Contributed by Marieke Henry
The Dunbar Schoolhouse on Mountain Hill Road in Palmyra – originally built to educate Black children only – celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Though segregated education is not a topic to be rejoiced, the survival of this historical Rosenwald building certainly is. Fluvanna County native Carmen Smith recently bought the site transforming it into a community center. The nonprofit, Friends of Dunbar, in collaboration with a group of 2023/2024 Fluvanna Leadership Development Program graduates, will hold a Centennial Celebration on Aug. 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join in for an afternoon of learning, free cupcakes, and family-friendly activities!
The Dunbar Schoolhouse, which has stood empty for years, has come back to life thanks to Carmen Smith, her husband Stanley, her son Roger, and many friends and family members. Under her leadership, this two-room schoolhouse has become a museum, community center, and health hub for children and elderly folks in southern Fluvanna where health statistics are alarmingly low. “I was shocked to see just how disproportionate major health concerns are in this area in comparison to the rest of the county,” said Greg Winston, hospital administrator and co-chair of the Move 2 Health Equity Coalition. He too grew up in the county and is offering his expertise to make Smith’s dream of a health hub come true.
Since January 2024, Gregg Winston and the Move 2 Health Equity Coalition have progressed from discussions centered on health disparities and inequities in southern Fluvanna to bringing health care to the area. Feb. 24, 2024, marked the building’s first health fair with vaccinations, A1Cs, blood pressure readings, acupuncture, back massages, and information about various public health services, all for free. It was the perfect kickoff for the Dunbar Schoolhouse’s centennial year. Future endeavors will include working with UVA Health to bring its Mobile Health Unit to the Dunbar Schoolhouse and JABA opening a Senior Center. With a grant from Sentara Cares in the amount of $15,000, a walking/jogging path will be built using the Rosenwald/Washington philosophy of community engagement.
This year, the Dunbar Schoolhouse has already served as a location for the following free educational and health programs:
Summer STEM programs for kids;
Introduction to Japanese Karate: Shoriam-Ken Youth;
Art 101: Creative Foundations;
Lifesaving Classes with Linda Glover;
Fluvanna Health Fair (connecting rural residents with healthcare resources with free health screenings and vaccines);
Saturday Morning Yoga with Milati with the support of the Martha Jefferson Foundation;
The building is also available for rental. It is a great venue for weddings, family gatherings, meetings, fundraising events, reunions, and more!
Over 5,000 such schools, known as Rosenwald Schools, were designed at Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute and partially financed by Julius Rosenwald, founder of the Sears Roebuck Catalog. Originally called the Fork Church School, it was later renamed to honor Paul Laurence Dunbar, a nationally known black poet, novelist, and playwright. According to the Rosenwald Foundation database, the school cost $2,600 with public funds contributing $1.400, the Black community giving $500, and the foundation gifting $700. A generation of students still living in Fluvanna County have high regard and fond memories of their Rosenwald school days.
Helping to preserve the schoolhouse’s history is Associate Professor Andrea Roberts of UVA. Her Rural Planning and Preservation Practice students visited the school every week for the whole spring semester diving deep into Black heritage conservation and “outsider” (grassroots) preservation practices. They also made short and long-term plans and budgets for their recommendations for the building and its artifacts.
Meanwhile, Smith’s endeavor has achieved a not-for-profit 501 C-3 status, poising her to receive grant money. This is a welcome relief to Smith who had been using her own money to make needed improvements to the old school building, such as installing drywall and new windows, refinishing floors, and adding an HVAC system. A new roof is also further down the wish list. The improvements to the building give her a space to offer youth programs at the schoolhouse in math, science, and engineering, and seeing the elderly’s struggles, she seeks to smooth their path as well. She dreams of such things as a multi-purpose basketball/tennis court, walking trails, and a picnic shelter on Dunbar grounds. To make this happen, Smith needs significant funding.
The current class of Fluvanna’s Leadership Development Program has taken note, providing Smith with a business plan and communication tools that will in turn help her solicit more grant money. The group encourages everyone in Fluvanna County to get involved, starting with attending the Centennial Celebration on Aug. 10. The open house event starts at 3 p.m. with guided tours every 15 minutes until 6 p.m. Enjoy music, complimentary cupcakes, and more! Come to 2524 Mountain Hill Rd. in Palmyra, Virginia, and learn about Fluvanna County’s rich Black history and join in a fun-filled afternoon for the whole family!
Want to help? Mail a donation to Friends of Dunbar 2524 Mountain Hill Rd. Palmyra, VA 22963, or like the Dunbar Schoolhouse Facebook page to stay updated about upcoming events.
For more information, please call/text Carmen Smith at +1 434-808-6952. Or visit these links:https://fluvannareview.com/2024/03/dunbar-schoolhouse-marks-centennial-with-launch-of-health-hub/
