2026-04-19T18:21:04-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer http://shenandoahstories.org/ Shenandoah Stories http://shenandoahstories.org 2023-01-27T13:44:33-05:00 2023-01-27T13:48:04-05:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/329 Shenandoah County Library Staff Between 1867 and 1937 a school for Woodstock’s African American population was held on this property. In 1865 the Freedman’s Bureau, a Federal Agency, opened the “Lincoln School” in Woodstock for African American Students. The location of that original school is unknown, but in 1867 Mt. Zion Methodist Church opened and the school moved into that building. Enrollment for the Freedman’s School varied between 15 and 60 students between 1865 and 1870. Teachers were Rev. D.A. Miles (1865), Mary J. Knowles (1868), Missie E. Ovrette (1869) and Rev. Carter (1870). Typically, the school opened in January and closed its session in either May or June. Courses included reading, geography, arithmetic, writing, and history. A Sabbath School was also sponsored to increase educational opportunities and held every Sunday. An 1868 report noted there were an average of 25 students in that class during the year. In 1870 Virginia’s new “Underwood” Constitution was enacted and required the creation of a public school system for white and black students. Educational opportunities for grades 1-7 were provided free of charge under the new system. The Freedman’s Bureau held the last session of the “Lincoln School” that year. Presumably a new public school opened in Woodstock’s Mt. Zion Methodist Church in the fall of 1870, but no record exists indicating its location or the dates of its term. Emma Dorster was listed as the “Colored Teacher” in an April 1871 edition of the Shenandoah Herald. In November 1875 Shenandoah County Public School Superintendent John Grabill wrote the “colored” school occupied the church building and the teacher “takes a commendable interest in his school seems to be improving. Things were not necessarily easy in for this segregated school. Funding was limited and support from the general community was typically lacking. Textbooks and supplies were typically hand me down from the white schools. Teachers were paid less and had less formal education. Money for building upgrades, paint, utilities, etc. was often lacking. Parents and members of the African American community often conducted fundraisers to make up this difference. The local African American population advocated for construction of a school house. At the time, building and maintaining school buildings was under the auspice of the Woodstock School Trustees, a group appointed and funded by the Woodstock Town Council. The council had funded the purchase of a building for the white students in 1871, but would not fund the construction of a school for black students until 1882 following several years of lobbying by the African American population and the county school system. This one room, wood frame school was constructed to the rear of Mt. Zion Methodist Church on property owned by the congregation. The land was provided free of charge and funds for the school were shared between the community and town council. This provided a single class room for the students. Educational activities, such as plays, assemblies, etc. continued to be held in the church. In 1924, the Sanborn Fire Insurance Company showed the school on their fire insurance map. At the time it was a single story, wood structure, 15 feet in height and heated by a wood stove with no electric lights. It still offered classes for grades 1-7. No high school for African Americans existed in the county and students wishing to pursue their education had to travel to Manassas Virginia until a school was constructed in Winchester in the 1930s. In contrast, the Woodstock School on Court Street, utilized by white students, was a three story, brick structure, with electric lights, modern conveniences, and classes for grades 1-12. The wood frame “Colored School” would be utilized until 1937 when it was replaced by a new structure on Water Street. After this time the property was sold and the school demolished. For more (including 2 images), view the original article. 2019-05-17T15:16:21-04:00 2023-04-28T16:27:34-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/322 Carley Bennett and Update by Zachary Hottel, April 2023 In 1959 the Shenandoah County School Board constructed a new high school named after a Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. This school was one of three high schools in Shenandoah County built at that time. “Stonewall Jackson High School” was formally dedicated on April 24, 1960 having been open to students for the 1959-1960 academic year. The first principal was Thomas L. Snyder and enrollment for the first year, Grades 8-12, was 501. The new school building housed students from Mount Jackson and New Market. They were needed to accommodate a growing student population. Through the years of 1960 to 1961, Shenandoah County Public Schools increased their total enrollment from 4,731 students to 4,908. Teaching positions had also increased from 189 to 220. Since then, the number of students continued to steadily increase. To meet this need the school structure was expanded from its original 13 classrooms in 1964 when four classrooms were added and in 1993 when six classrooms were added as part of a new science wing. A more extensive renovation was completed in 2004 when a new gymnasium, weight room, PE offices, guidance office, library media center, and more were added. Major academic strides had been taken to advance academic opportunities for the students. Lord Fairfax Community College (now Laurel Ridge Community College), opened in 1970, worked with Stonewall Jackson to offer on-sight dual enrollment classes for students looking for a foot-hold in college level class work. In 1990, dual enrollment classes were officially offered to students at Stonewall Jackson. Dual enrollment classes are still offered today, and, as of 2019, the school has the largest amount of dual enrollment class opportunities than any other school in Shenandoah County Public School system. The students at Stonewall Jackson were very dedicated to their academics, but students also set aside time to take part in extracurricular activities such as school sports and clubs. Sports include, but are not limited to, Football, Cross Country, Track & Field, and Volleyball. In 1981, the women’s Track and Field team won the State Track & Field meet. In 1989, both the women’s and men’s Cross Country team won the State Championship title. Clubs that were offered at the school in 1965 and are no longer available to students, including the Library club and Safety Patrol club. The Future Farmers of America (FFA) is a club that many at Stonewall Jackson have, and continue to be, involved with. One community event they do is for the Elementary School (Ashby Lee Elementary School), and that is Apples & Milk Day where students learn about Stonewall Jackson FFA, as well as where their food comes from. Clubs were a big part of helping students develop relationships in the school, as well as outside in the community. On July 9, 2020 the Shenandoah County School Board approved a name change for the school from Stonewall Jackson High School following a resolution condemning racism and affirming a commitment to an inclusive school environment. This led to critical and affirming protests by many community members. In January 2021 the School Board approved “Mountain View High School” as the new name for the school and retained the “Generals” mascot following the recommendation of a committee of students, teachers, and community members. The name became official during the 2021-2022 school year. As of 2023 the school housed 625 students in grades 9-12. It offers an Art Guild, Future Farmers of America, Home Economics, Interact, National Honor Society, Student Council Association, World Languages, Recycling, Knitting, Debate, and Board Game Club. Sports include Football, Cross Country, Baseball, Soccer, Cheerleading, Volleyball, Tennis, Golf, and Basketball. For more (including 3 images), view the original article. 2018-04-10T11:44:24-04:00 2023-01-26T12:44:17-05:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/304 Logan Olszewski- Shenandoah County Library Sometime around 1868, New Market resident Jessie Rupert constructed this building at 9401 Congress Street. The structure, originally three stories tall, served as her residence and a school. Rupert, born May 15, 1831, had considerable experience providing educational opportunities. During the 1850s she was the Principal of the Ann Smith Academy in Lexington Virginia. In 1858 she moved to New Market to head the New Market Female Seminary which she led until 1867. Despite this experience, Rupert and her school were not popular in New Market. A unionist during the Civil War, Jesse had faced the hostility of the local populace. When her husband, a local magistrate and community leader Solomon died in 1867, she found herself without the protection his status provided and soon without a job when she was ousted as leader of the Female Seminary. Undaunted, Jesse Rupert continued her work as an educator. This building would house two separate schools between 1868 and 1870. The first was the “Cottage Institute,” a day and boarding school for young women funded by tuition. Details about this school are sparse, but it appears to have operated from ca. 1868 - ca. 1870. The second school was the “Woodward Cottage Institute.” It provided both a day and night school, tuition free to local white and African American children. These students typically could not afford tuition to local private schools. The first reference to this school appears in a December 1, 1869 letter from Rev. Edward Hale to General O.O. Howard appealing for assistance for the school. In the letter, Hale mentions Jessie Rupert was teaching 55 pupils in New Market using funds from the “Soldiers Memorial Society.” Following this letter, Rupert would begin to receive financial assistance from the Freedman’s Bureau and the American Missionary Society for a night school that would last through 1870. She adopted “Woodward Cottage Institute” as the name of the school. Jesse Rupert provided numerous monthly reports to the Freedman’s Bureau on her work with the Woodward Cottage Institute. A January 20, 1870 report noted she was being paid $20 per month for the night school which was having a positive impact “among the poor here.” In the same report she described her school building as 80’ x 40’ and two stories high. She conducted school in a 20’ x 35’ school room on the first floor and lived on the second. Multiple classes were offered here for white and black students. It is uncertain if the classes were integrated or if separate classes were offered for each race at different times. Three months later, Jessie Rupert provided an April 1870 report to the Freedmans Bureau. In it, she noted there were 29 “colored” students and 17 white students who she was teaching alphabet, reading, geography, arithmetic, and writing. She would provide services for an average of 30 students each month that the school operated. The New Market community was not happy with Jesse Rupert and her school. Many opposed free public education in general and most opposed the idea of white and African American students being educated together. For example, on February 22, 1870 she faced off with local members of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists after flying the American flag outside the school on George Washington’s birthday. A group attempted to enter the school at night to remove the flag, but were blocked by an armed Rupert. In a report to the Freedman’s Bureau the next month, she reported public sentiment about the school was “most bitter” and wrote “I have suffered greatly almost to violence, because of my connection with the American Missionary Association.” In June 1870 funding for the Woodward Cottage Institute ceased and the school closed. The Cottage Institute also closed around that time in part because local residents boycotted sending their children to Rupert’s school because she had chosen to educate African Americans. Jessie Rupert would continue to reside here until her 1909 death, supporting herself by becoming a travelling speaker discussing her trials as a Union sympathizer in the south in various northern cities. This building, as originally constructed contained numerous architectural features that were designed to look like a cottage in line with the school’s name. These were removed or covered during several 20th century renovations. As of 2023 the building still stands but is unused. For more (including 5 images), view the original article. 2018-02-12T12:15:19-05:00 2018-10-19T11:46:22-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/298 Logan Olszewski- Shenandoah County Library In the winter of 1903, a two-story, slate building was completed to house the students of New Market High School. At last, an institution established in 1870 by Professor E.A. Luster was receiving its own building dedicated to graded and high school students. The new schoolhouse was set to be open in time for the first day of classes on September 7, 1903. However, Miss Sophia Heinrich, the first woman Principal who was appointed in 1902, was able to hold classes in the old Baptist Church, presumably Smith Creek Baptist Church, until the completion of the school. On November 23, 1903, the school opened. The 94 students were welcomed with a brief program that included singing “America” and “Bringing in the Sheaves.” Prominent local figures, Rev. J.A. Snyder and Mr. Elon O. Henkel, were also reported to have attended the ceremony where prayers were given and the community was congratulated on the beautiful building and the importance of education. The school remained an academic institution until 1930. On May 15th of that year, Ms. Thomas Rice observed flames were coming from the roof of the building. Despite efforts of the New Market Fire Department, the blaze caused an extensive amount of damage and the school was reported to lie in near ruin. The people of New Market did not look on this as a tragedy. They quickly bonded together to raise money for a new building which was built on the north end of town. Until it was finished in 1933, classes were taught at many different buildings, including: the bank building, the Knights of Pythias Hall, a nearby orphanage, the Polytechnic building, and the old Town Hall. This site was later bought by the Whitmore family who built a two-story colonial-style home here. For more (including 2 images), view the original article. 2016-06-03T14:00:30-04:00 2019-07-15T11:10:24-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/96 Shenandoah County Library The first school in what is now Conicville opened in 1873. It was a one room school that stood in the middle of the community which was then called Cabin Hill. It was replaced by a two room school within 10 years. That structure was located on the site of the current school building on the south end of the community. By 1911, the population of the area was so large, a bigger school was needed. The former building was demolished and a new, state designed, school was constructed. This structure still stands. This 1911 school was one of the larger rural schools in the area and reflects prosperity of the community. It was named the Conicville School from the time of its opening. A large auditorium was included in the school’s design. School events including graduations, plays, and recitals were held here. Community groups, including a school league, also held fundraisers and meetings in the school. This use meant the school also served as a type of community center. Originally the school housed a primary and high school. Students attended grades 1-7 for free, but paid a tuition to complete upper grades. Children from other small communities that did not have a High School, and that could afford the tuition, would have also attended. Many of these individuals would have boarded with local families or regularly travel. With the opening of new high schools in each of the county’s towns in the 1930s, Conicville School became a primary school housing grades 1-7. During this period the introduction of school buses to the county allowed for the closing of smaller schools in other areas. Many of the students from the region surrounding Conicville were transferred to its school as part of a consolidation effort. In 1959 the Conicville School was closed following another round of consolidation. At the time the school was considered out of date and was in disrepair. Students were transferred to a newer school in Columbia Furnace. Since that time the former school building has served in various capacities as a commercial and residential space, including as home for a gift shop and later t-shirt business in the 1990s and early 2000s. For more (including 3 images), view the original article. 2016-06-03T12:17:35-04:00 2021-08-12T15:43:59-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/92 Shenandoah County Library The first school in the St. Luke community dates to before 1841. That year the school building, and a parcel of land, was deeded to a group of school trustees who agreed to use the building and land as a Union Church and school. This original school and lot was located between the current Lutheran and Brethren Churches and is now a parking lot. It was used until sometime in the 1880s when a new, two story, four room public school was built to replace it. In 1932 the community saw the need to build a new school to replace what was then a deteriorating structure. Locals donated the land, many of the materials, and labor to help build a new brick school across the road from the existing building. This facility was a one story, three room building complete with a large auditorium/cafeteria used for school and community events. A School League existed here in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. They held regular plays, skits, recitations, and musical events at the school to raise money for projects and to expand the student’s experience. In 1963 the Shenandoah County School Board voted to close the St. Luke School. For several decades the consolidation effort had led the local school system to eliminate community schools in favor of larger, more centralized schools in the county’s towns. However, St. Luke residents protested the school closure leading the school board to rescind their vote. They agreed to keep the school open, and with the help of the school league, install indoor bathrooms. This allowed the school to remain open until 1965 when the School Board decided again to close the school, this time for good. In 1967 the building was sold to the St. Luke Lutheran Church who converted it into a parish hall. It remains in use in this capacity today, hosting church and community events while the school lot is utilized by local little league baseball and other sports teams. For more (including 4 images), view the original article. 2016-06-03T11:01:58-04:00 2021-08-13T11:50:46-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/88 Shenandoah County Library In the spring 1934 a serious fire destroyed a large portion of the Columbia Furnace School which dated to 1911. The Shenandoah County School Board made the decision to replace the damaged structure with an entirely new building. This school house was built using Federal funds provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and opened in September of 1934. The single story, brick building with cinder block basement, housed grades 1-7. Though a High School had been operated at the previous school, school leaders decided to eliminate the program in the new school. Students wishing to attend upper grades were bused to Edinburg. The Columbia Furnace community provided a great deal of support to the school and students. Soon after it opened, the school board granted the Ladies Aid Society permission to hold socials in the building and to provide hot lunches to students one day a week. This organization, and others, held regular events in the school to support community projects and the local churches. In the 1940s the local PTA raised funds to install the school’s first playground. A major flood struck the area in 1936. Though water came within four feet of the school, it remained dry. Students were unable to return home and remained in the building overnight. The women of the Aid Society remained behind to provide dinner and students slept on desks. The next morning the teachers, Julia Clem, Eddie Williams, Clara Whetzel, and John Will, were able to lead the student’s home after flood waters had receded. In July of 1965 the School Board closed Columbia Furnace as school’s consolidated. Problems with the school’s water supply and other issues also contributed to the decision. The student population, which had increased dramatically after the closing of other local schools, was bused to Edinburg. The building was sold in 1967 and became apartments. For more (including 3 images), view the original article. 2016-06-02T10:18:37-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/82 Shenandoah County Library In 1874 Edinburg’s citizens began a lottery to fund the construction of a school in town. These efforts proved to be successful, and in 1876 what became known as the Edinburg Graded and High School, or the Cedar Hill Academy, was opened. The school building, a two story frame structure, stood on this site. The first floor was used for classrooms and the second floor contained an auditorium for community and school events. This design was popular in the area and most county schools were built in this style. Originally the school housed 163 students. These individuals were divided into three grades. Children remained in these grades for several years before advancing. Governance was provided by the Madison District School Trustees who operated the school until 1922 when it was deed to the Shenandoah County School Board. At the turn of the 20th century the Edinburg School was one of the first in Shenandoah County to provide High School courses and other types of advanced learning opportunities. In 1906 the High School was official founded and a rear wing added to the building to house these new pupils. At the same time a long staircase was constructed to give access to the school from the Valley Pike. These stairs still remain. Community support for the school remained strong throughout this period. A school league was formed in 1905 to raise additional funds. Dinners, plays, and other fundraisers were held both at the school and town hall. Local families often allowed out of town High School students to board with them since there was no High School in rural areas. The school operated until 1933 when the new brick Edinburg School opened on Stoney Creek Road. After which, Cedar Hill was demolished and the materials used to repair other schools in the county. For more (including 2 images), view the original article. 2016-05-31T11:49:37-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/81 Judy Reynolds In June 1880 Levi Gochenour deeded a one-acre lot to Shenandoah County Public Schools for the purpose of building a schoolhouse for the families of the surrounding community. It is believed he provided this particular lot, located a half a mile from his home, so that a schoolhouse full of noisy children would not be built near his home as originally proposed. Captain John H. Grabill, the first Superintendent of Shenandoah County Schools, recorded in his diary that he visited the school in 1882. This school building was a simple affair with a single privy for both sexes and shiplap siding. Later dual toilets, running water, a tin roof, and a large vestibule were added. For almost sixty years the schoolhouse was the center of the community, not only providing two generations of students with an education, but also serving the community as a Drunkard (Brethren) Church and a gathering place for socials, dances and cultural events such as plays. The children took turns carrying buckets of water from a nearby spring to the school. Later, the Federal Government’s Works Progress Administration funded the digging of a cistern that is still present near the entrance of the school building. Older boys would arrive early during the winter to start the stove which sat in the middle of the schoolroom. Linden Coffman tells the story of how one day the boys decided they wanted to have a day off, so the boys overheated the stove. When the teacher arrived and saw the red hot stove, she was so scared that she called off school. Miss Pearlie Fravel who began her teaching career in 1923 at Mt. Airy, was one of the first teachers in Shenandoah County to have a 2-year teaching certificate from Harrisonburg Normal School (James Madison University). This caused problems with the superintendent who did not like the idea of paying her more because she had a degree. She introduced a new subject to the curriculum, physical education. Mt. Airy’s provided an education to children through the seventh grade. Afterwards, they could pay tuition to attend High School in Woodstock if they could afford to the transportation to town. After the completion of the 1938 school year, Mt. Airy closed. The schoolhouse property reverted to the heirs of Levi Gochenour. It was last used to shelter sheep by John Reynolds, a great, great grandson of Levi, and now sits vacant. For more (including 5 images), view the original article. 2016-05-13T11:56:06-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/48 Shenandoah County Library In 1877 the Shenandoah County School Board purchased a one-half acre lot to build a new school in Mt. Jackson. This would be the first county operated, public school in the town. The new structure would be finished the following year. It was part of a building plan that saw the construction of new schools in Edinburg, Mt. Jackson, and New Market that were all of the same design. The Mt. Jackson Graded and High School, as it was called, housed grades 1-12. Students in Grade School were provided a free education. However, once an individual reached grade 8 they became a High School student and could only continue at the school if they paid tuition. Since High Schools were only operated in towns and larger communities, pupils in more rural areas would also have to provide their own transportation. This school closed in 1920 when the new Mt. Jackson High School was completed on the south end of town and the old was sold to the Rinker Brothers who opened a filling station at the site. Later it became Verhencamp's, a local tractor and machinery dealership. Today it houses Imboden Environmental Services. For more, view the original article.