The Virginia pattern of education for children under six in historical perspective

This dissertation has a twofold purpose. The first is an exploration of the origins and development of education for children under six in Virginia, including the efforts made by both black and white educators working in this field. Data collected for this study indicate that black educators have shared many of the same goals as their white counterparts and have been leaders in their field. Several examples can be readily supplied to illustrate this point. The first laboratory nursery school at a black college was established at Hampton Institute in 1929. This laboratory school is recognized as the earliest in the United States for blacks and the first in Virginia for either race. Hampton Institute also provided undergraduate training for early childhood education leaders such as Dr. Evangeline Ward, the first black to become president of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The second purpose of this study is to examine the formation of the Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education (VAECE) and its subsequent role. The VAECE is a state association that serves as a strong proponent for high quality educational programs for children under six in Virginia. It provides an avenue for interracial cooperation and facilitates child advocacy initiatives. As an affiliate of the Southern Association on Children Under Six and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the VAECE is connected to a network of regional and national associations which share similar purposes. In the absence of comprehensive state and federal guidelines, the VAECE, which organized in 1957, will remain viable as a grassroots voice for young children and as a primary force in shaping the future pattern of education for children under six in Virginia.