THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9408310174
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
THE DEAR, OLD golden-rule days are on display at the Suffolk Museum and Riddick's Folly - an exhibit so large it requires two locations.
``A History of Education in Nansemond County and the City of Suffolk'' is a cumbersome but self-explanatory title of what you can expect.
Photographs and memorabilia will interest all the generations that can gather together to see what school was like yesteryear.
It is best to get an all-around education about education by visiting both places, but if you want to get specific, here is how it works.
Items from schools that are, or were, on the south side of Suffolk are at Riddick's Folly: Whaleyville, Cypress, Forest Glen, Holland, Southwestern, Lakeland, Kilby Shores, Booker T. Washington, Robertson, Marsh Hill Elementary and the nursing schools of Obici and Lakeview.
Schools represented at the Suffolk Museum are Driver, Elephant's Fork, John F. Kennedy, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Oakland, Pruden Vo-Tech, Chuckatuck, Wilroy, Thomas Jefferson, Suffolk High, Nansemond Collegiate, George Mason, John Randolph, King's Fork, Paul D. Camp Community College, Tidewater Community College and Florence Bowser.
A picture of Bowser, among the many photographs on display at both locations, shows a woman who was instrumental in raising funds to build the school later named in her honor.
Some of the photographs date to the 18th century, one showing the John Yeates Free School, one of the first free schools in the state.
Speaking of firsts, there is a picture of the Alms House. One of the first schools in downtown Suffolk, it was across the street from the present location of Joyner's Car Wash. Established by the vestry of Upper Parish of the Episcopal Church, the school served about 10 poor children.
Some children from Driver Elementary went to the trouble of making a Tender Loving Care Bear birth certificate, which is also on display.
The old pictures, the old yearbooks are good for memories and smiles.
Some of the items are not too old, but important in a roundup of local education history.
One example is the first football kicked around by Nansemond River High School. Dated 9-7-90, it saw action in a game against Lakeland High School.
Just for the record, Nansemond River won that game, 17-14.
A resolution on display proclaims Nansemond River as State AA Division champion in 1992.
All four yearbooks are also displayed as well as some Distributive Education Clubs of America trophies.
Looking back a few decades, there is a picture of the first graduating class of Forest Glen High School - 1966.
Going further back, there is a desk and slates from a public school in North Carolina - circa the 1920s.
``This exhibit is a wonderful example of what the community has accomplished in education,'' says W. Ross Boone, director of the Suffolk campus of Paul D. Camp Community College. ``Everyone should visit - to look at history and to see what is going on now.
``Another thing you can see,'' he said, ``are the black schools, the white schools - then see what happened when those systems merged into a single unit.''
Finally, there is a rare April Fool's edition of Suffolk High School's ``Peanut Picker'' newspaper. It is rare because only a handful remain. The rest were ordered burned by the principal because the papers contained an unflattering picture of him.
Report cards, diplomas, ink bottles - almost everything that had to do with education in Suffolk is on display. See the museum calendar for hours of operation, addresses and phone numbers. MEMO: ``A History of Education in Nansemond County and the City of Suffolk''
will remain on exhibit at the Suffolk Museum through Oct. 9 and at
Riddick's Folly through Nov. 9.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
The first football used in the first game between Lakeland and
Nansemond River high schools in 1990 is on display at the Suffolk
Museum and Riddick's Folly.
by CNB