450 N Mason Street
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Last updated on July 3, 2025
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Directions from Mary Fairfax Home to site 13:
- Make a left onto E Gay St
- Make the right into the parking lot
- Site 13 was here in the Roses Discount Store parking lot
The history of African American schooling in Harrisonburg began after the Civil War in 1868. A mission school was established for African American children, held on the upper floor of the Old Scanlon Hotel. The school moved operations to the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church on West Market Street. In 1870, Harrisonburg implemented the racially segregated public school system in Virginia. The first one-room school for black children was built near Blacks Run and was called Whipple School and/or The Tine Cup Alley School. From 1870 to 1882, black children were educated in the small building that locals referred to as “the little old schoolhouse by the creek.”
The Harrisonburg school board met with black citizens to discuss a new schoolhouse in Newtown. The Harrisonburg Town Council allocated $2,000 for the new Harrisonburg Colored School, built in 1882, which faced Effinger Street. The two-story, four-room brick schoolhouse opened on September 8, 1883. Lucinda Bragg was assigned as the first principal of Effinger, and Lucy Simms and Lizzie Evans were the school’s first instructors. Effinger was the primary education center for African Americans in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, serving as a hub for community activity after school hours. The school operated on three grades based on reading level. Teachers taught academic subjects, including history, government, English, and mathematics. The staff formed the Colored Teacher’s Association, which held monthly meetings to discuss important topics such as teaching techniques. The school was full of children eager to learn and teachers dedicated to their students’ success. Many students recall the dedication and kindness shown to them by their teachers, as well as the enjoyable times they spent with their peers.
Effinger School did not have ample space for occasions such as graduation and assemblies. In 1908, an auditorium and two more classrooms were added to accommodate more students. Construction was completed in 1910. A larger porch was built at the entrance. Electric lighting and adequate ventilation were installed. The expanded basement area included toilets, showers, lavatories, and fountains. A new heating furnace was installed for the cold months. There was still no school cafeteria; therefore, students brought bag lunches or went home for a meal. The gymnasium at the Colonnade (Site 11) on Wolfe Street was used for sporting events, dances, and other events for Effinger.
Under the leadership of Principal W.N.P Harris, Effinger was accredited as a high school in 1915. The school implemented economics, music, and industrial arts into its curriculum. There also the new inclusion of vocational instruction their courses. During 1905 to 1910, there was national push to provide more education in trades because of industrialization and need for skilled labors. Effinger evolved from three grade levels into a familiar grade structure. In December 1915, Principal Harris began offering night school for students aged 14 and older. The age range of participants was 14 to 70. This allowed older African Americans, who had previously been denied education, to learn after a day’s work.
In 1937, Effinger was in poor condition and was considered a fire hazard. After almost 60 years, Effinger Street School closed in 1938. A new school, the Lucy F. Simms School, was established in 1939. It was named after former teacher Lucy F. Simms, who taught at Effinger for almost 50 years. Effinger was constructed when government institutions withheld significant funding, attention, and resources from black schools. The staff and students of Effinger worked hard to create an atmosphere of learning, exploration, and community. The Effinger Street School building was torn down in 1965 during the city’s Urban Renewal projects in the northeast neighborhood. The lot where the school once stood is now part of a shopping center that cut off Effinger Street’s connection to Main Street.
The Harrisonburg school board met with black citizens to discuss a new schoolhouse in Newtown. The Harrisonburg Town Council allocated $2,000 for the new Harrisonburg Colored School, built in 1882, which faced Effinger Street. The two-story, four-room brick schoolhouse opened on September 8, 1883. Lucinda Bragg was assigned as the first principal of Effinger, and Lucy Simms and Lizzie Evans were the school’s first instructors. Effinger was the primary education center for African Americans in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, serving as a hub for community activity after school hours. The school operated on three grades based on reading level. Teachers taught academic subjects, including history, government, English, and mathematics. The staff formed the Colored Teacher’s Association, which held monthly meetings to discuss important topics such as teaching techniques. The school was full of children eager to learn and teachers dedicated to their students’ success. Many students recall the dedication and kindness shown to them by their teachers, as well as the enjoyable times they spent with their peers.
Effinger School did not have ample space for occasions such as graduation and assemblies. In 1908, an auditorium and two more classrooms were added to accommodate more students. Construction was completed in 1910. A larger porch was built at the entrance. Electric lighting and adequate ventilation were installed. The expanded basement area included toilets, showers, lavatories, and fountains. A new heating furnace was installed for the cold months. There was still no school cafeteria; therefore, students brought bag lunches or went home for a meal. The gymnasium at the Colonnade (Site 11) on Wolfe Street was used for sporting events, dances, and other events for Effinger.
Under the leadership of Principal W.N.P Harris, Effinger was accredited as a high school in 1915. The school implemented economics, music, and industrial arts into its curriculum. There also the new inclusion of vocational instruction their courses. During 1905 to 1910, there was national push to provide more education in trades because of industrialization and need for skilled labors. Effinger evolved from three grade levels into a familiar grade structure. In December 1915, Principal Harris began offering night school for students aged 14 and older. The age range of participants was 14 to 70. This allowed older African Americans, who had previously been denied education, to learn after a day’s work.
In 1937, Effinger was in poor condition and was considered a fire hazard. After almost 60 years, Effinger Street School closed in 1938. A new school, the Lucy F. Simms School, was established in 1939. It was named after former teacher Lucy F. Simms, who taught at Effinger for almost 50 years. Effinger was constructed when government institutions withheld significant funding, attention, and resources from black schools. The staff and students of Effinger worked hard to create an atmosphere of learning, exploration, and community. The Effinger Street School building was torn down in 1965 during the city’s Urban Renewal projects in the northeast neighborhood. The lot where the school once stood is now part of a shopping center that cut off Effinger Street’s connection to Main Street.
