Category: Parker-Gray School

Memories of Long Ago: Margaret V. Campbell Council

Margaret V. Campbell Council – High School Graduating Picture in 1930s

I was privilege in having a conversation with the 78 year-old Leroy Council of Philadelphia who revealed his deep love for his mother, Margaret and the history she shared with him about her life in Alexandria.

His mother, Margaret was born in Alexandria on April 19, 1917. Margaret’s mother came to Alexandria from Orange, Virginia to have her. After she was born, her mother returned to Orange County with her daughter, Margaret.

Margaret’s grandparents, Phillip and Alice Perry Campbell raised her. Out of their great love for their grandchild, Phillip and Alice moved to Alexandria in 1922 so that Margaret could get a better education.

Margaret left Alexandria after the death of her grandparents. She moved to Philadelphia to be with her mother. She came back to Alexandria to get married. She raised her children in Philadelphia but kept her close ties with friends and family in Alexandria. She never missed an opportunity to return to Alexandria to be with family and her childhood friends.

You can read Margaret’s story in the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper that was published on March 30th at:

http://www.alexandriagazette.com/news/2020/mar/30/other-alexandria-memories-long-ago-margaret-v-camp/

Parker-Gray School’s One-Hundred-Year Anniversary

On August 15, 2020, the Parker-Gray Alumni Association will be celebrating the 100-year Anniversary of Parker-Gray School. If you want to assist the Parker-Gray Alumni in planning this celebration or you want to attend this celebration, please contact Mrs. Alice Thompson at 703-549-8178.

You can read a recent article titled, We Were the “Bull Dogs: Parker-Gray School” at
http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/120419/Alexandria.pdf.

Reaching for Success: Judge Joseph C. Waddy

Behind the scenes of the Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article on, “Reaching for Success: Judge Joseph C. Waddy” – dated October 10 – 16, 2019.

Judge Joseph C. Waddy

Joseph C. Waddy was one of the success stories that came out of Parker-Gray School in Alexandria, VA during the early 1920s. He became a Judge in Washington, DC. While he was a Judge, he was instrumental in improving the District of Columbia’s education system. His ruling on education against the District of Columbia for excluding publicly funded education for disable children still stands today.

The Judge’s Summary Judgement of the plaintiffs on August 1, 1972, Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, 348 F.Supp. 866,871 (D.C. Cir. 1972) changed the way that the District of Columbia provided funding to their disable children. The ruling was coined as the “Waddy Decree.”

Check out the article on “Reaching for Success: Judge Joseph C. Waddy” October 10-16, 2019 in the Alexandria Gazette Packet on page 8 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/100919/Alexandria.pdf

Remembering “Roro” Scott

Roland and his sister, Barbara Scott

Behind the scenes of the Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article on, “Remembering ‘Roro’ Scott”– dated June 20-26, 2019.

Parker-Gray School (PG) opened in the school year of 1920 and closed as a high school 45-years later in 1965. During those 45-years, many African Americans in Alexandria, Fairfax (Gum Springs) and other areas came to PG for an education. PG was the only public African American School in Alexandria in 1920 that provided an education from first to seventh grade. In the 1930s, PG added classes to the 11th grade and by the 1950s included the 12th grade. From 1920 through 1965, PG was a segregated school for African Americans. After 1965 school year, the school opened up as a desegregated middle school including white and black children.

Roland “Roro” Scott was one of those students who went to Parker-Gray in the 1950s and excelled in his classes and in sports. He was the son of, Bernard Scott and Iona Marcellus. Roland’s sister was Barbara Jane Scott.

Although Roland’s nickname at Parker-Gray was “Roro,” family members also stated his nickname was “Big Scott.” Roro’s father was also called “Big Scott” until he died 1956.

Today, Roland’s widow, Bettie Garrett Scott, his daughter, Randy Scott and his grandchildren remember “Roro” Scott and all his achievements.

Read more about “Remembering Roro Scott”– dated June 20-26, 2019 in the Alexandria Gazette Packet on page 9 at
http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/061919/Alexandria.pdf.