The road to school

Prior to the Civil War, affluent families hired tutors to come to their homes. Col. Withrow and Miss Lou Withrow were two early tutors in Waynesboro. Some families established a "field school" and shared the cost of a teacher. Private subscription schools were occasionally established by a church or townspeople of means.

Examples include Mossy Creek Academy in Mount Solon (1854) built with a $4,000 private subscription and Loch Willow School (1859) in Churchville. Jedediah Hotchkiss, a Pennsylvania teacher, organized these private subscriptions. During the Civil War, Hotchkiss served as a topographical mapmaker for Stonewall Jackson.

Tuition costs of private schools were high and prevented most children from accessing a formal education. Many careers were denied to children unable to attend private schools.

The Civil War surrender resulted in a direct educational benefit to Virginia by September 1867. Dr. Barnas Sears, President of Brown College of Providence, R.I., relocated to Staunton. As the George Peabody Fund administrator established to improve education in southern states, Sears was positioned to aid the establishment of free public graded schools and normal schools for the training of teachers, as well as influencing the General Assembly to establish free public schools. George Peabody, of New England, had became wealthy as a London banker and established the Peabody Fund with three million dollars.

Working with Augusta County leaders and General Assembly representatives in drafting changes to Virginia's constitution, Dr. Barnas Sears in 1867 wrote the section specifying a public school system. The Underwood Constitution of 1867-68 required each county to organize a public school system by 1876. William H. Ruffner was named Superintendent of Public Education on March 2, 1870. A separate law in July 1870 required separate county schools for black and white students to receive state funds.

Major Jedediah Hotchkiss was appointed by the Augusta County Board of Supervisors as Superintendent of Public Schools for Staunton and Augusta County. Hotchkiss resigned by October 1870 because he was unable to take a required oath that he had not supported the Confederacy in the Civil War. Dr. Barnas Sears took his place officially but Hotchkiss operated behind the scenes to expedite local efforts to establish schools. By January 1871, Staunton and Augusta County had 88 public schools in operation. Waynesboro, an incorporated town in the South River District of Augusta County, had two graded schools in operation - one serving white students and one serving black students. County schools increased to 109 by 1873. Sixty-three were of logs, 36 were frame and 11 were brick.

The South River District School Board of Augusta County in 1871 included Dr. James M. Watson of Barterbrook, the Rev. Christian Beard and C.H. Withrow of Waynesboro. D.W. Hanger of Fishersville replaced Lutheran Pastor Beard after a couple months.