Staff Training Center

   Welcome to the Loudoun County Public Schools' Staff Training Center. This support facility used to be Ashburn Elementary School, opening 1945. It closed in 1992 for the new Ashburn Elementary School. From 1993 to 1998, it was used as the Ashburn Annex for Broad Run HS. In 1999, it became its current iteration, the Staff Training Center. But they don't just train staff here. Other programs are housed here (only one I can remember is Head Start).

   When I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was its smell. It has an old school smell, though I usually don't smell something when I walk in old schools. It wasn't a bad smell, it just smelled exactly how an old school should smell if an old school did smell. I quickly got used to it, no big deal.

   It's a nice facility. They have lowered the ceiling in the hallways (that's always sad, takes away a "wow" factor), but the bathroom's still had high ceilings and old lights, so that was cool.

This building also shares the same original design with Banneker Elementary School, which opened 1947/1948.

Love the original tile and doorways

Modern water fountain



Notice the expansion line?
See how the tile and doorways are different
on either side of the line?

 

The Auditorium

Looking towards the front entry

The ceiling was dropped quite a bit in the entry area.

I also got to look around in the basement. It was pretty cool.

Under the Auditorium!

A big old tank no longer used.

As a bonus, here are some class photos on display at the Loudoun Museum from Ashburn ES, 1961-1962:



Sources:

School System Directories

CIPs

Happy Birthday!

Next school year, a few schools will be celebrating their decade birthday. I thought I would honor those schools here. All the XXX1's, it's time to party!!

Happy Birthday, Middleburg ES and Round Hill Support Center! Both opened in 1911, both turning 100! Wow! And Middleburg holds the title of the oldest operating school in the county! Congratulations!

Happy Birthday, Willisville (colored) school! Opened in 1921, you're 90! Unfortunately, I don't know much (if anything) about you. I think you're now a private residence. Oh well. We'll send some cake over.

Happy Birthday, Mountsville School! 80s years ago, it was 1931. You're in the same boat with me as with Willisville, sorry.

Happy Birthday Douglass (1941)! 70 never looked better! You continue to be an inspiration and a historic icon.

Happy Birthday Middle Schools! The middle school system was started 1971, 40 years ago. Two middle schools opened this year, Blue Ridge and Sterling! Douglass has another anniversary. It was used 1971 - 1975 as "Leesburg Middle School," serving Leesburg students temporarily until Simpson MS opened in 1976.

No new schools in 1981 or 1991. Oh well, we didn't have that much cake. More for me!

Happy Birthday to Eagle Ridge MS, John W. Tolbert ES, and Seldens Landing ES! You all have finally reached double digits, turning 10 years old. 2001 was 10 years ago? Yikes.

The XXX1 Club has a new member joining up this fall. J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, the first two story middle school, is opening its doors.

And that's the XXX1 Club! I hope each one has a wonderful decade ahead of them.

The Three Schools of Arcola

This is Arcola Elementary School:

This is also Arcola Elementary School:

This is, you guessed it, Arcola Elementary School:

   Since 1939, there have been three Arcola Elementary Schools built. Unlike some cases, all three buildings are still standing, all within 3 miles of each other.

Arcola (1)
Like these low-hanging wires? Very easy to reach up and touch.

   Pictured above is Arcola (1). It was built in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration, an agency set up by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. It closed its doors in 1972 with the opening of Arcola (2). In 1979, it was given over to the county's Parks and Rec and became a community center. In 2006,  it was again replaced by Arcola (2), this time as a community center. By 2008, it was placed on a list of endangered historic sites in Virginia. Today, it sits empty. The community surrounding Arcola is fighting to save the school; as recently as this February a group called Friends of the Arcola Community Center was trying to get it onto a historic registry.


Arcola (2)

   Arcola ES (2) opened in 1972, sharing the same design layout as Lovettsville ES (which is still an active public school in Loudoun). It closed in 2005, briefly becoming a community center 2006-2008 before it was replaced by the Dulles South Multipurpose Center.  After some extensive renovations, Arcola (2) reopened in 2009 as a private school -- renamed as The Boyd School at Aldie. (Even though Aldie is a small unincorporated community like Arcola and they are a couple of unincorporated communities away from each other, Arcola is part of the Aldie postal area. I suppose the Boyd School chose to ignore local heritage to avoid directional confusion). In early 2016, all Boyd Schools became LePort Montessori Schools. Arcola (2) was renamed to LePort Montessori Aldie.

Arcola (3)

   Arcola (3) is the current Arcola still owned by LCPS. It opened its doors in 2007. It looks like a long line of other elementary schools the school system has built recently.

   Maybe one day, there will be the four schools of Arcola! 

The saga continues...

PS: Here's some bonus pictures looking inside Arcola (1) through windows. Enjoy!

And one of the backside:

Sources:
"Residents Petition For Renovated Arcola Community Center" -WTOP
"APVA Preservation Virginia Announces the 2008 Endangered Historic Sites List"
"Arcola School recognized as endangered historic site" Loudoun Times Mirror
"A Battle Against Bulldozers; Parents Group Is Trying to Preserve Historic Arcola School" Washington Post
"The Boyd School to Open 'Flagship' Facility at Aldie Campus" Loudoun Independent
"Historic Registry Status Sought For Former Arcola School" Leesburg Today
CIPs
1987 Facility Assessment
"County Begins Converting Former Schools to Community Centers" 250 Years of Service: Loudoun County, Virginia
The Boyd School at Aldie
LePort Montessori Aldie

[Updated 6/4/2017 to update history of Arcola (2)]


Read Other Arcola School Posts:
Arcola School - 2017 Update
Arcola School - 2019 Update
Arcola School - 2022 Update

Arcola School - 2024 Update

Monday Memories - Loudoun County High School 2000

This week, we're going into Loudoun County High School's Lord Loudoun 2000!

Loudoun County High School: Murals

   This month in the year 1757, Loudoun County was created. In honor of this, I'm going to go to my Alma mater, Loudoun County High School, and show you something I think is really cool.

   Most of the people who enter County's auditorium do not know the significance of the murals that decorate its walls. I didn't, until I came across a student handbook from around the mid-70's.

   In 1957, Loudoun County's 200th anniversary, the Loudoun Sketch Club painted and donated eight large murals to the school that depicted Loudoun County's history. Six were hung in the Auditorium, two in the original school Cafeteria (which is now the Music Hall. The two murals are now hanging in the back of the Auditorium).

 Enjoy: 

July 1757 painting

July 1757 painting
Artist: Ella Markley O'Donovan (1957)

The county of Loudoun was created this month out of Fairfax county. Loudoun was named after John Campbell, Fourth Earl of Loudoun and current royal governor of the colony of Virginia. This painting shows the county justices, as they take office, swearing allegiance to King George II of England.

The seal at the bottom, which is the Colonial Seal of Virginia, says: "Ilium provinciae nostre virginia in America Sig" "en dat virginia quartam".

September 1774 painting

September 1774 painting
Artist: Evelyn Marshall (1957)
The county's justice's are dispatching a rider to Williamsburg bearing letters urging the House of Burgesses to send relief to Boston.

August 1814 painting

August 1814 painting
Artist: Esther Thomas (1957)
Washington DC is burned to the ground by the British. Important documents from DC (including the Declaration of Independence) and state documents are temporarily hidden in the Leesburg area. Leesburg becomes the temporary Capitol of the United States!

August 1825 painting

August 1825 painting
Artists: Mary Lane Isa??, Katherine Slappey (1957)
Marquis de Lafayette visits Leesburg August 9, 1825 on his grand tour of the United States. This painting's feast takes place at President James Monroe's home at Oak Hill.

Also written nearby the artists' names are "EMJDD" or "E.M.DD".
The bottom center emblem seem to be Lafayette's coat of arms, though the colors are a little off.
Oak Hill is one of Loudoun's hidden secrets. Unlike Monticello and Mount Vernon, Oak Hill is in private residence, so it does not receive that much attention. It is sometimes open for garden tours.

October 1861 painting

October 1861 painting
Artist: Edward Chamberlin (1957)
The Battle of Ball's Bluff

Center Bottom Confederate States of America Seal: "1861-1865" "Confederate States of America" "22 February 1862" "Deo Vindice"
Latin Translations:
Deo = God, supreme being
Vindice = Protector, defender

1941 - 1957 painting

1941 - 1957 painting
Artist: Frances D. Allen (1957)
Featuring Dodona Manor, where George C. Marshall and his family lived from 1941 until his death in 1959. Figures of George Washington and Robert E. Lee symbolize the traditions of the past.

1960 - 1970 painting

1960 - 1970 painting
Artist: Dale Hager (approx. 1970, year currently unknown)

Celebrating the newest additions and fun pastimes in Loudoun County during the 60's. For example:
Dulles International Airport (opened 1962)
White's Ferry (one of the few operating ferries in the state (still is))
Westpark Golf Course (Opened 1968)
Housing Growth (Sterling Park opened in 1962)
FAA Control Center (commissioned 1963)

2004 painting

2004 painting

Artist: Rebecca Funkhouser (2004)
Opened in 1954, Loudoun County High School is the county's oldest operating high school in Loudoun County. This was painted for the school's 50 Anniversary Celebration by a student.

Back-wall Painting

Back-wall Painting 1 (on left side)
Artist: Vinton Liddell Pickens (1957)

These murals were originally located in the Old Cafeteria (now Band/Chorus wing)

The two back-wall murals show the progress of Loudoun County through the years. This one pictures the first white men to enter the County, settlers building homes, construction of Oak Hill, Quakers leaving their meeting, and the ever present sport of fox hunting.

Back-wall Painting

Back-wall Painting 2 (On right side)
Artist: Vinton Liddell Pickens (1957)

This mural shows the many uses of the Court House lawn, the summer session being termed "Watermelon Court." The central scene is the dedication of the Thomas Balch Library. At the far right, changes in education are represented by the yellow school buses and young 4-H members showing their calves.

A bio about Vinton Pickens from this article:

"Vinton Liddell Pickens (1900-1994): Pickens was a nationally-known artist, whose work hung in art museums across the county. Having moved to Loudoun in 1934, Pickens was a political activist who is credited with keeping billboards from taking over the county's roads. During her life she admitted to cutting down many road signs in her efforts to keep Loudoun beautiful. In 1944, she founded the Loudoun County Sketch Club, which still exists today. Her home at Janelia Farm, where she lived until her death, is now the location of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I am a big fan of these murals. Unfortunately, quite a few murals have been damaged over the years, mostly by water.

  

Water damage and peeling gold stickers! Mmm Mmm Good!

No water damage here, but can you see that dent?

Have a great weekend!

Sources:

Oak Hill Wikipedia Page

LCHS Student Handbook (c. 1974)

Loudoun Sketch Club

National Historic Landmark: Oak Hill

Important Women in Loudoun's History

Lafayette Coat of Arms

Here are links to the other LCHS Murals articles:

LCHS Murals: Update 1

LCHS Murals: Update 2