A bit of “ancient” Springfield history (from dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Fairfax/029-0154_SydenstrickerSchool_2012_NRHP_final.pdf): In January 1874, a parcel of land about one mile east of the Sydenstricker School, along Hooes Road (now likely covered by the Fairfax County Parkway), was conveyed by the heirs of Thomas Hall to the School Trustees of the Lee District for the purpose of building a school. The school built on this site was referred to as both Pohick School #5 and Barker’s School. An interesting glimpse of this particular school is recorded in the minutes of the school board on December 10, 1888. The minutes document that “the [school board] clerk was ordered to write to R. H. Harrow, teacher of School #5 and request him to procure a boarding house as the use of his schoolroom for cooking and sleeping was entirely against the wishes of [the] school board”. On July 1, 1897, a regular meeting of the Lee District school board was held at Pohick School #5. The minutes note that “[t]he attention of the Board was called to the dilapidated condition of the school building at Pohick #5, when upon close examination it was deemed unfit to repair. The location being a poor one a survey was taken of the neighborhood with an eye to the school population when the Board concluded to build a new house on land given by Barney Deavers and wife.” This Deavers parcel is where the Sydenstricker School currently stands. The photo attached is a map of the Lee District, made in 1878. The Barker’s schoolhouse location is circled, and the future location of the Sydenstricker Schoolhouse is marked with a red star.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 16:00:19 +0000
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