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Title
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[Petitions (Colored schools) 1945 - Middleburg Grant - rejects school board plans with reasons]
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Description
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This Middleburg Grant School's Parent-Teacher Association and Community League letter dated 16 Jan 1945 responds to school Superintendent O.L. Emerick's 13 Dec 1944 letter that rejects plans for alleviating overcrowding in Middleburg as insufficient and cites multiple situations at Watson and Lincoln where the school board used mitigation measures like those proposed to avoid building a new school. The letter additionally states John Wanzer does not represent the community league and communication should go through their lawyer, James H. Raby. Emerick writes back to the PTA 17 Jan 1945 saying the idea of a new building is new to him and requests a committee be appointed by the PTA to facilitate discussion. Following is a letter from the PTA dated 12 Feb 1945 acknowledging a letter from Emerick dated 9 Feb and admonishing Emerick for not supplying a meeting date and time. Emerick explains on 13 Feb that he will deal directly with the committee to purchase land and defends his failure to set a meeting.
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Tag
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PTA, Middleburg, Virginia, school, education, overcrowding, safety, funding, construction
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Identifier
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1014870
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Is Version Of
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1014870_EWP_2-5A_Yr_1945_Jan_16_Middleburg_wants_Expansion_or_New_Building.pdf
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Is Part Of
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Petitions
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Source
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These letters are in "2.5.A 1945: Feb 7, Feb 9, Feb 12, Feb 13, Land Acquisition Comm. Transportation" in the 2.5.A Colored Petitions Box in the Loudoun County Public School Records Office
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Language
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English
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Replaces
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/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP_Files/source/Ingest One/2 Petitions Plans School Board and Districts/2-5A_Colored_Petitions/2-5A_Middleburg/2-5A_Yr_1945_Jan_16_Middleburg/EWP_2-5A_Yr_1945_Jan_16_Middleburg_wants_Expansion_or_New_Building.pdf
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Transcription
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Mrs. Mildred Jackson, Pres. / Mrs: Melvina Beale, Sec:
Mrs. Mary Hall, Vice Pres. / Mrs. Jane Butler, Treas.
PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION (Community League) Middleburg, Virginia.
Jan. 16, 8945.
Mr. O. L. Emerick, Superintendent of Schools, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Virginia.
Dear Mr. Emerick
We, the undersigned patrons of the P.T.A. (League) of Grant School of Middleburg, Virginia, hereby respond to your communication as of December 13, 1944, a letter addressed to Mrs. Jane Butler. You have stated that a Board Meeting was held December 12, 1944, and a resolution was passed authorizing the appointment of an additional teacher at Middleburg's Colored School and also the payment of a reasonable amount for the rental of a room.
We understand a committee proposing to represent the P.T. A. (League), acting as its chairman, Mr. John Wanzer, was present at this meeting. We wish to advise you that Mr. Wanzer nor any one of that committee was authorized to act for this P.T.A (League). Our legal adviser, Attorney James H. Raby of Alexandria, Virginia has communicated with you and please be advised that he is the only agent representing this body.
After discussing your proposal to alleviate the school situation the P.T.A. (League), by means of majority vote, rejected such proposal based primarily on the following facts:-
1, The committee which represented the P.T.A. (League) at the Board Meeting was not valid. It was not appointed by the P.T.A. (League), hence, it could neither express the sentiments of nor make requests for the P.T.A. (League).
2. Though your condescending resolution might seem at first a fair gesture, we have discovered that it is far from being sound and tangible, for the Board failed in specificity concerning construction of building, and failed to make appropriations for the suggested construction. We have based this assumption on the contents of your letter, and furthermore on the fact that no contrary report has been published. With these facts in mind the temporary use of the extraterritorial expansion may be interpreted as an indefinite temporariness, This, of course, can be somewhat verified by the following illustrations:-
a. The Watson Mountain School was started in the Church temporarily thirty years ago, and the temporariness has become permanent for the condition still exists.
b. The Lincoln School, third room, was taught in the Church for a number of years temporarily and nothing was done to effect a permanence until it became unnecessary because of the depletion of students.
Realizing, therefore, the existing facts together with
[page 2] the deplorable conditions existing at Grant School — the type of building; the overcrowding, the physical and mental overwork of the teachers, and the unsatisfactory personal help that can be given to individual children, we, as a group, beg that you take cognizance of the following proposals:-
1. That a new building be constructed sufficiently adequate to meet the needs and to continue in operation until such time it becomes obsolete, for
a. The present one is a fire hazard.
b. It lacks kitchen facilities to make possible the required hot lunches.
c. It is a poor representative school of the County.
d. It has been in existence over 60 years and is now obsolete.
2. Or, a new building be constructed adequately large enough for consolidation of the school of Middleburg and the neighboring schools of St. Louis, Willisville, Bull Run, and Marble Quary with bus facilities.
In view of the fact we anticipate your informing us that a school cannot be built at this time because of the scarcity of building material and of priority, may we say that we are aware of the fact that all Boards of Education have such priority. Schools are being built today. It must be borne in mind that education, and more so proper education, is as important as ammunition on the battlefield.
We are writing this letter not with any selfish motive but rather, asking for that which is rightfully ours. We wish to inspire our children to higher standards in order that they may be a credit not only to their community, but also to their County, their Country and to their Race. Consequently, we, as a group forming a solid phalanx, do implore upon your good judgment and foresight to grant us our request. Hoping that this will suffice, as heretofore communications have meant nothing.
Sincerely yours,
Committee
Maurice BK. Edmead, M.D.
Rev. J.H. Joy
Robert G Shifton
Miss Mildred Jackson
William Mck Jackson
[page 3]
Henry Page
Robert THomas
Mrs Naomi Bridgett
Welby Houson
L[illegible] Cook
Mrs Katie Smith
MRs. Alice M. Stewart
Mrs. Mary L. Douglass
Mrs Sadie Washignton
Mrs Martha Chinn
Mrs. Hattie S. Hall
Mrs Sarah Grayson
Mrs Ella Thomas
Mrs Hannah Perry
Mrs James Stewart
Mrs Ellen Grayson
Raymond Washington
Lorraine
Dade
Mrs Lucy Bolden
Mr Charles Bolden
Louis Brown
[page 4]
Mrs Mary thomas
Pauline Dawson
Mrs Sophia Washington
Fredie Washington
Willis CHinn
Luella Brown
Ollie Bolden
James Brown
Roland Chinn
Marie Berryman
Laura Chinn
Raymond Berryman
Catherine Campbell
Bessie Chinn
Louise Newman
Harrison Campbell
Laura Bland
Bernice Bridgett
Vinson Bridgett
Della Grayson
Martha Brown
John A Brown
Laura H[illegible]
Mrs Katherine Robinson
Mr Andrew Ronibson
Nancy Faulks
[page 5]
H[illegible] Bushrod
Charllotte Harvey
David Harvey
Charles Howard
Hannah Howard
Katherine Hill
Elmer Bloomden
Florence Bloomden
Willie Gaskin
Minnie Gaskins
Charles H Smith
Arthur Douglas
Emma D Smith
Virginia Artis
Henry Artis
Mollie Smith
Johnnie T. Smith
C.C. FIsher
Eva Wilson
Fannie B Moten
Eleanor B. Scroggins
Emmett S. Scroggins
Rosalie Richardson
Richard Fauntleroy
Clara F. Tyler
George Turner
Julia Turner
Mrs. Anna Mae Edmead
[page 6] 6.
Mary Taylor
Sallie Young
Edith C. Smith
A.R. Smith
Nora Smith
Otto Ashingtnon
Fred Jackson
Ella B. Jackson
Ida L. Foy
Stanley Peterson
Leather Peterson
Gabriell Jackson
Mary Jackson
Louise Cox
Carrie Donaldson.
Roberg Douglass
Mamie Douglass
Carl Dawson
[page 7]
January 17, 1945
Mrs. Mildred Jackson, Pres.
Parent Teachers Association
Middleburg, Virginia
Dear Mrs. Jackson:
I have a communication dated January 16, 1945 in which it is stated that the action of the School Board in providing for the additional school in Middleburg in a rented room has been
rejected by your PTA. The former communication from your PTА signed by a number of parents and transmitted to me by Mrs.Melvina Beal, Secretary, requested another room".
We have assumed that another room would mean another teacher also would have to be proved. This was done as promptly as possible.
I am opposed to building an addition to the old building at Middleburg but I am in favor of building a new building as soon as it is reasonable to do so. May I point out that your
communication dated January 16th is the first one that in my knowlddge[sic] has come to us in which you have suggested or requested a new building.
In normal times the construction of a new school building the type that would be required at Middleburg necessitates great deal of planning.
The first step would have to be the location, selection and purchase of a suitable school lot.
The second step would have to be the preparation of plans.
The third step would have to be applying for a priority. Under present conditions my information and knowledge is that we could expect this to be promptly refused by the War Production Board.
The fourth step would be a careful calulation[sic] of the cost of the building and equipment and the securing of the necessary funds. I want to suggest that with a reasonable amount of cooperation from your people we ought to begin at an early date to make perparation[sic] for a new school building at Middleburg.
[page 8]
January 17, 1945
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Mrs. Jackson:
I have already estimated that such a building would cost $85,000 but this is only a rough estimate. We do not decide today and plan tomorrow a building of this size and that cost
this much. The problem has to be approached deliberately and carefully.
I believe that I am correct in saying that every member of the School Board in Loudoun County would feel that it is proper for a new school building to be erected for colored children to include at least St. Louis and Middleburg at this time and I concur in this attitude. I should like to suggest that if you would have a committe[sic] who would represent your PTA come to the School Board Meeting on January 31st there might be a somewhat better understand than apparantly[sic] exist at this time.
You letter will be presented to the School Board at its next meeting.
Very sincerely yours,
O. L. Emerick
Division Superintendent
OLE:MA
[page 9]
Mrs. Mildred Jackson, Pres. / Mrs: Melvina Beale, Sec:
Mrs. Mary Hall, Vice Pres. / Mrs. Jane Butler, Treas.
PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION (Community League) Middleburg, Virginia.
Jan. 16, 8945.
Mr. O. L. Emerick, Superintendent of Schools, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Virginia.
Dear Mr. Emerick
I have received your correspondence as of Feb. 9, 1945 thanking me for the names of the official committee. However, my organization and I anticipated not only a recognition of the names the official committee but also the date and hour of our meeting to transact the required purchase of lot.
Inasmuch as you have failed in the latter, my organization and I will appreciate your specifying the date and hour of such a meeting and subsequently informing me of the date and hour at the earliest possible time. This is imperative so that I might have sufficient time to notify all members of the committee.
Thanks in advance for this courtesy.
Sincerely yours,
Mrs Mildred Jackson Pres.
PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY LEAGUE
[page 10]
February 13, 1945
Mrs. Mildred Jackson, Pres.
Parent-Teacher Association and Community League
Middleburg, Virginia
Dear Mrs. Jackson:
I have your letter of recent date in reference to setting the date and hour of meeting to discuss the transaction required to purchase a lot at Middleburg. I shall try to see Dr. Edmead
at an early date and discuss with him the problems that are envolved[sic] in purchasing this lot. I understand that he is the chairman of your committee. There is not much we can do about purchasing a lot at a meeting of the committee until and unless we have some definite sites in mind. I think that it was explained in the presence of the committee at the School Board Meeting that we should have five acres of land.
I have been waiting on this matter to give Dr. Booth and the committee some time in which to make some inquiry as to the possibility for a lot.
Very sincerely yours,
O. L. Emerick
Division Superintendent
OLE:MA