Public education: How historical is it?

Zann Miner
Published: April 10, 2008

New school construction and the anticipation of even more schools provide ample fodder for discussion and debate on the issues of public education. The spiraling costs cause one to wonder if and or when it will level off and furthermore how did we to find ourselves in this predicament?

I would not dare to touch the political aspects with anyone’s 10-foot pole, but I can assist with a little history on the subject, at least as it applies to Culpeper.

One might accurately proclaim that “formal” education has always been considered an essential factor in American culture and tradition, though the statement would require clarification.

In theory, Virginia was advanced in its thinking about the benefits of educating the general populace. A mere 36 years after the cluster of American colonies declared independence, Virginia established a literary fund to be fed by the collection of county fines, confiscations, escheats and penalties. As the first county supervisor in charge of collections — Philip Rootes Thompson — received a letter from the fund with instructions that the money he collected be used for the education of the poor. The letter stated, “It is education which forms the moral character of men and political characters of Nations.”

The concept existed and for several decades there ensued a rather meager attempt at implementation. School commissioners were appointed and funds were collected and allocated to the various districts for “common schools attended by poor children.”

By 1840 an estimated one in 10 children was attending school. Culpeper had spent its first money on books, $12.27, teachers were paid about $13/student /semester and the superintendent received more than $600 a year.

Soon thereafter in 1846, Gov. William Smith proposed legislation for a free school system to be adopted or not by county option. It has been noted often that the wheels of political progress turn ever so slowly. But in 1854, perhaps out of loyalty to Culpeper’s own “Extra” Billy Smith, Culpeper citizens voted for and instated its first public education system.

The luxury of public education in Culpeper County would be short lived as the onset of the American Civil War required all discretionary funds be utilized for support of the war effort.

The topic of public education would not be a valid issue again until 1870 when the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring that all counties provide a system of public education.

The Culpeper County 1870-71 school budget averaged $127 per school and $118 per teacher for a four and a half month school year. An estimated 1,200 students, about one third of Culpeper’s youth between the ages of five and 21, attended 29 one roomers and one graded school.

Until the 1890’s the Culpeper County Public School System consisted of one-roomers, either rented or donated, one set for whites and one for blacks. Included in this system were two “graded schools” allowing for some separation by age and grade.

Culpeper’s first public school constructed with public funds was built in 1892 for $12,000. Little did we know what lay before us!

By 1905 there were 74 one-roomers, four graded schools for whites in Culpeper, Brandy, Lignum and Jeffersonton and three graded schools for blacks in Culpeper, Brandy and Buena.
1948 witnessed the building of George Washington Carver, a multi-county high school for blacks and the consolidation of county-wide high schools at the newly constructed Culpeper County High School.

With the close of the 1968 school year, Culpeper witnessed the end of school segregation and the closing of all the county-wide schools for blacks.

Today we have two high schools, two middle schools and six elementary schools, all graded and no one-roomers. Few children —if any — walk to school, much less home for lunch. The school system is the county’s largest employer and an annual source of heated debate and heartburn.

This brief column does not portend to do justice to the scope of the history of education. However, it hopefully serves as a simple overview giving the reader a launching pad for further inquiry.

Perhaps in a future column we can look at the changing theories regarding “what’s good for education” (some that continue to resurface, some whose implementation is highly questionable), the location of the various schools, the decision to provide public transportation and/or the growth of public funded athletics.

Until next week.

Zann Miner, former
director of the Museum of Culpeper History, can be reached at or write Zann Miner c/o the Culpeper Star Exponent 471 James Madison Hwy. Suite 201 Culpeper, VA 22701.