Friday Trip of Adventure: Tuscarora HS and Balch Library

   I take Friday's off at work (I love three day weekends). I had read an article about the completion of an outdoor classroom at Tuscarora, so I decided to check it out.

   From far away, it seemed pretty small. When I finally got to it, it was bigger, but I still felt it was small. I don't think I knew what to expect.

   Other than the teacher's rock, there were 15 rocks. If two students were on each rock, there would be enough for a 30 student-sized classroom. There were some rocks where you could negotiate getting two people on them, then there was one or two where it was only good for one person. But then I thought there is space on the patio section, so it should work out.

   Standing out in the hot summer sun, it seems like an uncomfortable place to be. But it should be alright in the spring and fall. It is supposed to fit with the environment, and I think they accomplished that. It sits very nicely in the hill it was placed in.

   Overall, it was a nice place. I never had an outdoor class when I was in high school (The Latin class at County had an outdoor classroom/garden; I took French). This isn't the first outdoor classroom created in Loudoun (I can't think of any off the top of my head), so I guess they are effective means for teaching.

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

   After Tuscarora, I went back into Leesburg to the Balch Library to look through microfilm (which is really fun). I was going through the Loudoun Times-Mirror in 1957, looking to see if anything was written on the closing of the last one-room schoolhouse. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find articles on the Loudoun County HS Murals I posted on two weeks ago! And here they are:

So the stars are supposed to be there...

(You're not supposed to take pictures,
but they ran out of toner for the printer)

   It wasn't much, but as soon as I saw that first image, I knew I hit something good. I love unintentionally finding stuff like this.

   Have a great weekend! See you on Monday!

Here are links to the other LCHS Murals articles:

LCHS Murals

LCHS Murals: Update 2

Cookie Cutters

   The debate on "cookie cutter" schools has gone on, but I'd like to take a look at the talk from maybe another angle. If you look historically, we have been making duplicate schools for a long time.

For example:

Lincoln (1926) and Lovettsville (1927)

Lincoln Elementary School

From "Beacon," Lovettsville HS's 1954 yearbook

Ashburn (1945) (aka the Staff Training Center) and Banneker (1947)

Banneker Elementary

Staff Training School
(Formerly Ashburn Elementary School)

And then there is the Carver School (1945/1946), which used a school blueprint from Clarke County, Boyce Elementary School (which is still in operation)
 

Boyce Elementary School.
Image courtesy of the Clarke County Historical Association.

Carver Center
(Formerly Carver Elementary School)

   The first modern "cookie cutters" were Guilford ES, opened in 1966, and Sully ES (1968). A year after Sully, Broad Run HS opened, using Loudoun Valley HS's blueprint (1962). And so, with a few exceptions, every new school design had at least two schools use it. That's how things went until the 90's, where we hit the BIG population boom. Since 1995, we have had built 31 elementary schools, 10 middle schools (including J. Michael Lunsford MS, opening this fall), and 8 high schools. That is a total of 49 schools, all of them has in the very least four or five other schools that look like it.

   Since 1995, we are now on our fourth generation of elementary school cookie-cutter, middle schools are on their 2nd or 3rd generation, and, after Potomac Falls HS, high schools have more or less stayed the same.

   So, we have had cookie cutters in the past. Never on the scale we have now, but in the past we weren't growing as fast as we have been recently.

   Just wait until Heritage and Freedom get additions. Loudoun Valley HS and Broad Run HS started out the same, but the schools have had very different expansions that make them different from each other.

   Personally, I don't like cookie cutter school. I think every school should be unique to its community to be special. But it is a cost-efficient necessity we have to work with or the population can easily overwhelm the school system.

Sources:
Boyce ES
Blueprints
CIPs

The History of Administrative Spaces

They are not schools, but they are just as necessary. Administrative Offices are key to keep everything in the school system running smoothly.

So, here's my admin timeline. Tell me if I forgot anything.

I'm going to start at Superintendent Emerick’s original office (1917): his home (corner of Orchard and Main St) in Purcellville. (Before this, admin was probably somewhere else. I don't know of anything before 1917 at this time.)

(Picture from Emerick Elementary School site)

1918: the offices move to a space above N.G. Miller’s Purcellville Pharmacy

1935: offices move into an office behind the Loudoun County Courthouse (2^nd floor in former Leesburg Academy building). It is basically two rooms and a walk-in closet.

Former Leesburg Academy Building

1962: The Union Street Admin Facility opens. It is the first facility built to be used as a school admin space. It is called the School Board Office/Main Office Admin Building. (Presently, it is the Child Find and Parent Resource Center)

Union Street is the brick building on the right.
(I'll talk about the building on the left later.)

1969 – 1971: Between holding Broad Run HS overflow/middle school students, Douglass HS is used for administrative offices. It is called the "School Board Annex." [This was a large jump in office square footage, while also continuing to own and use the one-story Union Street building. It is very possible other buildings were used/rented prior to Douglass' admin use, but I have not found any records]

Douglass School / Community Center

1971: Leesburg ES closes and becomes admin space. Its official name now is the School Board Annex Building, but eventually, it is called "North Street" after the road it is on.

North Street (picture from spring 2011)

1982: Douglass ES closes and is used as a support facility/admin space.

Douglass Support Facility

1988: A new central Admin Building is proposed by School Board to the Board of Supervisors. Construction funds for the building are excluded from following CIPs due to fiscal constraints, and the building is not built. 

1992: There is a structural analysis of the Union Street admin facility for feasibility of a second floor.

Another view of the Union St. Admin Building. It's tiny!

1998: 51 Plaza Street appears in the school directory. They are trailers on the Douglass Support Facility property. Along with this, Douglass Support's address changes from 3 Sycolyn Road to 55 Plaza Street.

51 Plaza Street trailer facility

1999: Round Hill School closes, and is reused as a support facility. The Staff Training Center (former Ashburn ES and BRHS Annex) appears in the school directory under admin facilities.

Round Hill Center

Staff Training Center
(We've gone over this)

2005: the Admin Building on Education Court in Ashburn opens. Everyone rejoices! Administration is now in one centralized location and space is plentiful. Its official name is the "Loudoun County Public Schools Administrative Building." (Homework to everyone: help give it a good nickname). North Street is vacated.

LCPS Administration Building

2006: 51 Plaza is vacated, and the trailers are sent down the road to be used by the Douglass School (the number "51" can still be found on the trailers).

2010-2011: North Street converts into a Senior Center (it opens this fall! Check it out!)

2011: Douglass Support is closed and demolished for a new F. Douglass ES.

Douglass Support Facility in the middle of demolition

(There are also spaces that aren't necessarily admin spaces, but they are support facilities. The Warehouse (1989), The Valley Service Center (2002), the Maintenance Facility (2002), and the Bus/Transportation Facility (1991) are all current support buildings. The Annex building at Loudoun County HS (1954) used to be a bus warehouse, but has since been given over to be used by the school.)

Despite many a move, LCPS administration has been supporting Loudoun schools for many a year. Thank you for all that you do.

 Sources:

Leesburg Magazine

CIPs

Construction Dept files

School Directories

"A Brief History of Loudoun Schools"

Monday Memories - Douglass High School 1965

This week, I'm going to Douglass High School's 1965 yearbook, "The Ram."

I wish the stage was still able to be used like this.
(It's now converted into classrooms)

Here's a close-up on my favorite candid/caption

   Douglass opened in 1941 as a segregated black high school. It closed in 1968 with the school system integrating. Since then, Douglass has served many purposes for the school system. In the 1970's, a deal was worked out to share Douglass between LCPS and Parks & Rec. Douglass continues to be used today.

Sources:
Douglass School

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.