15. What persons in your community can give additional facts on
Negro education?
Name........................
From the distribution of these questionnaires there were obtained the
salient facts of the early history of the pioneer education among
Negroes in the State. A number of names of other persons in a position
to give additional information were returned with the questionnaires.
These were promptly used wherever the information needed could not be
supplied from any other source. Members of the committee, moreover,
visited persons in various parts and interviewed them to obtain facts
not otherwise available. Wherever it was possible, the investigators
consulted the available records of the State and county. In this way,
however, only meager information could be obtained.
The most reliable sources were such books as the annual _Reports of
the State Superintendent of Public Schools_, the _History of Education
in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1904), and the _History of Education in
West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907). Such local histories as the _Howard
School of Piedmont, West Virginia_, and K. J. Anthony's _Storer
College_ were also helpful.
At the conclusion of this study, President John W. Davis made the
celebration of Founder's Day, May 3, 1921, a convocation for
rehearsing the early educational history of the State. Most of the
living pioneers in this cause were invited to address this meeting, as
they would doubtless under the inspiration of the occasion, set forth
facts which an ordinary interview would not evoke, and thus it
happened.
Of those invited Mrs. E. M. Dandridge, one of the oldest educators in
the State, Mr. S. H. Guss, head of the Secondary Department of The
West Virginia Collegiate Institute, and President Emeritus Byrd
Prillerman responded with forceful addresses. Mrs. Dandridge gave in a
very impressive way a brief account of education in Fayette County.
Mr. Guss delivered an informing address on the contribution of the
early teachers from Ohio, and President Emeritus Prillerman expressed
with emphasis a new thought in taking up the rise of schools in the
State and the organization and growth of the West Virginia Teachers'
Association. Prof. J. S. Price, of the West Virginia Collegiate
Institute, showed by interesting and informing charts the development
of the Negro teacher and the Negro school in West Virginia.
At the conclusion of all of these efforts the facts collected were
turned over to C. G. Woodson to be embodied in literary form. Prof. D.
A. Lane, of the Department of English of The West Virginia Collegiate
Institute, also a member of the committee, read the manuscript and
suggested a few changes.
[2] Report of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1864, p.
31.
[3] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), p. 274.
[4] See West Virginia Constitution.
[5] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), p. 274.
[6] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), p. 268.
[7] _Ibid._, 269.
[8] _The Parkersburg Weekly Times_, June 7, 1866.
[9] These facts were obtained from local records.
[10] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), pp.
269-270.
[11] These facts were obtained from the local records, from Mr. S. H.
Guss and from Mr. D. H. Kyle, both of whom served as teachers in
Clarksburg.
[12] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), pp.
273-274.
[13] These facts were obtained from local records.
[14] _History of the Howard School, Piedmont, West Virginia_, 1919,
passim.
[15] This fact is stated in a letter of J. E. Robinson.
[16] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), pp.
264-266; and _Storer College, Brief Historical Sketch_, by K. J.
Anthony.
[16a] These facts were obtained from Mrs. Brady's daughter.
[17] Facts obtained from a former teacher at this place, Freida
Campbell.
[18] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1907), p.
243.
[19] Facts obtained from local records.
[20] These facts were obtained from the teachers and oldest citizens
of the town, who actually participated in these early efforts.
[21] These facts were supplied by Mary Campbell, an old citizen of
Union.
[22] _History of Education in West Virginia_ (Edition of 1904), _Negro
Education in Fayette County_.
[23] Facts obtained from old citizens and former teachers.
[24] These facts were obtained from old citizens and from local
records. See also J. P. Hale's _Trans-Allegheny Pioneers_, 385.
[25] This is largely Mr. Davis's own statement verified by several
other authorities and by local records.
[26] These statements are supported by the records of the Board of
Education of Charleston.
[27] In the summer of 1874 there was circulated among the teachers of
this school a petition in behalf of Miss Bertha Chapelle, who was
chosen to teach the second term of the high school. In this way the
last month of the session was taught with but one scholar attending.
In the year 1875 Miss Mollie Berry was chosen to teach this school,
and she was followed in 1876 by Mr. Frank C. James, who had taught
previously the first public school in the county at Kanawha City, in
1866. He was succeeded in 1877 by Mr. Pitt Campbell, who was followed
by Mrs. Bettie Cabell in 1878. She was in turn succeeded by Mr. Brack
Cabell the following year. In 1880 the school was moved to the site
now occupied by the two-room village school, and was called the Piney
Road School. Mr. J. B. Cabell was chosen teacher for the first year.
In 1881 Miss Emma Ferguson was selected teacher. Miss Ferguson, now
Mrs. Emma Jones, is still an active teacher. In 1882 Miss Addie Wells
taught this school. She was followed by Miss Annie Cozzins. In 1884 W.
C. Cabell was in charge. He was succeeded in 1885 by Otho Wells and he
by Mrs. Julia Brown in 1886.
[28] These facts were obtained from old citizens and from local
records.
[29] For a more detailed account, see the History of Education in West
Virginia, pp. 272-273.
[30] These facts were obtained from local records.
[31] These facts were obtained from J. W. Robinson, the principal of
the school.
[32] The following resolutions adopted at the meeting of the Teachers'
Association in 1891 were suggestive:
1. That all persons of high literary standing, who are not teachers,
be admitted as honorary members.
2. That we highly commend the committee of arrangements for their
success in bringing together so many teachers and professional
persons, and for making the meeting of so much importance and
interest.
3. That we recognize in the death of Prof. W. B. Ross, A.M., who died
at his post at Greenville, Texas, August 20, 1891, the loss of one of
our ripest scholars and most efficient educators.
4. That we tender our thanks to Hon. B. S. Morgan, State
Superintendent, for the interest he manifested in the Association and
the able address he delivered before us.
5. That the Summer School for Teachers, as has been taught by
Professors H. B. Rice and Byrd Prillerman, has been a means of
elevating the standard of our teachers, and should be continued.
6. That we indorse the action of the State Legislature in establishing
the West Virginia Colored Institute, and that we will do all in our
power to make this school a success.