George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library, MS2FLFinding aid prepared by Elizabeth Beckman
There are no restrictions on personal use. Permission to publish material from the Round Hill, Virginia, schools correspondence must be obtained from Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.
There are no access restrictions.
Digitized version of this collection can be found here: Round Hill, VA school correspondence.
Round Hill, Virginia, school correspondence, C0255, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
Purchased by George Mason University Libraries before 2008.
Processing completed by Elizabeth Beckman in April 2015. EAD markup completed by Elizabeth Beckman in April 2015. Finding aid updated by Amanda Brent in 2019.
The small town of Round Hill in Loudoun County, Virginia, was incorporated in 1900, though it had been settled in the 18th century; typically for a southern town of the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was racially segregated (Scheel, 'History of Round Hill'). This segregation extended to the schools; the Round Hill "colored" school served the African-American community until 1943, when the building burned down (Roeder, 'Round Hill Colored School, Loudon'). As of the 2010 census, Round Hill has a population of 539 (United States Census Bureau).
Round Hill resident Dr. James Edward (J.E.) Copeland was a physician and also played a role in the hiring of educators in the community, to which he moved in 1887 (Scheel, 'History of Round Hill').
This collection contains 10 letters, plus associated letters of recommendation, regarding applications for teaching and principal positions available at the Round Hill and Wood Grove schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, between 1897 and 1900. The recipient of the letters was Dr. J.E. Copeland. Three of the letters specifically reference the Round Hill "colored" school.
The letters are arranged in original order.
Lee, Deborah A. 'African American Communities of Loudoun County,' Friends of the Thomas Balch Library, accessed April 8, 2015. Roeder, Jr., Larry. 'Schools M to R,' Preintigration Schools of Loudoun. Black History Committee, Friends of the Balch Library, accessed April 8, 2015. 'Round Hill town, Virginia,' United States Census Bureau, accessed April 8, 2015. Scheel, Eugene. 'Round Hill,' The History of Loudon County, Virginia, accessed April 8, 2015.