Celebrating Black History Month. There were five schools for black students in Pocahontas County prior to the desegregation of public schools in 1954. They were Cass School, Frank School, Greenbrier Hill School, Brownsburg School and Seebert Lane “Pleasant Green” School. Students in these schools had to leave the county to attend high school.
It is believed that the first school for black children was located in Jerico Hollow near Marlinton, but there are no written records. From 1953 until 1957, Marie Goodwin and Mary Clayton conducted classes for black students at Denmar Sanitarium. By 1966, all schools in the county were integrated.
Pictured here is the Brownsburg School north of Marlinton. The school in Brownsburg was in use by the 1880s, originally named McDowell, the name changed in 1907. For at least three years, 1908-1910, there were two Brownsburg schools. Some of the teachers were E. Leola Lewis, Nicy A. Morris, Lila M. Powell, C. H. Bundy, Georgianna Hill, Glova Carter, Ida Sue Brown Choice, and Faye D. Truss. The school closed in 1953. (Pocahontas County Historical Society Collection, ID: PHS003432)
Access the “Preserving Pocahontas” Digital Library at www.pocahontaspreservation.org or www.preservingpocahontas.org
If you have historical records or photographs to be scanned for the county Historical Archive contact Preservation Officer B. J. Gudmundsson at 304-799-3989 or email info@pocahontaspreservation.org Prints of photographs are available.
