The Green Case- 50 Years On

New Kent History in the News

Green v. New Kent anniversary coverage from the Virginia Gazette(Williamsburg)

Green Wood- 1909

                                                                  New Kent News.

Roxbury. Va . Jan. 6-The pretty young lady teacher of White House schools has blistered her hands cutting wood to keep her pupils warm. She showed the blisters which were as large as English walnuts, to this scribe. This is all true. as will be vouched for by the young lady herself. She was deeply affected as she told of the suffer of her pupils.  

This is a shame and disgrace to our county. Where is the man who the county taxpayers are paying ten dollars a year to furnish wood, good dry wood, cut and ready for user? Not green poles and they not cut? What are the county officials doing? I have written to trustees of the conditions and got no relief, not even hot air We hate to say this, for every member of board is a most perfect gentleman and personal friends of the writer, but duty demands this. He that knoweth his duty and doeth it not will be beaten with many stripes.  

Mr. Henry Post, the popular clerk for Mr. C. D. Binns at this place, after spending several days with his parents at Porto Bello, has returned to his duties again. He brought with him a ten pound fruit cake, lot of chochow(sic), pies, four baked rabbits, one turkey, two large fowls, all prepared by his fond mother and enjoyed by his many young friends who hope him a happy new year. 

                                                Truthful Jeems


-Virginia Gazette, 7 January 1909

The teacher, the "pretty young lady" referred to, would have to be Miss Mary Bailey whose hiring at the White House school was mentioned in a November 1908 article by "Truthful Jeems."

"She Has Her Finger On The Pulse Of School Affairs At All Times."

                                                       NEW KENT COUNTY

The honor of being the first woman elected to trusteeship on a county school board in Virginia is claimed by Mrs. Belle B. Turner of Lanexa, New Kent county. The name of Mrs. Turner was placed in nomination at a meeting of the Trustee Electoral Board on October 4, 1920, and favorably voted on. She qualified as trustee of Cumberland district on November 23, 1920, her term of office to expire September 1, 1923. 

Mrs Turner is the proud mother of a bright-eyed little daughter and a partner with her husband in the successful operation of the Bellecourt Dairy Farm at Lanexa. Aside from possessing unusual business qualifications Mrs. Turner is familiar with the problems of the rural school, teacher having at one time been a teacher herself in the public schools of the State. 

Interrogated as to her opinion of the importance of the recent recognition of the active citizenship of women Mrs Turner had the following to say. The amendment to the Federal Constitution which gave women of this and other States the right to vote empowered them with a great privilege and a greater responsibility One of the most needed services women can render is that of helping to improve the public school system. In no other branch of public Service can women exercise to more advantage their new citizenship. 

"Women and especially mothers, many of whom have been teachers, are really the best judges of results in child training. Excepting the hearthstone, there is no place more propitious to the teaching of fine citizenship than in the schoolroom and on the school grounds. It is incumbent on every voter in the State to do his utmost to place on school boards men and women who are capable of passing on the merits of good and bad instruction." 

"The rural supervisor is a great asset to the rural school system. She has her finger on the pulse of school affairs at all times. She is the mutual helper of School board and school teacher. She is the friend to those who need her most- the children."  

"Our schools of today harbor our citizens of tomorrow Citizenship is the supreme aim of education. Teamwork and the recognition of the square deal must be taught our children. This is the surest way in the tangled skein of human existence to bridge the gulf of malice and distrust which separates in modern civilization for instance Capital and Labor. The day is coming thanks to an efficient school system when these two forces must pull together like two old tired farm horses." 

Furthermore good teachers are essential to good schools. Good teachers demand good salaries We cannot pay good salaries unless funds are available and the Surest way to have money available is to spend our money in Virginia. There is no reason why under the sun of new opportunities in Virginia the school system of this State should not stand second to none in the United States of America 

HERMAN L. HARRIS, Superintendent 

-Virginia Journal of Education,  February 1924- (Vol. XIV No.6)

Virginia State Teachers' Association, Virginia Education Association



The school trustees of that time corresponded to the school board members of our present day. If you are interested in their role . . .

23. The duties of boards of school trustees shall be in general as follows subject to be defined more particularly by the Board of Education and in other parts of this law to wit-  

First, To explain and enforce the school laws and regulations and observe the same.  

Second, To employ teachers, and to dismiss them when delinquent, inefficient, or in anywise unworthy of the position.  

Third, To suspend or dismiss pupils when the prosperity and efficiency of the schools make it necessary.  

Fourth, To decide what children, wishing to enter the schools of the district, are entitled, by reason of the poverty of their parents or guardians, to receive textbooks free of charge, and to provide for supplying them accordingly.  

Fifth, To see that the census of children, required by section twenty five, is taken in the proper time and in proper manner.  

Sixth, To hold regular meetings at fixed periods to be prescribed by the Board of Education and special meetings when called by the chairman or by any two members.  

Seventh, To call meetings of the people of the district for consultation in regard to the school interests thereof at which meetings the chairman or some other member of the board shall preside, if present.  

Eighth, On or before the fifteenth day of July in each year to prepare and return to the president of the county school board to be by him laid before the board at its earliest meeting, an estimate of the amount of money which will be needed in the district during the next scholastic year for providing school houses, school books for indigent children, and other school appliance and necessary, proper and lawful expenses.  

Ninth, To take care of, manage and control the school property of the district. And where in any school district a school house belonging to the public free schools of said district is unoccupied and unused for public free school purposes, because of want of school funds to employ a teacher therefor the school trustees for the district in which said school house is situated may permit the same, under such regulations and rules as to them may seem proper to be occupied and used for school purposes by any teacher though not employed by said school board: provided that such arrangement shall not in any wise interfere with or prevent said school house being occupied and used at any time by said trustees for public free school purposes.  

Tenth, To report on any special matter when required by the county superintendent of schools, and to report to him, annually, by the fifteenth day of August, down to the first day of that month, on all subjects indicated in the blank forms supplied for the purpose.  

Eleventh, To visit the public free schools within the district, from time to time, and to take care that they are conducted according to law, and within the utmost efficiency. 

--Virginia Journal of Education, February 1893- Vol. II No.2
Virginia State Teachers' Association, Virginia Education Association

100 Years Ago- From School to War,1917-

Fired by accounts of German atrocities and disappointed in missing a train. John Stone, principal of the high school at Quintin(sic). New Kent County, walked twenty miles Saturday night and presented himself at the recruiting station in Richmond yesterday morning as a candidate for any fighting the government might, have for him. He was not eligible for enlistment in the active service on account of being  more than thirty years old, but he was enrolled in the coast-defense reserve. He left Richmond by train yesterday afternoon to finish his term of teaching at Quinton before putting on the uniform.

-Richmond Times-Dispatch, April 9 1917

School Report of 1839- Part II

Some more information pertinent to the early "public" schools of New Kent post of April 2.

A)The post mentioned the "200 poor children in county." The 1840 Census luckily breaks down by race, sex and age. To give you and idea of what percentage of the county's children were considered poor. Looking at school age children, for New Kent it gives a total of 359 white males aged 5 through 14, and 307 females the same age.(The school system of course was only available to whites.)

B)Some background on the public school system, such as it was, of the time.

Charity or Public Schools-  . . . The lack of funds, as we have seen, was the cause of the failure of Jefferson's [education] plan of 1796, and this law[school law of 1810] said that all money coming into the state treasury from fines, forfeitures and certain other sources should be set aside to provide schools for the poor children in every county. The money thus set aside was called the "Literary Fund." In 1816 the money loaned by Virginia to the United States government in 1812 to help carry on the war with Great Britain was repaid to Virginia, and the General Assembly added this money, amounting to over $1,200,000, to the Literary Fund. Beginning in 1818 $45,000 each year was paid out of the interest on this fund for schools. Later on the amount increased as more fines came in. 

Only the children of poor white people could get the benefit of this money. In 1825 for instance, 10,226 children went to these schools; in 1851 31,486 were sent, and in 1859 54,232 were sent, the money coming annually from the fund for the schools being about $160,000. The schools were charity schools and wrongly called public schools. They were open only about three months in the year and nothing but reading writing and arithmetic were taught. Especially in the eastern section of Virginia it was considered a disgrace to be so poor as to have to go to the "public schools" and long after they had ceased to be charity schools and had become schools for all classes, rich and poor alike, and good enough for the richest as well as the poorest boy and girl, the "public school" was looked down upon in some parts of Virginia because the old idea of charity school still stuck.   

-School History of Virginia- Edgar Sydenstricker, Ammen Lewis Burger-1914

School Report of 1839

ABSTRACT OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS REPORTS FOR THE YEAR 1839 

NEW KENT- The teachers patronized by the school commissioners are of good moral character and qualifications. The children progress as well as children generally do and some beyond mediocrity The school commissioners take the liberty of suggesting an opinion, that if the price of tuition were raised to six cents per day, more good might be done. Most of the common school teachers would not take them in their schools, but for philanthropic feelings, and the more efficient teachers, who reject them now, might be induced to take them in their schools.

-9 common schools

-200 poor children in county

-56 attending per diem

-5384 days attended

-rate of tuition 4 cents a day

-$250.88 annual expenditure 

"Under the Management of Competent Teachers"

             
                                             NEW KENT FEMALE SCHOOL

THE exercises of this School will be resumed on the 16th October, under the management of competent teachers,and will close on the 15th of August, 1849.

Board and Tuition in the English branches, $100 

French,                                                       10

Music, and the use of Piano,                         25

One half of the Board and Tuition will be expected to be paid when the scholar enters the school, or the 1st January, and the other half on the 1st May.          

                                                                           R.T.LACY.

-Richmond Enquirer, 22 September 1848

"Such delays are no longer tolerable, . . ."

Samuel W. Tucker, who argued the petitioners case before the high court

Good piece over at the Tidewater Review on the historic, and yet fairly unknown Green v. County Board of New Kent Decision of 1968 . . .

'Fewer than 50 years ago, New Kent was a segregated county where black children went to George W. Watkins School and white students went to New Kent High School.

"It was us and them," said Barbara Sayles, 64, of the feeling segregation created among students in the county. She graduated . . .'

Read the full court decision here . . .

100 Years Ago: "All This Hue and Cry About Education . . ."

 Hmmm . . . sounds sort of familiar . . .

The Voice of the People

Against Higher School Taxes.

To the Editor of The Times-Dispatch:

 Sir.- Since the two proposed tax bills seem so defective, why can't the present method be improved. If the counties draw too much why can't the State limit their drafts? In all these pauper counties the people are almost taxed to death, while schools are allowed to raid their treasuries. New Kent has always been in this list. In 1904 her tax rate jumped from $1.15 to $1.55 and has hovered around $1.45 ever since. The two assessments add each. The two railroads, telephone and telegraph lines pay about $7,000, it is said. I suppose conditions are about tho same in the other counties.

If schools are to get all they want, a confiscation will not suffice. All this hue and cry about education comes from those who live by the system. Paying little or nothing them selves, they care not what a burden taxation becomes. Half the land in the State produces income. It is like a vacant house in town. At the last census hardly a county showed any gain to brag about, while thirty declined. When riding on the cars, I wonder if our legislators ever think how it is possible to live on much or the land passed. To squeeze the last cent from the taxpayer seems their only thought.

Last year a rate of 20 cents per $100 on bank deposits was thought ample. Now the same men would give the State officials unlimited power regarding such deposits. A criminal can't he made to testify, but a depositor is to be forced to do so, while bank clerks are to become spies- a fund having been provided to pay for such work. In 1900 just such a bill slipped through. It was denounced everywhere and soon declared unconstitutional on account of some little technicality.
                H.T. FAUNT LE ROY
        New Kent, Va., February 3, 1915.

-Richmond Times-Dispatch, February 05, 1915

The Barhamsville School Controversy, Pt. 3- A New Letter

 This letter was not part of my original series 3 years ago . . .

The New Kent School Matter

Editor of The Times:

Sir,. There appeared in the daily Issue of your paper of the 22d inst. an article headed "Fierce Feud About Schools in New Kent County," &, which I think should not be allowed to pass by unnoticed and I beg that you allow this a place in your paper.

 In the first place there is no uncommon trouble in the district about schools, only a difference of views among the people of the Bradenham School District as to the location of a school-house. It is true that a mystery surrounds the burning of the Bradenham school-house, but suspicion rests upon no one that I have heard of. In regard to the burning of Barhamsville school. There is not the slightest doubt as to the origin, as it was burnt about 11 o'clock in the day while school was in session and was observed first in the top of the building. The county superintendent knew this when he made the statement imputed to him by the writer of this article. that both houses were mysteriously burnt. He is absolutely false that there is any contention whatever between the neighborhoods of Barhamsville and Bradenham, and has never been. About eight years ago the people in the Bradenham neighborhood asked to have a school in their midst; the District Board declined to establish one on the ground that the means at their disposal did not justify it and that the place they wanted it was too near to the Barhamsville school. A Board of Reference was called and a school was established by shortening the term or all the schools and reducing the salaries of the teachers. This made the fourth white school. Last year it became necessary, on account of a falling off in our school population, to reduce the schools in order to meet the legal requirements under, the law and the District Board combined two colored schools and enlarged the house to accommodate the children, making only two schools for the colored people. After the Bradenham house was burned the patron's naturally wished it rebuilt. The attention of the District board was attracted to that part of the Constitution relating to public, schools, and being impressed with the idea that they were discriminating too freely in the division of the schools between the races, they declined to rebuild until they could get serious advice on the subject; however they rented a house and started the school. In the meantime a meeting of the patrons of the Barhamsville and Bradenham schools was advised to consider the above and see if some satisfactory arrangement could not be made to combine the two schools, but nothing was accomplished, I went to Richmond to consult the State Board. I did not see any of the members of the Board, but saw Mr. Brent, the secretary. I stated my trouble to him. I came home and reported the result of my conference to the District Board, and they decided to rebuild. We consulted with. a large majority of the patrons as to what place they desired, the house built, as there had been some talk by parties living in and around Plum Point to put the house closer to them.

 Patrons representing nineteen children attending school said put it back on the very same spot where the old one was burned and a contract was let to that effect under specifications that the contractor would furnish all material and build the house for the sum of $140. After the house was about three-fourths completed a Board of Reference was called, asking the removal the, house nearer Plum-Point. The Board met December 18th. There were only two of the advocates for moving the house present, one of whom was not a patron or any school and would not probably be for several years, his children being so young. The other gentleman did everything in his power and means to establish the school eight years ago where it now stands. There were five patrons present who testified that the house should remain where it is, but the Board decided that the school was improperly located when it was first built, and should be removed one and a half or two miles nearer to Plum Point. The contractor suspended work for a week or more no place having been designated to build the house. The superintendent had never visited that section of this county and it looked to him that no place would be found in any reasonable time, so he completed his contract. The Board received the house and paid the contract price. A petition, asking the county superintendent to grant a new hearing in the case, signed by eight patrons representing twenty children attending school out of an enrollment of twenty-four, was returned with the information (after consultation with Mr. Brent) that no rehearing could possibly be had from the decision of the Board of Reference.

Yours truly

S. GODDIN.

 Barhamsville, Va., Jan. 25, 1902.

-The Richmond Times, February 2,1902

A Repeat: The Barhamsville School Controversy, Pt. 2

 The second of the series . . .

The New Kent School Matter,

Editor of The Times:

Sir,— The news item in ,The Times of January 22nd, under the caption "Fierce Feud About Schools, New Kent Community, etc.." does such gross injustice to the people in this section of our county that it should not be allowed to pass uncontradicted. It is quite a surprise to our people to learn of the existence of a feud. It is true that considerable dissatisfaction exists between some of the Bradenham people due to their differing as to location of school. That it has reached an acute stage is untrue, as is also the statement of "bad blood" between the Barhamsville and Bradenham communities (using your classification). There have been some bickerings among the Bradenham people since the first organization of their school, but the present trouble is very different from the former. It is needless to go into details of such controversies, which appear to be gradually working themselves in as a part and parcel of the public school system.

As to the burning of the two school buildings and the implication that one was a retaliation of the other, amounts almost to a slander. The Bradenham school-house burned just before the beginning of the school term. The origin of the fire was unknown, but not the slightest suspicion attaches to any or your correspondent's "feudists." The one at Barhamsville burned about 10 o'clock A.M. and during the session of the school, caused by a defective flue. We regret that you should have printed such a highly colored article on the shortcomings of this district. Our people are as law-abiding as any in the State, and the Barhamsville and Bradehham communities will unite in repelling any unjust attacks on their good citizenship.

Very truly,

        F.W. WOODWARD.

Barhamsville, Va., Jan. 23, 1902.

-The Richmond Times, January 25, 1902



Bradenham is the name of family in the Barhamsville area who are mentioned in records as far back as before the American Revolution. The recently deceased Gladys Bradenham Upp was a teacher in New Kent County schools.

A Repeat: The Barhamsville School Controversy, Pt. 1

While doing some blog "house keeping" I came across theses postings from March of 2011, and thought that after tidying them up they might bear repeating . . .

FIERCE FEUD ABOUT SCHOOLS

New Kent Community Wrought Up.Two School-Houses Burned.

The citizens of New Kent county, in the neighborhood of Barhamsville, are greatly wrought up over school matters. Two school-houses have recently been burned, both, under very unusual circumstances, as the superintendent of the county schools himself states. And two neighborhoods are waging a fierce tight against each other. They have done so for nearly ten years, and the settlement is apparently further off than ever before. Superintendent George  Fisher, of the New Kent Schools, was in the city yesterday to lay the matter before Dr. Southall the Superintendent of Public, instruction. He makes a lengthy report to Dr Southall stating that he is in a serious dilemma, and asks for advise as to what is best to be done.

INVOLVES PROMINENT PEOPLE.

To give a history of this trouble, which involves some of the most prominent people in that section of the county, is to give the history of the two neighborhoods of Barhamsville and Bradenham for ten years past. The feud started, between two families many years ago. A member of one family was supposed to have said something ugly about a prominent member of another family. Later this family wanted a school in their section of the county, that is, down near Plum Point. This is the Weir Creek district. The other family, with all that was in them, opposed it. A Board of Reference was called and the new school was decided upon. This became the "Bradenham" School. But the other family and their friends who lived at Barhamsville have fought the school ever since. Mr. Fisher says that it has been the "bone of contention" ever since it was built.

FEUD BREAKS OUT AFRESH.

And so matters went on, the two neighborhoods nagging at each other until the fresh break came last fall. The Bradenham and the Barhamsville schools are only a mile and a half apart. All the children at Barhamsville and between the Bradenham school and Barhamsville have been attending the latter school, no parent deigning to send a child to the Bradenham school. All the patrons of the Bradenham school lived down the county on the other side of Bradenham. Matters took a curious turn as a result of the feud. The patrons of the Bradenham school wanted the school moved into their neighborhood. The Barhamsville faction would not hear to this, and determined to fight it with all their might.They didn't send their children there,but they were not willing to see the school moved on the ground that the locality to which Bradenham people wanted to take it was not healthy, etc. So matters stood and the question of moving had not been settled. It was apparently settled, however, just before the session, was to begin last fall, by the Bradenham schoolhouse being burned in the night. Mr Fisher says that no fire had been built in the house for months.

FEARED ANOTHER FIRE.

In due time a new schoolhouse was begun. But so strong was the suspicion of the incendiary origin of the fire and so certain did some feel that the new schoolhouse would also be burned that the persons who sold the lumber to the building contractor refused to deliver it until he had taken out a builder's insurance. About the middle of last month patrons of the Bradenham School sent a petition to Mr. Fisher asking for a Board of Reference to determine whether or not the new school-house, which was then half finished, should be moved to the place they wanted!. The board decided that it should be moved. The leader of this movement is recognized to be Mr. W. Jackson Taylor. But the contractor said that he was employed to build the school-house there and there he would build it. Just at Christmas the Barhamville patrons sent a petition to the Board of Reference asking it to reconsider its action. Mr. C. Sylvanus Goddin is said to be the leader here.

OTHER SCHOOL-HOUSE BURNED.

Close upon this petition, just-ten days ago the school-house at Barhamsville was burned to the ground. Mr. Fisher admits that he is at his wits end to know what to do, and wants the advice of the State superintendent.

- The Richmond Times, January 22, 1902

School Fete- 1916

NEW KENT COUNTY HOLDS SCHOOL FAIR

[Special to The Times-dispatch]

TOANO VA., April 15. The New Kent annual school fair was held at the court house with a large crowd of interested patrons and children in attendance. The event was a success. The entire morning  was devoted to athletics under the direction of Wallace Woodard. The following schools took part in the fair and competed for ribbons: Tunstalls. Misses Baker and Taylor, teachers: Quinton. Misses Huffman and Williams, teachers; Good Hope, Misses Muir and Olive, teachers; Liberty, Misses Minor and Messick, teachers: Barhamsville. Misses Hazelwood and Carlton; Pine Fork. Miss Virginia Percifull, teacher; Walls. Miss Mamie Oliver, teacher: Oak. Miss Virgilia Warburton. teacher: Windsor Shades, Miss Bessie Brown, teacher: Providence Forge, Miss Adele Richardson. teacher: New Kent. Miss Mary Tench, teacher: White House. Miss Fedora Haxall, teacher: During the afternoon honors were announced, and a few remarks made by Superintendent A.C. Cooper and an address delivered by Mr. Farrar, field agent for the farm demonstration work. Much Interest was shown by the teachers and pupils, and some very excellent work was on exhibition. The Windsor Shades School won first honors for highest average attendance, with the Walls School a close second. The Providence Forge School won first honors in the excellence contest for one-teacher schools. The Liberty School and the Barhamsville School tied for the same honors for the two-teacher schools.

-Richmond Times-Dispatch- April 16, 1916

New Kent Schools

A re-posting from two years ago in honor of the new school year . . .

New Kent School Day- 101 Years Ago

- from the Williamsburg Virginia Gazette, May 2, 1912

School Facts, 1826

New Kent

No. of schools in each county...     11

No. of poor children in each county or town...     130

No. of poor children sent to school...     25

Rate of tuition for each school per annum...     $8.00

Amount expended in tuition, books, etc...     $173.29

- from the Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1826

The Beginnings of the George W. Watkins School . . .

 The beginning of the funding that would transition the New Kent Training School to the George W. Watkins School.

Virginia County Votes Negro School Bonds

New Kent Courthouse, Va March 22 (AP)

Citizens of New Kent County today overwhelmingly endorsed a  proposed $120,000 bond issue for the construction of a new Negro school near Quinton. Citizens from six precincts voted 272 in favor of the bond issue and 48 against it.

Plans call for the construction of an 8-room school with auditorium and modern sanitation facilities on the site of the present school, on Route 33, about 8 miles west of here.

-Washington Post, March 23,1949

Barhamsville School Controversy Pt. 2

The New Kent School Matter

Editor of The Times:

Sir,. There appeared in the daily Issue of your paper of the 22d inst. an article headed "Fierce Feud About Schools in New Kent County," &, which I think should not be allowed to pass by unnoticed and I beg that you allow this a place in your paper.

 In the first place there is no uncommon trouble in the district about schools, only a difference of views among the people of the Bradenham School District as to the location of a school-house. It is true that a mystery surrounds the burning of the Bradenham school-house, but suspicion rests upon no one that I have heard of. In regard to the burning of Barhamsville school. There is not the slightest doubt as to the origin, as it was burnt about 11 o'clock in the day while school was in session and was observed first in the top of the building. The county superintendent knew this when he made the statement imputed to him by the writer of this article. that both houses were mysteriously burnt. He is absolutely false that there is any contention whatever between the neighborhoods of Barhamsville and Bradenham, and has never been. About eight years ago the people in the Bradenham neighborhood asked to have a school in their midst; the District Board declined to establish one on the ground that the means at their disposal did not justify it and that the place they wanted it was too near to the Barhamsville school. A Board of Reference was called and a school was established by shortening the term or all the schools and reducing the salaries of the teachers. This made the fourth white school. Last year it became necessary, on account of a falling off in our school population, to reduce the schools in order to meet the legal requirements under, the law and the District Board combined two colored schools and enlarged the house to accommodate the children, making only two schools for the colored people. After the Bradenham house was burned the patron's naturally wished it rebuilt. The attention of the District board was attracted to that part of the Constitution relating to public, schools, and being impressed with the idea that they were discriminating too freely in the division of the schools between the races, they declined to rebuild until they could get serious advice on the subject; however they rented a house and started the school. In the meantime a meeting of the patrons of the Barhamsville and Bradenham schools was advised to consider the above and see if some satisfactory arrangement could not be made to combine the two schools, but nothing was accomplished, I went to Richmond to consult the State Board. I did not see any of the members of the Board, but saw Mr. Brent, the secretary. I stated my trouble to him. I came home and reported the result of my conference to the District Board, and they decided to rebuild. We consulted with. a large majority of the patrons as to what place they desired, the house built, as there had been some talk by parties living in and around Plum Point to put the house closer to them.

 Patrons representing nineteen children attending school said put it back on the very same spot where the old one was burned and a contract was let to that effect under specifications that the contractor would furnish all material and build the house for the sum of $140. After the house was about three-fourths completed a Board of Reference was called, asking the removal the, house nearer Plum-Point. The Board met December 18th. There were only two of the advocates for moving the house present, one of whom was not a patron or any school and would not probably be for several years, his children being so young. The other gentleman did everything in his power and means to establish the school eight years ago where it now stands. There were five patrons present who testified that the house should remain where it is, but the Board decided that the school was improperly located when it was first built, and should be removed one and a half or two miles nearer to Plum Point. The contractor suspended work for a week or more no place having been designated to build the house. The superintendent had never visited that section of this county and it looked to him that no place would be found in any reasonable time, so he completed his contract. The Board received the house and paid the contract price. A petition, asking the county superintendent to grant a new hearing in the case, signed by eight patrons representing twenty children attending school out of an enrollment of twenty-four, was returned with the information (after consultation with Mr. Brent) that no rehearing could possibly be had from the decision of the Board of Reference.

Yours truly

S. GODDIN.

 Barhamsville, Va., Jan. 25, 1902.

-The Richmond Times, February 2,1902

Barhamsville School Controversy Pt. 1

FIERCE FEUD ABOUT SCHOOLS

New Kent Community Wrought Up.Two School-Houses Burned.

The citizens of New Kent county, in the neighborhood of Barhamsville, are greatly wrought up over school matters. Two school-houses have recently been burned, both, under very unusual circumstances, as the superintendent of the county schools himself states. And two neighborhoods are waging a fierce tight against each other. They have done so for nearly ten years, and the settlement is apparently further off than ever before. Superintendent George  Fisher, of the New Kent Schools, was in the city yesterday to lay the matter before Dr. Southall the Superintendent of Public, instruction. He makes a lengthy report to Dr Southall stating that he is in a serious dilemma, and asks for advise as to what is best to be done.

INVOLVES PROMINENT PEOPLE.

To give a history of this trouble, which involves some of the most prominent people in that section of the county, is to give the history of the two neighborhoods of Barhamsville and Bradenham for ten years past. The feud started, between two families many years ago. A member of one family was supposed to have said something ugly about a prominent member of another family. Later this family wanted a school in their section of tho county, that is, down near Plum Point. This is the Weir Creek district. The other family, with all that was in them, opposed it. A Board of Reference was called and the new school was decided upon. This became the "Bradenham" School. But tho other family and their friends who lived at Barhamsville have fought the school ever since. Mr. Fisher says that it has been the "bone of contention" ever since it was built.

FEUD BREAKS OUT AFRESH.

And so matters went on, the two neighborhoods nagging at each other until the fresh break came last fall. The Bradenham and the Barhamsville schools are only a mile and a half apart. All the children at Barhamsville and between the Bradenham school and Barhamsville have been attending the latter school, not one parent deigning to send a child to the Bradenham school. All the patrons of the Bradenham school lived down the county on the. other side of Bradenham. Matters took a curious turn as a result of the feud. The patrons of the Bradenham school wanted the school moved into their neighborhood. The Barhamsville faction would not hear to this, and determined to fight it with all their might.They didn't send their children there,but they were not willing to see the school moved on the ground that the locality to which Bradenham people wanted to take it was not healthy, etc. So matters stood and the question of moving had not been settled. It was apparently settled, however, just before the session, was to begin last fall, by the Bradenham schoolhouse being burned in the night. Mr Fisher says that no fire had been built in the house for months.

FEARED ANOTHER FIRE.

In due time a new schoolhouse was begun. But so strong was the suspicion of the incendiary origin of the fire and so certain did some feel that the new schoolhouse would also be burned that the persons who sold the lumber to the building contractor refused to deliver it until he had taken out a builder's insurance. About the middle of last month patrons of the Bradenham School sent a petition to Mr. Fisher asking for a Board of Reference to determine whether or not the new school-house, which was then half finished, should be moved to the place they wanted!. The board decided that it should be moved. The leader of this movement is recognized to be Mr. W. Jackson Taylor. But the contractor said that he was employed to build the school-house there and there he would build it. Just at Christmas the Barhamsville patrons sent a petition to the Board of Reference asking it to reconsider its action. Mr. C. Sylvanus Goddin is said to be the leader here.

OTHER SCHOOL-HOUSE BURNED.

Close upon this petition, just-ten days ago the school-house at Barhamsville was burned to the ground. Mr. Fisher admits that he is at his wits end to know what to do, and wants the advice of the State superintendent.

- The Richmond Times, January 22, 1902