Category: Education

Urgent Call to Save Carver Nursey School – William Thomas Post #129

 

Carver Nursery School - William Thomas Post #129
Carver Nursery School – William Thomas Post #129

The Carver Nursery School could be demolished as soon as the month of February if the community does not intervene. The school was constructed during World War II through an Act of Congress to fund nursery schools so that parents of children could work in the war effort. The Carver Nursery appears to be the only one built specifically for African Americans. The building consisted of two classrooms with a playground on site. The playground is now the Hunter-Miller Park. Located in the Parker-Gray Neighborhood, the school was in the heart of a thriving Black business area at Queen and Fayette Streets.

The school would later become the William Thomas Post#129 of the American Legion and was the social hub of the neighborhood.

Two and a half years ago, a local developer who then applied for a demolition permit purchased the property. The Parker-Gray Board of Architectural Review and the City Council approved the demolition. The developer has already built eleven houses in the neighborhood and recently put eight condominiums in a former laundry building nearby. The eight condominiums (condos) add character and blend in with the neighborhood. The demolition of the Carver School runs contrary to the purpose of the Parker-Gray Historic District.

Historical Facts:

The Parker-Gray Historic District was created in 1984 and one of its main purposes was to protect the area from development pressures that could arise from the building of the King Street and Braddock Metro Stations. The stations are within blocks of the Carver Nursery School. The plan in 1984 was to nominate the neighborhood for the National Register of Historic Places. In 2004, the City of Alexandria conducted a survey and at that time, the Carver Nursery School was one of many structures singled out as having contributed character to the neighborhood. The two Parker-Gray Schools had already been demolished. The threat of the demolition of Carver School is a test to the preservation of buildings that have played a part in the history of Black Alexandria. This building is the only known building of its type still existing and was listed on Preservation Virginia’s eleven most endangered properties list of 2010.

Saving Carver Nursery School Building:

There is only one option for saving the building and that is for the City of Alexandria to intervene. Ask the City to temporarily halt the demolition so that the community can have a voice and suggest some alternatives. To help, please e-mail City Council at www3.alexandriava.gov/contactus/mailto.php?id=610.

You can also contact Boyd Walker from the Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance at Boydwalker2012@gmail.com to get a copy of the petition that is now circulating, and help gather signatures.  Time is running out, so please help us tell the whole story of the Parker-Gray Neighborhood.

Boyd Walker is a community activist who started the Greater Alexandria Preservation Alliance five years ago, to be an advocacy organization for Historic Preservation in Alexandria.  The purpose of the Alliance is to work beyond Alexandria’s borders with state and local partners and to make Alexandria a greater place.  He is a native of Alexandria who grew up on the “Southside.”  He was a co-founder of Citizens for an Alternative Alexandria Waterfront Plan, now known as Friends of the Alexandria Waterfront and a recent candidate for Alexandria City Council.

1950 Parker-Gray High School Teachers and Graduating Class

Parker-Gray High School Class of 1950

The Parker-Gray High School year of 1949 – 1950 had one principal and twenty-six teachers.

William H. Pitts, Sr. – Principal
Mary Tunstall Adams – Sociology, Social Studies
A.W. Adkins – English, English/Math
Susie E. Anderson – Science
Arthur W. Bracey – Shop
Janie R. Browne – Fourth
Edith W. Casey – English
Flora W. Chase – Commercial
Helen L. Day – Seventh Grade
Thelma M. Dorsey – First, Second
Ellen Goods – Third, Fourth
Lauretta H. Hall – Art, Social Studies
Ferris Holland – Science
Earleen L. Hughes – Social Studies, English, French
Naomi C. Jackson – Second
Louis R. W. Johnson – Physical Education
Rubye S. Johnson – Physical Education
Dorothy P. Key – Librarian
Alma P. Murray – First
Edward L. Patterson – Music
Bernice J. Perry – English, Guidance
Julia E. Pritchett – Seventh
Lucile Smith – Seventh
Mabel Lee Smith – Mathematics
Ruby E. Smith – Home Economics
Geraldine Stevenson – Seventh
Elease N. Vaughn – Third

There were forty-four students in the Class of 1949.

Margaret Allen
Ida Barne
Leo Brooks
Elmer Bumbray
James Burlass
Juanita Butler
Betty Carter
Patricia Carter
Joyce Casey
Maydell Casey
Delores Colbert
Gloria Diggs
Walter Hargrow
Madgerine Hines
Richard Hollinger
Jean Jackson
Naomi Johnson
Bernice Jones
Rosa King
Stanley Kirton
Ruby Lewis
Vivian Lindsey
Barbara Loudon
Thomas Lovingood
Lucretia McGee
Hazel Miller
Wilbur Moore
Juette Porter
Lillian Pritchett
Robert Quander
Blanche Randall
Delores Reeves
Rufus Robinson
Moses Smith
Julia Stokes
Imogene Tabscott
Edward Talley
Gladys Thompson
Roscoe Tillery
Jean Triplett
Janet Wanzer
Geraldine Wilson
Clarice Williams
Ruby Worthy

Snowden School for Boys – Mr. Henry T. White’s Class of 1907 – 1908 in Alexandria, VA

Mr. Henry T. White’s Class year of 1907-1908 Snowden Boys School

Listed below are the students for the class year of 1907 – 1908 at Snowden Boys School. There were 46 students in Mr. Henry T. White‘s class. The students in that class included Robert W. Burke and his brother, Rosier Burke. They lived at 324 North Payne Street.

Teacher – Mr. Henry T. White

Anderson, John – 325 N. Fayette Street – age 14 – 2nd grade
Bailey, Jesse – 1311 Queen Street – age 9 – 2nd grade
Bailey, Thomas – 1311 Queen Street – age 8 – 1st grade
Beale, Moses – 615 N Henry Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Burke, Harry – 425 S Columbus Street – age 8 – 1st grade
Burke, Robert – 324 N Payne Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Burke, Roiser – 324 N Payne Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Bryant, Frank – Princess & Royal Streets – age 8 – 2nd grade
Chisley, Charles – 904½ Pendleton Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Churchful, James – 209 N West Street – age 13 – 2nd grade
Coleman, William – 222 N Henry Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Colbert, William – 813 Gibbon Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Davis, Rosier – 1011 Wolfe Street – age 11 – 2nd grade
Duckett, James – 438 S Columbus Street – age 11 – 2nd grade
Gaddis, Andrew – 305 N West Street – age 13 – 2nd grade
Gaskins, Andrew – 523 N Pitt Street – age 11 – 2nd grade
Ghant, Roscoe – 421 S Columbus Street – age 9 – 1st grade
Hackley, Russell – 1014 Wythe Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Harris, John – 118 S Peyton Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Harris, Robert – 1010 N Washington Street – age 13 – 2nd grade
Henderson, Willis – Fawcett Court – age 11 – 1st grade
Holland, Thomas – 206 N Payne Street – age 9 – 2nd grade
Jackson, Richard – 434 N Fairfax Street – age 12 – 2nd grade
Jackson, William – 522 S Pitt Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Jones, Joseph – 118 Prince Street – age 11 – 1st grade
Jones, Lawrence – 1118 Princes Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Kyer, Clarence – 404 N Pitt Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Lane, Claude – 417 N Henry Street – age 10 – 1st grade
Lane, David – 417 N Henry Street – age 9 – 1st grade
Marlow, Henry – 608 S Pitt Street – age 13 – 1st grade
Marlow, Samuel – 608 S Pitt Street – age 11 – 1st grade
Marshall, D – 816 S Columbus Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Minor, Clarence – 422 S Columbus Street – age 12 – 2nd grade
Minor, Frank – 422 S Columbus Street – age 10 – 1st grade
Mitchell, Thomas – Fleischman Court – age 13 – 2nd grade
Napper, Albert – 615½ S Alfred Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Palmer, John – 527 S St. Asaph Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Poindexter, Charles – 406 N Pitt Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Smith, Robert – 636 S. Pitt Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Thompson, Robert – 1309 Queen Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Triplett, William – 620 S Pitt Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Wair, Clinton – 418 N Pitt Street – age 9 – 2nd grade
Washington, Clarence – 208 N Payne Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
White, Russell – 511 N Henry Street – age 8 – 2nd grade
Williams, Rufus – 308 N Alfred Street – age 10 – 2nd grade
Wood, Alexandria – 619 N Henry Street – age 13 – 2nd grade

1949 Parker-Gray High School Teachers and Graduating Class

Note from Principal W. H. Pitts
1949 Note from Principal W.H. Pitts

The Parker-Gray High School year of 1948 – 1949 had one principal and twenty-six teachers.

William H. Pitts, Sr. – Principal
Mary Tunstall Adams – Social Studies
A.W. Adkins – English, Math
Susie E. Anderson – English, Science
Arthur W. Bracey – Shop
Janie R. Browne – Fourth
Edith W. Casey – English
Flora W. Chase – Commercial
Helen L. Day – Seventh Grade
Thelma M. Dorsey – First
Ellen Goods – Third, Fourth
Lauretta H. Hall – Art, Social Studies
Ferris Holland – Science
Earleen L. Hughes – Social Studies, English, French
Naomi C. Jackson – Second
Louis R. W. Johnson – Physical Education
Rubye S. Johnson – Physical Education
Louis Johnson – Physical Education
Dorothy P. Key – Librarian
Alma P. Murray – First, Second
Edward L. Patterson – Music
Bernice J. Perry – Eighth
Julia E. Pritchett – Seventh
Lucile Smith – Eight
Mabel Lee Smith – Mathematics
Ruby E. Smith – Home Economics
Geraldine Stevenson – Seventh
Elease N. Vaughn – Third

There were forty-four students in the Class of 1949.

Clinton Allen
Philip Bell
Dorothy Blackburn
Ivan Bourne
Emma Brown
Joseph Burlass
Ruby Baskerville Butler
Louis Carroll
Barbara Procter Daniels
Freddie Daniels
Lloyd Diggs
Audrey Washington Dove
Marietta Jackson Easley
Carlton Funn
Isaiah Gray
Winifred Roberts Grimes
Costella Morrison Hayes
Roland Hollins
Sarah Tory Huggins
Burrell Hyden
Delores Hyden
Calvin Jackson
Helen Jackson
Dorothy Jarrett
Ruth Johnson
Jean Lane
Eugene Major
Lyles McInnis
Mildred Mundell
Charles Nelson
Earleen Pritchett
Gloria Procter
Charles Rice
Morris Sibert
Gene Simon
Charles Stanton
Marion Smith Stanton
Donald Taylor
Ellen Thomas
George Thomas
Catherine Watterson Ward
Robert Waters
Nellie Woods
Maxine Zellers