"Virginia Estelle Randolph"{May 8,1874-March 16,1958}

She was the daughter of former slaves Sarah Elizabeth Carter & Edward Nelson Randolph.The former owner of her mama (professor at Old Richmond College) witnessed the marriage of her parents and was responsible for naming her and her three brothers & sisters.Virginia grew up during Reconstruction,was a teacher by the time she was 16,had became an internationally known authority on vocational for African American students.Virginia first taught in goodland in 1892,and she taught at the one-room Mountain in Henrico County,in Virginia.Besides academics Virginia taught her students such skills as gardening,woodworking,and sewing.Her teaching methods at times brought opposition from parents who wanted their children to learn from books,the county superintendent stood behind her.In 1908,Virginia was appointed the first Jennes Supervisor Industrial Teacher,providing the first formal in-service teacher training fr rural African American teachers anywhere in Virginia.She improved industrial skills and education in general in every one of the county's rural school for African Americans.With the freedom to design her own agenda,she shaped industrial work and community self help programs to meet specific needs of schools.To reach the 23 schools she supervised,
outings that took up to three hours one way on often-rough county roads,Virginia had to hire a buggy & driver,an expense that consumed much of her salary,later she bought her own horse.She recorded
the improvements made at each school under her program,the "Henrico Plan," that was sent to county superintendents throughout the
South.Virginia's teaching techniques and philosophy were later
adopted in Britain's African colonies.In 1915,the Virginia Randolph Training School was built.
Students enrolled from throughout the county.Since transportation was not provided Virginia often kept children in Richmond home so they could attend.Some 59 children boarded with her over the years.She built separate dormitories for girls & boys,and students came to her school as far away as New York.In 1929,fire destroyed the wooden Virginia Randolph Training School.A bigger brick school was built later that year and named the Virginia Randolph High School.