Roanoke World-News

Name New Colored High School

In Honor Of Veteran Teacher

---------------------------------------BY KATHLEEN SHELOR ------------------------------

Lucy Addison Retired After 41 Years of Teaching

First Local Public Building To Be Named For

   Roanoke's first public building to be named in honor of one of is own citizens is now under construction at the corner of Hart and Douglas Avenues, Northwest.  The building is the Lucy Addison High School and the citizen whose name it bears is a retired colored school teacher, who recently completed forty-one years in the Roanoke system.   

    The suggestion as to the name for the new school, made by a group of colored school patrons, has received the unanimous approval of the city school board and has met the general approval throughout the community, where the veteran teacher is held in universal admiration and respect.

   Lucy Addison, who was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, on December 8, 1861, began her labors here in 1886, when she was employed in a small two-room building which stood at the rear of the Norfolk and Western offices, her salary being less than $50 per month.  At the time of her retirement, her salary had been raised to $150.

     That her record was to be unusual was evident from the first, but it is certain that she little dreamed that her efforts would be so magnificently recognized as to have a splendid modern high school building of twenty rooms bear her name, or that she should ever be the first citizen of the town to be so honored.

   The faithful teacher is now a resident of Washington, D. C., where she went several months ago to make her home.  In reply to a recent letter from Supt. D. E. McQuilken informing her of the desire of her former patrons to make the new school her namesake, she expressed great surprise at the news and although so deeply moved by the tribute that she could find no words with which to express her feelings, she said she would gratefully accept the token of the appreciation of the people with whom she had spent so many years.

    During the years that she was employed as a teacher in this city, Lucy Addison lost only one month's time from work, this being necessitated by an attack of fever which she had during her second year in Roanoke.

Her Pupils

   Fifty of the sixty-seven colored teachers in the city have been pupils of this distinguished member of their profession, who at different times has taught in every colored school in the local system.  At the time of her resignation at the close of the school term last June, she had served as principal of the Harrison School for ten years. She received her normal training in Philadelphia and during her career as a teacher took summer courses at

Howard University, University of Pennsylvania, Hampton Institute and Christianburg Institute.

   At the beginning of school this year, Lucy Addison returned to Roanoke for a month to assist her successor in lining up his work for the session.  During her visit a mass meeting was held in her honor when eulogies as to her services to the city and community, given in speeches and song, made up the program.  A large proportion of the colored population of the city was in attendance to show their respect and appreciation,

   In addition to her educational activities, Lucy Addison was a member of the board of the Burrell Memorial Hospital of this city and during her residence here was a ardent church worker.

   A booklet published by the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, colored, where for 27 years she was superintendent of the Sunday school, says in regard to Miss Addison:

Race Uplifter

 "With the exception of the services of the pastor it is certain that no other individual member of the congregation has been instrumental in accomplishing so much for the upbuilding of this church, and it is extremely doubtful if any other woman in Roanoke has done as much for the moral, educational and spiritual uplift of her race."

   "At an early age she became identified with the education of the youth of her race, and by taking post graduate summer normal courses has kept fully abreast of the times.  She has always been a firm believer in Roanoke.  She was here in the early boom period, and, through the dark days following.  With a stout heart and never faltering, she stood by her post, never tiring in the performance of arduous self-assigned tasks, having for their object the best interest of her race and of the public.  When the influenza epidemic struck the city and volunteer nurses were needed by the score, she was one of the first to respond to the call of the local American Red Cross chapter, organizing her teachers and others into a most effective nursing corps and going cheerfully wherever directed, ministering to the stricken families of the city and saving many lives.   Among other public welfare activities she is a trustee of the School for Colored Girls at Peake, Va."

  It is expected tha Lucy Addison will be given another ovation in Roanoke when she returns here next fall to be present at the dedication exercises of the school which has been named in her honor.