Virginia Randolph
Encyclopedia
Virginia Estelle Randolph (August 6, 1870 – March 16, 1958) was an African American
educator in Henrico County, Virginia
. She was named the United States' first "Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher" by her Superintendent of Schools, Jackson T. Davis
, and she led a program funded by the Jeanes Foundation
to upgrade vocational training throughout the U.S. South as her career progressed. Her work is widely associated with vocational education
.. Two schools of the Henrico County Public Schools
system were named in her honor.
. Born only five years after the end of the American Civil War
(1861–1865) and Emancipation for the slave
s in her community, Virginia Randolph was the third child of former slaves Sarah Elizabeth Carter Randolph and Edward Nelson Randolph. At the age of 16, she graduated from Richmond Normal School (now Armstrong High School
) in Richmond, Virginia
.
. After a short teaching experience in Goochland County
, she secured a teaching position with the Henrico County School Board
. She opened the Mountain Road School in the north central part of the county in 1892. As a teacher there, Randolph taught her students woodworking, sewing, cooking, and gardening, as well as academics.
In 1908, Henrico County Superintendent of Schools Jackson T. Davis
named her to become the United State's first "Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher." Anna T. Jeanes
, a wealthy Philadelphia Quaker, had set aside $1 million to establish a fund to maintain and assist rural schools for African American
s in the South. Among its projects, the Jeanes Foundation
provided funds to employ black "supervisors" dedicated to upgrading vocational training programs for black students. African-American supervisors of teachers in the rural south from 1908 to 1968, Jeanes teachers (formally called Jeanes supervising industrial teachers) worked toward improving the communities of schools.
As the overseer of twenty three elementary schools in Henrico County, Virginia Randolph developed the first in-service training program for black teachers and worked on improving the curriculum of the schools. With the freedom to design her own agenda, she shaped industrial work and community self-help programs to meet specific needs of schools. She chronicled her progress by becoming the author of the Henrico Plan which became a reference book for southern schools receiving assistance from the Jeanes Foundation, which became known as the Negro Rural School Fund.
Randolph's teaching techniques and philosophy were later adopted in Great Britain
's African colonies.
On March 30, 1908, following a proclamation by Virginia Governor Claude A. Swanson
, Miss Randolph founded the first Arbor Day
Program in Virginia. She and her students planted twelve Sycamore trees. Some of the trees remain standing as living monuments, but over the years, some of the trees were lost to disease. In 1976, the remaining ones were named the first notable trees in Virginia by the National Park Service
.
In 1915, Miss Randolph opened the Virginia Randolph Training School and later expanded the facility to include dormitories for future teachers. It was later renamed to Virginia Randolph Education Center.
Miss Randolph was appointed to the Industrial School Board of Colored Children after the death of another noted Richmonder, Maggie L. Walker
. She also served for many years on the Inter-Racial and Health Board for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
After a 57-year career with Henrico County Public Schools, Miss Randolph retired in 1949. A foundation to honor her and award scholarships was formed in 1954. She died in Richmond on March 16, 1958, at the age of 84.
The Virginia Randolph Foundation, Inc formed in 1954, annually awards scholarships to Henrico County high school students who will be attending a 4 year college or university.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
educator in Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. She was named the United States' first "Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher" by her Superintendent of Schools, Jackson T. Davis
Jackson T. Davis
Jackson T. Davis was an educator and author from Virginia. In a career spanning 45 years in the first half of the 20th century, he became an international leader in African American education in the United States and Africa....
, and she led a program funded by the Jeanes Foundation
Jeanes Foundation
The Jeanes Foundation was founded by philanthropist Anna T. Jeanes of Philadelphia who was a Quaker. Ms. Jeanes inherited money from her father and brother's estates and was the sole owner because she was single...
to upgrade vocational training throughout the U.S. South as her career progressed. Her work is widely associated with vocational education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
.. Two schools of the Henrico County Public Schools
Henrico County Public Schools
The Henrico County Public Schools system is a Virginia school division that operates as a functional and independent branch of the Henrico County, Virginia, county government, and administers public schools in the county. Henrico County Public Schools has five International Baccalaureate schools--J.R...
system were named in her honor.
Youth, education
She was born on June 8, 1874, in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Born only five years after the end of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(1861–1865) and Emancipation for the slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s in her community, Virginia Randolph was the third child of former slaves Sarah Elizabeth Carter Randolph and Edward Nelson Randolph. At the age of 16, she graduated from Richmond Normal School (now Armstrong High School
Armstrong High School (Richmond, Virginia)
Armstrong High School, part of the Richmond Public Schools system, is a high school located in Richmond, Virginia, with grades 9-12.Known at first as the Richmond Colored Normal School, Armstrong was the first public school in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy, for African American...
) in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Career in public education
Miss Randolph began her career as a school teacherTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. After a short teaching experience in Goochland County
Goochland County, Virginia
Goochland County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 21,717. Its county seat is Goochland. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area ....
, she secured a teaching position with the Henrico County School Board
Henrico County Public Schools
The Henrico County Public Schools system is a Virginia school division that operates as a functional and independent branch of the Henrico County, Virginia, county government, and administers public schools in the county. Henrico County Public Schools has five International Baccalaureate schools--J.R...
. She opened the Mountain Road School in the north central part of the county in 1892. As a teacher there, Randolph taught her students woodworking, sewing, cooking, and gardening, as well as academics.
In 1908, Henrico County Superintendent of Schools Jackson T. Davis
Jackson T. Davis
Jackson T. Davis was an educator and author from Virginia. In a career spanning 45 years in the first half of the 20th century, he became an international leader in African American education in the United States and Africa....
named her to become the United State's first "Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher." Anna T. Jeanes
Anna T. Jeanes
Anna T. Jeanes was an American philanthropist. She was born in Philadelphia, the city where she gave Spring Garden Institute, a technical school, $200,000; $100,000 to the Hicksite Friends; $200,000 to the Quaker schools of Philadelphia; and $200,000 to the Home for Aged Friends, now known as...
, a wealthy Philadelphia Quaker, had set aside $1 million to establish a fund to maintain and assist rural schools for African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s in the South. Among its projects, the Jeanes Foundation
Jeanes Foundation
The Jeanes Foundation was founded by philanthropist Anna T. Jeanes of Philadelphia who was a Quaker. Ms. Jeanes inherited money from her father and brother's estates and was the sole owner because she was single...
provided funds to employ black "supervisors" dedicated to upgrading vocational training programs for black students. African-American supervisors of teachers in the rural south from 1908 to 1968, Jeanes teachers (formally called Jeanes supervising industrial teachers) worked toward improving the communities of schools.
As the overseer of twenty three elementary schools in Henrico County, Virginia Randolph developed the first in-service training program for black teachers and worked on improving the curriculum of the schools. With the freedom to design her own agenda, she shaped industrial work and community self-help programs to meet specific needs of schools. She chronicled her progress by becoming the author of the Henrico Plan which became a reference book for southern schools receiving assistance from the Jeanes Foundation, which became known as the Negro Rural School Fund.
Randolph's teaching techniques and philosophy were later adopted in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
's African colonies.
On March 30, 1908, following a proclamation by Virginia Governor Claude A. Swanson
Claude A. Swanson
Claude Augustus Swanson was an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician from Virginia.He served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1893 until 1906, was the 45th Governor of Virginia from 1906 until 1910, and represented Virginia as a United States Senator from 1910 until...
, Miss Randolph founded the first Arbor Day
Arbor Day
Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States during 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.Many...
Program in Virginia. She and her students planted twelve Sycamore trees. Some of the trees remain standing as living monuments, but over the years, some of the trees were lost to disease. In 1976, the remaining ones were named the first notable trees in Virginia by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
.
In 1915, Miss Randolph opened the Virginia Randolph Training School and later expanded the facility to include dormitories for future teachers. It was later renamed to Virginia Randolph Education Center.
Miss Randolph was appointed to the Industrial School Board of Colored Children after the death of another noted Richmonder, Maggie L. Walker
Maggie L. Walker
Maggie Lena Walker was an African American teacher and businesswoman. Walker was the first African American female bank president and the first woman to charter a bank in the United States. As a leader, she achieved successes with the vision to make tangible improvements in the way of life for...
. She also served for many years on the Inter-Racial and Health Board for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
After a 57-year career with Henrico County Public Schools, Miss Randolph retired in 1949. A foundation to honor her and award scholarships was formed in 1954. She died in Richmond on March 16, 1958, at the age of 84.
Legacy
- The Virginia Randolph Home Economics CottageVirginia Randolph CottageVirginia Randolph Cottage, also known as Virginia E. Randolph Museum, Virginia Cardwell Cottage, or Home Economics Cottage, is a building that was built in 1937 in Glen Allen, Virginia, United States. It was the home economics building of the Virginia Randolph Training School, a vocational school....
was made into a museum in memory of Randolph in 1970. The Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission designated the museum a State Historic Landmark. In 1976 the museum was named a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
by the United States Department of Interior, National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. Randolph reportedly had an office in the building. Her gravesite is on the grounds. Randolph is interred on the museum grounds.
- Virginia Randolph Community High School in Glen Allen, VirginiaGlen Allen, VirginiaGlen Allen is a census-designated place in Henrico County, Virginia, United States. The population was 12,562 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
is named in her honor.
The Virginia Randolph Foundation, Inc formed in 1954, annually awards scholarships to Henrico County high school students who will be attending a 4 year college or university.