Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School

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Main building, c. 1907.[1] By 1910 this served as the girls' dormitory.[2]

Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School (DIAS) was a school for African Americans in Chester County, Pennsylvania from 1905 until 1993.[3] Its motto was "Self help through self work".[4] It was in what is now East Brandywine Township.[5][6]

History[]

Founded by John S. Trower and William A. Creditt, both well-known African Americans from Philadelphia, the school was aimed at African-American teenagers and operated as a non-profit organization.[7] Tower was a local businessman and Creditt was pastor of the city's First African Baptist Church.[3] The school's purpose was to provide vocational training.[8] By 1907 it had a chapel and barn, dining room and sewing room[1] and an illustrated report on the school was published.[9] It was included in Philadelphia's colored directory in 1910.[10] In July 1912 it was preparing to send 15 graduates to Lincoln University.[4]

James H. N. Waring (1890 - 1973) served as the school's principal.[11]

Mortelia Womack, who worked as a secretary for W. E. B. Du Bois, applied for a job in the school in 1931 and Du Bois sent the school's principal, J. H. N. Waring, Jr., a reference for her.[12] In 1980, a 36 page publication about the school was printed.[13]

Legacy[]

Delaware County Community College's Downington campus is on the site of the former school.[14]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Parks, W. G. et al. (c. 1907). Statement of Scope, Condition, Purposes and Needs of Downingtown Industrial School, 1907–1908. Philadelphia: Press of Banner Publishing Company for Downingtown Industrial School. Courtesy of Ian Brabner, Rareamerica.com. OCLC 1105217145
  2. ^ "Downington Industrial and Agricultural School [advertisement"]. The Philadelphia Colored Directory, 1910.
  3. ^ a b "Background Note". Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School Collection, Temple University Libraries.
  4. ^ a b "The Downington Industrial School". The Pittsburgh Courier, 5 July 1912.
  5. ^ "Downingtown Campus". Delaware County Community College. Retrieved 2021-06-18. Downingtown Campus 100 Bond Drive Downingtown, PA 19335[...]built on the site of the former Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School,[...]
  6. ^ "Street Map". East Brandywine Township. January 2010. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  7. ^ Griffin, Clay (1980). Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School. Downingtown, PA: Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School. OCLC 992080215.
  8. ^ Blockson, Charles L. (1994). African Americans in Pennsylvania: A History and Guide. Baltimore, MD: Black Classic Press, 41.
  9. ^ "Statement of Scope, Condition, Purposes and Needs of Downingtown Industrial School, 1907-1908 by W G. Parks on Ian Brabner, Rare Americana, LLC ABAA". Ian Brabner, Rare Americana, LLC (ABAA).
  10. ^ "ExplorePAHistory.com - Image". explorepahistory.com.
  11. ^ "Search results: Name:"Waring,%20James%20H.%20N.,%201890-1973"".
  12. ^ "Letter from the Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School to W. E. B. Du Bois, September 3, 1931". University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  13. ^ Griffin, Clay (September 22, 1980). "Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School". Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School – via Google Books.
  14. ^ "Downingtown Campus". Delaware County Community College.

Further reading[]

Coordinates: 40°01′34″N 75°44′42″W / 40.026°N 75.745°W / 40.026; -75.745

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