A History of Nansemond Collegiate Institute From 1890 to 1939

Liverman, Milton R.

A History of Nansemond Collegiate Institute From 1890 to 1939

dc.contributor.author	Liverman, Milton R.	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Richards, Robert R.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Penn, Michaele P.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Parson, Stephen R.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Carlton, Patrick W.	en
dc.contributor.department	Educational Leadership and Policy Studies	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-14T20:22:22Z	en
dc.date.adate	1997-07-18	en
dc.date.available	2014-03-14T20:22:22Z	en
dc.date.issued	1997-05-27	en
dc.date.rdate	1997-07-18	en
dc.date.sdate	1997-05-27	en
dc.description.abstract	The goal of this effort was to write the definitive history of a high school for Blacks in Nansemond County. The destruction of school records in the fires that eventually led to the closing of the school made that task difficult. While attempting the historical research, however, two factors were found which still make the effort worthwhile. First, there was a definite sense of pride found in all who had been associated with the Nansemond Collegiate Institute. This pride gave one the sense that attending Nansemond Collegiate Institute was almost as much an expression of freedom as it was an effort to secure an education. The second factor was the determination of the need for Nansemond Collegiate Institute based on the disparities in services offered to Blacks when compared to Whites in the public school setting. Public education in Suffolk and Nansemond County, Virginia had its beginnings in 1871 when the first school boards were appointed for those localities. Nineteen years later, there still existed no secondary educational opportunities for the Blacks of Nansemond County. In order to address this lack, Blacks in the county pooled their resources and started their own school, Nansemond Collegiate Institute. Founded in 1890, Nansemond Collegiate Institute provided for the elementary and secondary educational needs of Black youth in Nansemond County, Virginia for nearly fifty years. This school was a case study of local control and self-help. The school maintained a classical educational curriculum during the time when the Hampton Industrial Education model was being touted as the preferred model of education for Blacks. Under the leadership of five principals, four of whom were ministers, the Institute demonstrated the power of a community to control its own destiny. The Institute's supporters raised the funds needed to establish and run the school. It struggled for many years with funding and curriculum issues. The school's last principal, Mr. William Huskerson, arrived in 1926. He made several advances in terms of funding and building. His tenure, however, began just one year before the county established its first public high school for Blacks. This competition and a series of "suspicious" fires ultimately led to the close of the Nansemond Collegiate Institute. This closing did not occur before the Institute had opened possibilities for many Blacks who might not otherwise have had varied career choices. By having existed, Nansemond Collegiate Institute had a lasting impact on the lives of many Blacks of Nansemond County.	en
dc.description.degree	Ed. D.	en
dc.identifier.other	etd-6997-101315	en
dc.identifier.sourceurl	http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-6997-101315/	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30656	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.relation.haspart	front2.pdf	en
dc.relation.haspart	Body2.pdf	en
dc.relation.haspart	VITA2.pdf	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	self-help	en
dc.subject	south	en
dc.subject	blacks	en
dc.subject	Education	en
dc.title	A History of Nansemond Collegiate Institute From 1890 to 1939	en
dc.type	Dissertation	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Educational Leadership and Policy Studies	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	doctoral	en
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Education	en