Central Avenue and East Frederick Street
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Last updated on November 21, 2024
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The Free School for Colored Children, or Public School No. 2, was on the southwest corner at the intersection of Frederick Street and Central Avenue. Before the establishment of Public School No.2, schooling for black students was held in rented locations or in the basement of local black churches. The school was built in 1887 on the Old Market House lot that previously served as space for a school by the Freedman’s Bureau. The vacant building was demolished, and a new brick schoolhouse was constructed on the foundation. The school opened for black students in the fall of 1887. The school had an enrollment of 400 plays students and experienced overcrowding. In 1908, black residents brought their concerns to the Staunton City Council and proposed the solution of a new school. After a long fight against pushback, two new black schools were built, D. Webster Davis School and TC. Edmonds School. The Public School No. 2 building was sold in 1915 and was demolished.
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