415 North Augusta Street
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Last updated on November 21, 2024
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The Effie Ann Johnson Nursery School was established on March 9, 1939, by the Works Progress Administration and supported by the local hospital auxiliary. The nursery was in the Ebenezer Baptist Church Annex and provided daycare for children between two and five years of age. The nursey changed its name to the Effie Ann Johnson Day Nursey in honor of Staunton kindergarten teacher and probation officer. The facility started with hours from 9 am to 3 pm free of charge, and in a few years, the hours of operating increased to meet the needs of working mothers with a one-dollar fee a week. In 1945, the nursery was reorganized and received licensing through the state. Mary Lous White Pannell was the first director then, followed by Edna Tate, Alice Jones, Ellen Defriece, Polly Brumfield, and Judy Hatcher over its 58 years of operation. In 1962, the nursery relocated from the church to Reservoir Street and then to 1314 West Johnson Street a year later. The facility expanded to a full daycare service for 100 preschoolers. From 1939 to 1952, the Effie Ann Johnson Nursey School served over 60 families and 364 children. Due to the decline in enrollment, the Effie Ann Johnson Nursey School closed its doors in 1997. The Staunton Augusta County African American Research Society dedicated a historical marker to the D. Webster Davis School in 2021.
