ed “Moorefield” when it was purchased from the Virginia Trust Company, but the name was changed to the more pleasant sounding, “Mayfield” (Russell 92). The farm was located just south of the city of Fredericksburg (Johnson 10).
The school was referred to by two names, both the Fredericksburg Normal and Industrial Institute and Mayfield High School, when it changed locations in 1906. This move from the Shiloh Baptist Church basement was a great step towards the eventual widespread success of the school. Technically, Mayfield was considered a private school, but this was only because it was not accepted as a part of the area school district.
Reverend James E. Brown of Shiloh Baptist Church served as the first non-teaching President of the school assisted by teacher-principal P.C. Whitely and J. William Moss. Later, in 1907, Reverend W. L. Ransome joined the staff. After Brown and Whitely retired, Moss took up the Presidency until 1909, when he too stepped down and Ransome filled the position. Ransome held the position up until 1913. Under Ransome’s presidency, the school nearly went under for financial reasons but was able to raise enough funds to stay afloat. Also during his presidency, Mayfield High School was accredited by the Virginia State Board of Education (Russell 94).
On November 1, 1938, the school was finally recognized as public and was given public school funding. This ended the thirty-three-year sole support from the Black Baptist community, and it also meant expansion (Russell 95). This was also the final year of Mayfield High School’s existence. At this point Mayfield, or the Fredericksburg Normal and Industrial Institute, merged with a primary school and became known as Walker-Grant School.
“Walker-Grant Plaque,” Courtesy of Amy Benjamin, 2008.
“Walker-Grant School 2008,” Courtesy of Amy Benjamin, 2008.
For Further Reference
Alexander, Fred. M. Education for the Needs of the Negro in Virginia. Washington, DC: The Southern Education Foundation, Inc., 1943.
Cunningham, Theodore A. Celebrating Our Heritage: Holy, Hallowed and Historical, 1888-1998; Shiloh Baptist Church. Galion, OH: United Church Directories, 2001.
Fitzgerald, Ruth. “African American History of Fredericksburg, Virginia.” http://www.historypoint.org/columns2.asp?column_id=195&column_type=tour (accessed April 2, 2008).
Fitzgerald, Ruth Coder. A Different Story: A Black History of Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania, Virginia. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 1979.
Happel, Ralph. Old Salem Church: Historic Structures Report – Part II Historical Data Section, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Fredericksburg, VA: National Park Service, 1968.
Johnson, Virginia. “African American History in the Rappahannock Region.” http://www.historypoint.org/af_am_people_places.asp (accessed April 2, 2008).
Richardson, Archie G. The Development of Negro Education in Virginia, 1831-1970. Richmond, VA: Richmond, Virginia Chapter, Phi Delta Kappa, 1976.
Russell, Lester F. Black Baptist Secondary Schools in Virginia, 1887-1957: A Study in Black History. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1981.