Hallowell Public Black School for Girls
George L. Seaton built another School in the City of Alexandria for black girls. The Freedmen Bureau funded the Hallowell School in 1867. The basic design of the school was similar to the Snowden School. The school was located on North Alfred Street, between Princess and Oronoco Streets.
Prior to Sarah A. Gray becoming the principal of Hallowell School, Mrs. Matilda A. Madden was the principal and her assistant teachers were Mrs. Jane A. Crouch and Miss Harriett Douglas.
Hallowell was sometime called “Lee School, just like Snowden School was known by another name. It is unknown why Hallowell was referred to as the Lee School. When the City of Alexandria took over the Black Girls School, the School was named Hallowell after a white educator in Alexandria.
Every school year, the State of Virginia required all counties to provide a school census of their teachers. The 1893 School year for the City of Alexandria School listed the following teachers for Hallowell School:
Mrs. Louisa R. Cabainss – 1906 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC
Mrs. Rosetta L. Holland – 315 South Royal Street, Alexandria, VA
Miss Margaret E. Darnell – 117 South West Street, Alexandria, VA
Miss Bessie K. Spriggs – 602 South Washington Street, Alexandria, VA
Miss Sarah J. Derrick – 610 Gibbon Street, Alexandria, VA
Miss Sarah A. Gray – Pleasant View, Alexandria County
Mrs. Harriet E. Thornton, Substitute – 323 North Patrick Street, Alexandria, VA
Miss Maggie A. White – 1016 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA
theotheralexandria 
This may not answer why the Hallowell School was sometimes called the Lee School, but I have found a Hallowell-Lee connection. As you note, Benjamin Hallowell was a prominent Virginia educator. He founded a private school for wealthy families in 1825. That school, located at 609 Oronoco St shared a chimney with the house at 607 Oronoco that Robert E. Lee grew up in. Lee attended the school that Hallowell founded which was called the Hallowell School. I don’t know exactly how that gets to the Hallowell School on Alfred Street, a few blocks away, but I’m guessing there is some connection.
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Thanks Laurent. The Hallowell School for Colored Girls was name after Benjamin Hallowell as you noted he was an educator.
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Do you by chance know the street address of the former Hallowell School? I know it was on the east side of north Alfred between Princess and Oronoco, I am looking for the exact location…I appreciate any help you can give me.
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Thanks Rhodessa! I will check my files and get back with you tomorrow.
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Rodessa Benda,
The Hallowell Public School was located at 413 North Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA.
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Rodessa Benda, The Hallowell Public School was located at 413 North Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA.
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