce into one Act the several Acts concerning the Literary Fund. This was the fund derived from escheats, confiscations, for- feitures, derilict personal property. fines, etc. Section 13 provided for applying part of the income to the primary object of its institution and directed the courts of the counties, cities and corporate towns to appoint not less than five nor more than 15 discreet persons school trustees to determine what number of poor children "they will educate, etc."
But it was not until 1845 that Norfolk County reorganized and put into operation a complete and efficient system of public schools for the benefit of all the free white children of the county.
By authority of an Act of the General As- sembly of Virginia, enacted'on the 17th day of February, 1845, a board of school com- missioners met at Deep Creek and organized by the election of Leroy G. Edwards, chair-' man; George T. Wallace, clerk; and Stephen B. Tatem, treasurer, and arranged for the |
opening of 20 schools with three local trus- tees or commissioners for each, who were in- structed to provide a building and employ a teacher for a term of io months at a salary of $30 per month, to be paid out of public funds, and such additional salary as might be pledged by the election of Leroy G. Edwards, chair- provided for were opened in the fall of the same year, and soon became efficient and pop- ular, as is shown by the report of the president of the school board at its fifth annual meeting in June, 1849, from which the following ex- tracts are taken :
"During the last year 1.306 children have received correct and regular instruction at our several schools in all such branches as are taught in good English schools, such as spell- ing, writing, reading, arithmetic, geography. grammar, history, mental and moral philoso- phy, astronomy, composition, rhetoric, etc. In several of the schools where the children were far enough advanced we have classes in higher
* mathematics, Latin and French." *
"The classics did not enter into our original scheme, nor do we now require the qualified teacher to teach them, for a practical and use- ful English education, such as farmers, me- chanics and persons of ordinary vocation need, is our standard." * "It is a source of regret to us that we cannot afford better pay to our teachers, and that we have to add to this by private contributions in districts where the teachers are deserving and the people able to do so, but we are proud of our people, who nobly battled for the cause of popular educa- tion, and who willingly contributed the pe- cuniary aid necessary to perpetuate it.
"The people are as ardently its friends now as ever, and are reaping the reward of their labors.
"The good effects of our schools are ob- vious to all observers, and it is most pleasing to contemplate not only what has been done but what is yet to be done.
"We might dilate here on the improved and improving moral and physical condition
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY
of our people and county, but will only state that at least 95 per cent. of the indigent chil- dren of the county are now being educated.
"That our system is yet imperfect we free- Jy admit, and we are in want of an agent whose Anty shall require him to visit, direct. super- vise, investigate and report each school sep- arately. one qualified to examine and license teachers and so forth."
As a result of this report. and at the same meeting in 1849. Rev. Thomas Hume was elected the first superintendent of schools for the county, with a salary of $500 per annum. Superintendent Hume made a faithful and efficient officer and served for two years, when he was succeeded by Leroy G. Edwards, who had for seven years been chairman of the board of commissioners, and who carried his love and zeal for the cause into the superin- tendent's office, where he did a splendid work through the next 10 years.
From 1845 to 1861 the schools grew in number to 30, with good frame school houses and with fair appliances and an excellent corps of teachers, who were zealous in their work. These teachers in 1845 assembled at Deep Creek. Norfolk County, and organized a teacher's institute, under the name of the "Sea- board Teachers' Association." which was probably the first teachers' association that ever met in the State or the South, for in its proceedings it is stated that "This organiza- tion is just twenty-five years after the first teachers'. association of the United States, or- ganized in Essex County, Massachusetts." Prof. N. B. Webster was made president, and in his address among other things he said : "Fellow teachers. we beseech your influence in behalf of the great cause of education and of civil liberty; a national association of en- lightened educators would constitute the strongest bond of union between the conflict- ing interests of the various sections of our great Confederation of States. It is true now, as in the days of Cicero, that common desires or aversions tend to cement more closely the tie of amity. If the wicked Cataline pursued
this policy in his base attempt to ruin his coun- try, shall not the friends of education adopt for their motto, and ardently loving the light of knowledge, and hating the dark tyranny of ignorance, associate themselves together for the accomplishment of their noble object. and prove to the world that intelligence and lib- erty are inseparable?"
But this splendid system of 30 schools which for 16 years had been open for 10 months per year, and had done so much for the county, came suddenly to an end. In the spring of 1862 the Federal Army took pos- session of the cities and the county of Nor- folk, and the schools were not only closed. but the buildings destroyed, some were burned and others were torn down by the United States soldiers, and the timbers moved to the mili- tary camps and used to build winter quarters for the troops. Among those so destroyed were the buildings located at Wallaceton, Cornland, Good Hope, Bell's Mill and Tan- ner's Creek.
So completely were the schools and re- sources of our people destroyed by this ter- rible war that for a period of nine years, from 1862 to 1871. there were no schools, public or private, worthy of mention within the county. and such education as the children received was imparted at home by the mothers and older sisters. In 1868 by the adoption of a new Constitution, the State of Virginia was relieved from the burden of military govern- ment, and as soon thereafter as practical the General Assembly provided by law for the es- tablishment of a free public school system throughout the State. Under this Act in De- cember, 1870, Capt. John T. West was com -. missioned by Gov. Gilbert C. Walker as super- intendent of schools for Norfolk County, with instructions to recommend to the State board of education three men from each magisterial district of the county, suitable to form a count- ty school board.
The following gentlemen were recom- mended, and were appointed school trustees by the State board of education, to-wit :
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John T. Griffin, D. T. Driver and W. J. Nicholson for Western Branch District.
Capt. Thomas M. Hodges, Willis W. Tucker and James F. Carr for Deep Creek District.
William R. Dudley. C. T. Foreman and E. H. Will- jams for Pleasant Grove District. Harrison Etheredge. Griffin Jennings and Jesse D. Sykes for Butts Road District.
Maj. William H. Etheredge. Milton Catherell and Henry Butt for Washington District.
Washington T. Capps. Joseph R. Guy and James Sammons for Tanner's Creek District.
January 20. 1871. this board met at the Court House and organized with Supt. John T. West, ex-officio chairman, and Capt. Thom- as M. Hodges, clerk. After hearing a report of Superintendent West as to the powers of the board and the deplorable condition of ed- ucation in the county, the board with entire unanimity instructed the district trustees to at once organize separate schools for white and colored children wherever practical in their re- spective districts, and by resolution requested the board of supervisors of the county to sub- mit to the vote of the people at the approach- ing May election the question of levying a tax of 30 cents on the $ioo of real and per- sonal property to form a district and county fund. supplementary to that of the State. The board of supervisors promptly submitted the question. and the people by a large majority voted the levy. This assured a moderate sup- port for the 19 white and II colored schools which had been opened by April 1, 1871.
Thus began the reorganized public school system of Norfolk County, which has grown in power. efficiency and popularity to this writing. Superintendent West continued the supervision of these schools through three terms until 1882, when he was succeeded by Jesse E. Baker, who served for four years, when Capt. John T. West was again elected superintendent, and has been re-elected each successive term to the present time, when he is at the head of a system of 125 schools (73 for white and 52 for colored pupils ) with an enrollment of 7.000 children, and an average term of nine months for white and eight months for colored.
The last report of Superintendent West
shows that these schools are taught by a trained and experienced corps of teachers with a graded course of study from the primary to the high school. That there are 76 school buildings, fully equipped with patent desks, slate black boards. maps, globes, charts, etc., and valued at $65,000, and that there are now in the course of erection two $15.000 build- ings with eight rooms each, and that there was expended for the past year :
For teachers' wages. $ 36.466.75
For clerks and treasurers. 1.513.43
For real estate, buildings and repairs. 6.716.40
For contingent expenses 5.103.90
Total $49.900.48
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORFOLK.
A report of the superintendent in ISS5 says : " \ system of public schools was inaug- urated in the year 1857. For many years be- fore this date provision had been made by the city or borough for the instruction of the poorer classes. A school on the Lancasterian plan was located on the site of the present Fenchurch street school, and a night school was also opened for those whose occupation during the day debarred them from other means of instruction."
Thomas C. Tabb. a prominent lawyer, was charged with organizing and putting into op- eration a system of schools to meet the needs of the public. On his retirement. William D. Bagnall was elected superintendent and re- mained in office until his death in 1867. The vacancy was filled by the election of Hon. William W. Lamb. An ordinance was passed by the City Council in 1871 to reorganize the public schools under provisions of Acts of the General Assembly. Mr. Lamb was appointed to continue in the office of superintendent. which he held until his death in the year 1874. The officers of the public school board are Hon. John B. Whitehead. president : Richard A. Dobie, superintendent ; and Richard C. Taylor, secretary.
Since 1857 there have been Io superintend- ents, as follows :
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY
I. Thomas C. Tabb, 1857 to 1865.
2. William D. Bagnall, 1865 to 1867.
3. William W. Lamb, 1867 to 1874.
4. Gen. Richard L. Page, 1874 to 1882.
5. Rev. C S. Blackwell, 1882 to 1884.
6. R. G. Banks, 1884 to 1886.
7. James Barron Hope, 1886 to 1887.
George W. Taylor. 1887 to. 1890.
9. Kenton C. Murray. 1890 to 1896.
IO. Richard A. Dobie, 1896 ( Still in office.)
Remarkable progress has been made in the past few years in bringing the public schools up to a higher plane, and in all that pertains to them, --- their teachers, the school buildings, courses of study, and results achieved,-they will compare favorably with the public schools of any city in the South.
Much needed facilities have recently been afforded by the completion of three handsome, commodious, well-arranged and well-located school buildings and a site has recently been secured for a new public school building in Atlantic City Ward.
Norfolk bas 12 school-houses, 10 brick and two frame. with a total of 65 rooms. There is an average of one acre of land to each school, and the total value of the public school property is $150.000.
The cost of public education for the year ending July 31, 1899, was as follows :
Teachers' wages . $40,780.00
Secretary of the board .. 500.00
City superintendent 1,350.00
City treasurer, commissions.
110.40
Rents 1,250.00
Fuel and lights. 683.42
Janitors 1,888.90 **
Text books for indigent children. 470.77
Apparatus
49.00
Other contingent expenses.
976.07
Total cost $48,058.56
Superintendent Dobie's report for the year ending July 31, 1899, gives the following figures regarding the enrollment and attend- ance :
Total number of pupils enrolled. 3,343 Average monthly enrollment ..: 3.092 Average daily attendance .. 2,677
Number of teachers employed. 65
White teachers-males, 6; females, 48; total. 54
Colored teachers-males, I; females, Io; total .... II Average number of pupils enrolled to each teacher. Total number of days taught ... 198 Average age of pupils, 10.62 years.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF PORTSMOUTH.
Although the origin of public education may be traced to an early date ; and while pub- lic schools existed before, the regular iree school system was not established by Act of Assembly until 1845. Prior to the incorpora- tion of the city, the schools were managed in conjunction with Norfolk County. The town trustees. after the Act of 1845. secured the title to two lots, one on the corner of Middle and Glasgow streets in the First Ward of the city, and one near Fourth street, in the Fourth Ward. They built a brick academy on the first lot and opened four schools, and on the second lot a wooden building, with four schools. Some of the most prominent and successful citizens of Portsmouth received their education in these schools. They seem to have been supported by small tuition and admittance fees in certain instances, taxes as- sessed for the purpose. and contributions from the Literary Fund. The academy on the first- named lot was burned in 1857 and a larger and better one was erected in its place. It was known as "First District Academy." The city of Portsmouth was incorporated in 1858 and one-third of the profits of the "Norfolk County Ferries" was divided each month he- . tween the county and city for. school purposes. After the Confederate War, all the schools re- opened with an addition of two, and continued until the present system in a prosperous con- dition. A large brick building was completed in May, 1879. at a cost of about $7,500 for the colored schools, which was then the finest school building in the city. In IS8; the school building in the Fourth Ward was constructed at a total cost of $12,000, to take the place of the old wooden building. A lot was purchased on Green street and a handsome building was constructed and the schools removed from the first district building to that home. Here the
CITY COURT HOUSE, NORFOLK, VA.
THE NORFOLK ACADEMY, NORFOLK, VA.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
first high school was instituted about 13 years ago with Prof. L. P. Slater as principal ; and he was succeeded in 1889 by Prof. Willis A. Jenkins, the present head-master. A hand- some new brick structure was erected for the nom Fifth Ward in 1898, and now there are four handsome school buildings in the city with 38 schools and 2,000 scholars. The su- perintendents under the present system have been : James F. Crocker. Griffin F. Edwards and John C. Ashton, who is still in office.
The value of school property, August I, 1900, was $47,000. The expenses for the year ending July 31, 1900, were $19,691.03. The officers of the public school board are: David A. Williams. president; George A. Tabb. treasurer; and William A. Culpepper, secretary.
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