History For VSDB In The 1900's

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1900's

• 1900: The football team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1902: Montague Hall, dormitory for blind girls, was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, Andrew Jackson Montague (1902-1906). Blind girls dormitory, dining hall and gymnasium for girls.
• 1905: VSDB replaced gaslights to electric lights.
• 1906: Uncle Dennis Shafer, an old colored man (and an ex-slave), had been employed in this school since 1865. Uncle Dennis remembered well when this school was first established in 1839, in old brown house near the Baltimore and Ohio Depot. It was afterward removed to a frame building which stood where Wilkes furniture store, then from there moved to its present location.
• 1906: The school purchased more land, 49.22 acres, east of the corporate limits of the City of Staunton. It was known as Persimmon Hill.
• 1906: Dairy barn was erected.
• 1907: For the Jamestown Exposition, Rueben Weaver and his class constructed a large colonial dollhouse. They won first place! The dollhouse is still in the VSDB Museum.
• 1908: The name of the newspaper, Goodson Gazette, was changed to Virginia Guide.
• 1908: Swanson Hall was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, Charles Swanson (1906-1910). Classrooms for Deaf Department.
• 1908: VSDBs sister school for black students were erected in Newport News, Virginia.
• 1909: New covered bridge connecting Swanson Hall to Tyler Hall to Main Hall and to Montague Hall was completed.
• SEPTEMBER 15, 1910: Uncle Dennis Shafer an old colored servant (and an ex-slave), who had been employed in this school for forty-five years, died in July, aged about 85 years. (Shafter Maintenance Complex was named in honor of this man, Uncle Dennis in 2008).

1910's

• 1911: 100 square yards of concrete was put down on the courtyard covering the pond between Swanson Hall, Chapel and Main Hall.
• 1913: A fire alarm box was placed on the porch near the pupils dining hall connecting with the city fire department. The Staunton Fire Department could respond in 4 minutes from the time it was sounded.
• 1913: Ugite and fine stones dressed VSDB driveways.
• 1914: WORLD WAR 1 began.
• 1914: Second vocational building was razed. Printing press moved to Tyler Hall.
• 1914: Stuart Hall, third vocational building, was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, Henry Carter Stuart (1914-1918). It had a woodshop for the deaf. The swimming pool is in the basement.
• 1918: WORLD WAR 1 ended.
• 1918: VSDB acquired more land (150 acres) about one anda half miles southwest of the Staunton City known as Paris Farm.
• 1919: Mr. Howard M. McManaway became the tenth superintendent of the school. McManaway embraced the Milan resolution and banned sign language at VSDB. For the next 20 years, deaf students suffered.

1920's

• 1921: The boys basketball team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1924: The girls basketball team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1924: For many years, the deaf and the blind schools wanted to separate. The proposal to separate schools was proposed by Herbert J. Taylor. The deaf school was to remain in Staunton and the blind school was to locate on a property near University of Virginia. Many people became involved in this move including Helen Keller. The General Assembly approved the bill. Everyone was rejoiced. When the bill was introduced to gain funding to build the school, it was rejected. It was a bitter defeat for everyone. The move was tried again and again. Finally it was abandoned and the property near University of Virginia was sold in 1998.
• 1925: Boy Scouts was organized in this school.
• 1925: Camp Fire Girls were organized in this school.
• 1927: The Boy Scouts Troop 2 received Charter.
• 1928: Byrd Hall for elementary deaf students was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, Harry Byrd (also a senator). Covered bridge was extended to Byrd Hall. It was for the Deaf Department with classrooms and dorm for elementary boys and girls.
• 1929: 4-H Club for the deaf girls was organized in this school.

1930's

• 1931: Boy Scouts Troop No. 2 put up flagpole on the schools campus.
• 1931: Tyler Hall was discovered to be condemned. 31 blinds boys were quickly evacuated to temporarily reside in Chapel.
• 1932: The Dairy barn caught on fire and was destroyed.
• 1933: The name, Main Street, was changed to Beverly Street.
• 1933: Print shop moved to under the Chapel from Tyler Hall.
• 1934: Concrete floor was put in bottom of Main Hall. Boy Scout room was placed in bottom of Main Hall. It was in log cabin style.
• 1934: Tyler Hall was razed.
• 1934: Superintendent House was completed and occupied on November 24, 1834.
• 1935: Peery Hall was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, George C. Peery (1934-1938). It was classrooms and dormitories for Blind boys.
• 1936: West wing of Main Hall was remodeled. Deaf girls were moved to Montague Hall.
• 1936: East wing of Main Hall was remodeled. Deaf boys were moved to west wing.
• 1936: VSDB installed sprinklers throughout the school.
• 1936: Steam pipes connecting VSDB to Western State Hospital were installed.
• 1937: Old boiler house razed.
• 1937: Old dairy barn was razed. It had been damaged by fire in 1932.
• 1938: Garages were put in place of the old boiler house.
• 1938: Old entrance gateposts were pulled down, and gray stone posts were replaced.
• 1938: The pretty fountain in the front lawn, in the center of the circular roadway, was removed.
• 1939: Joseph Ewart Healy became the eleventh superintendent of the school. The ban was lifted and sign language was allowed at VSDB.
• 1939: VSDB celebrated being 100 years old.
• 1939: Electric lights are put in the old gas lampposts at each end of the porch of Main Hall.
• 1939: Gray stonewall from gate to superintendents house down old New Hope Road to greenhouse was installed.
• 1939: First Annual Homecoming Day observed at VSDB October 21st. Football game with the West Virginia School for the Deaf.
• SEPTEMBER 1, 1939: WORLD WAR 2 began.

1940's

• 1940: VSDB put the water tower up for sale in the Daily News Leader newspaper.
• 1940: The newspaper, The Silent Cavalier, was organized. First issue Sept. 16, 1940, Owner and Editor, Reuben I. Altizer, one of our graduates.
• 1940: Pipe organ removed from Chapel.
• 1940: Hobby Club for the deaf girls was organized.
• 1944: The boys track team for the Blind was organized.
• 1944: The wrestling team for the Deaf and the Blind was organized.
• 1944: James H. Boothe, Jr., art teacher of this school was called to armed forces of the United States in World War 2. He was killed in action within twelve months.
• MAY 8, 1945: WORLD WAR 2 ended.
• 1945: Girl Scout Troop 19 was organized in this school.
• 1946: VSDB sold Paris Farm (150 acres).
• 1946: C. G. Quesenberry proposed and withdrawn (due to pressure from Alumni and friends of VSDB) to change the schools name from The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind to The Virginia School in Staunton. (Source: Virginia Guide). This proposal was REJECTED.
• 1946: New Hamm organ placed in Main Hall.
• 1947: Electric water cooler was installed in Main Hall and Swanson Hall.
• 1947: A clock and watch repairing shop is a new trade for boys in the vocational department.
• 1947: Girl Scout Troop 29 for Intermediate Girls was organized.
• 1948: The deaf department introduced their mascot, the Red Raider.
• 1948: The old cold storage building is razed. An old well was found under the storage building. A two-story cold storage and refrigeration plant was replaced.
• 1948: A new four lane divided highway, by-pass (Commerce Road/Route 11), just back of the school along the Lewis Creek and the old Baltimore and Ohio Railway. This ran through the VSDB property.
• 1948: Master clock installed to operate the school bell system in Main Hall.
• 1949: VSDB had their first Homecoming Queen. Her name was Montana Aldridge.
• 1949: Organ moved from Main Hall to Chapel.

1950's

• 1950: A first wedding was held at VSDB. The couple was Evelyn and LeRoy Christian.
• 1950: Darden Hall for deaf boys was erected. It was named for the Virginia governor, Colgate Darden Jr. (1942-1946) and was third president of University of Virginia. Classrooms and dormitory building for older deaf boys.
• 1951: Lewellyn Gymnasium was erected. It was named for T. Carlton Lewellyn who was the first Physical Education director of this school. Mr. Lewellyn served from 1913-1962.
• 1952: Chapel was completely renovated.
• SEPTEMBER 1953: Swimming pool was closed because of a crack.
• 1953: The first annual Mason Dixon Basketball Tournament was held at VSDB. Originators of the Mason Dixon Tournament were Mr. Lewellyn, Superintendent Shinpaugh, Mr. Floyd and Mr. Yates.
• 1954: The Supreme Court ruled that segregation was unconstitutional. It was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas. This ruling required that all schools be desegregated. Virginia responded with a massive resistance. To avoid desegregation, Virginia closed many public schools. This went on for five years. In spite of this resistance, VSDB remained open.
• 1954: Battle Hall, dormitory for blind girls was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, John Stewart Battle (1950-1954). It was a dormitory for blind girls. It has kitchen and dining hall in basement for blind students.
• MAY 1954: Blind girls moved to Battle Hall.
• SEPTEMBER 1954: Blind intermediate boys group was moved to Montague Hall from Peery Hall.
• 1955: Vietnam War began.
• 1955: Mr. Bass was trying to locate the cornerstone of Main Hall because it was believed that the cornerstone contained a tin or copper box filled with old documents and various things. One day, a man from the Masonic Lodge believed to know the location. They pinpointed the location and removed the stone. They thought they found the place but discovered it wasnt. To this day, the cornerstone wasnt found.
• 1958: Mr. Joe R. Shinpaugh became the twelfth superintendent of the school.
• 1959: Maintenance Building was erected. It was built over the garage.
• 1959: Healy Hall was erected. Named after superintendent, Joseph Healy (1939-1958). Deaf Department was moved to Healy Hall from Swanson Hall.
• 1959: The flagpole was installed in front of Main Hall.
• 1959: The blind department introduced their mascot, the Chief. It was in honor of Coach William Chief Burrows. Coach Burrows was known as the father of wrestling in Virginia.
• SEPTEMBER 1959: Swanson Hall became the High School building for the Blind Department.

1960's

• 1961: The historical marker of VSDB was placed on Route 11 (Commerce Road).
• 1961: VSDB purchased Braxton House (Bradford Hall) and land.
• 1961: The quest to close New Hope Road begins. VSDB wanted to closed the road that cut through their property. The city of Staunton did not want to close New Hope Road and resisted. The fight to close New Hope Road went on for two years. Finally an agreement was reached. In order to close New Hope Road, VSDB had to buy all fourteen houses on New Hope Road (across the old baseball field). VSDB agreed and bought all fourteen houses. VSDB rented out these houses to teachers and staff of VSDB. Within the next few years, VSDB dismantled them one by one. The last house was dismantled in 2008 for the new Shafter Maintenance Complex.
• 1962: The yearbook, White Columns, was organized.
• JULY 1963: New Hope Road officially closed at East Beverly so the campus can be connected with the Braxton House. Dirt was brought in to fill in the ground and cover the road.
• 1963: Braxton Hall was renovated into Bradford Hall and completed. Bradford Hall was named after Dr. Charles Bradford (1919-1959).
• 1963: Carter Hall, dormitory for elementary deaf girls was erected. It was named after Colonel Curry Carter, president of Board of Visitors and a Virginia state senator. Dormitory for elementary deaf girls.
• 1963: Watts Hall, dormitory for elementary blind boys was erected. It was named after Lucian L. Watts. Covered walkway from the bridge at the end of Swanson Hall to Watts Hall was completed. Dormitory for elementary blind boys.
• 1965: For 126 years, VSDB had been an all white school for the deaf and the blind in Virginia. In 1963, John F. Kennedy addressed America about the Civil Right Acts. President Johnson signed the Civil Right Acts bill. VSDB complied with the Civil Right Acts and desegregated in 1965 by admitting the first black deaf boy, Larry Fortune.
• 1966: First blind black boy, Jerry Long was admitted.
• 1966: Harrison Hall, cafeteria for elementary students was erected. It was named after the Virginia governor, Albertis S. Harrison Jr. (1962-1966). Dining Hall for elementary blind boys and elementary deaf girls.
• 1966: Montague Hall was razed.
• MAY 1967: The school trades Persimmon Hill (36 acres) to Belmont Trap Rock Company for Sprouls Farm (23 acres).
• 1967: Proposal to erect skating rink, softball field, baseball field, basketball court, recreational building, art & crafts building, dormitory for elementary blind girls, classroom building and infirmary on the 18 acres Sproul property was proposed and denied.
• 1967: Mascot for Deaf Department was changed from Red Raiders to Cardinals.
• 1967: Bass Hall, dormitory for upper deaf girls was erected. It was named after R. Aumon and Mary Scott Bass who taught at VSDB from 1925-1958. Dormitory for Deaf High School girls. Dining Hall is in the basement.
• 1968: Price Hall, dormitory for elementary deaf boys was erected. It was named after Charles D. Price, president of the Board of Visitors from 1964 to 1966. Dormitory for Deaf elementary boys.

1970's

• 1970: The boys track team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1971: Dining Hall/Infirmary and Kitchen Staff/Gardeners House were razed.
• 1972: Phase one of Strader Hall was completed. Second phase was proposed and denied due to lack of funding. Strader Hall is the fourth vocational building. Strader Hall was named after Ludwell Strader who served on the Board of Visitors from 1962 to 1967 and was president of the Board of Visitors from 1966 to 1967. Vocational building was for the Deaf Department. VSDB requested the General Assembly for funding to finish the phase two of Strader Hall. The request was denied. This is why Strader Hall has the L shape. It wasnt finished.
• 1972: The print shop was moved to Strader Hall from Chapel.
• 1972: Stuart Hall was closed.
• 1972: VSDB had over 500 students.
• JUNE 1974: Swanson Hall was completely renovated the breezeway between Peery and Swanson was enclosed connecting the two buildings together.
• SEPTEMBER 1974: Stuart Hall was used as classrooms for the Blind High School and Junior High for the school year.
• 1974: Battle Hall dining rooms were closed.
• 1974: Rocco DeVito established VSD Hall of Fame. Lewellyn was the first person to receive this prestigious award.
• 1974: The General Assembly ordered a mandate against the sister schools. Elementary school aged student was to attend VSDB-Hampton and High School aged student was to attend VSDB-Staunton. VSDB deaf department lost its elementary school children and VSDB blind department lost its high school students. Few years later, this move was abandoned and a new mandate was ordered. Students who live east side of I-95 were to attend VSDB Hampton and students who live west side of I-95 were to attend VSDB Staunton. Both schools suffered enrollment.
• 1975: Congress passed Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL94-142). Schools for the Deaf and the Blind suffered enrollment everywhere including VSDB. Since 1975, schools for the Deaf and the Blind slowly grew smaller and smaller. VSDB went from 435 students in 1975 to 115 students in 2010.
• 1975: Vietnam War ended.
• JUNE 1975: Stuart Hall closed.
• 1976: The girls volleyball team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1976: The courtyard was blacktopped.
• 1978: Sheldon Melton became the thirteenth superintendent of the school.
• 1978: Miss VSDB Pageant was held for the first time and Janis Collier was the first Miss VSDB.

1980's

• 1980: The girls softball team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1980: The Cold War began between the two sisters, VSDB Staunton and VSDB Hampton. The war raged on to claim the right to being the ONLY school for the Deaf and the Blind in Virginia. After 30 years of fighting, VSDB Staunton won.
• 1984: VSDB no longer have the Board of Visitors and completely went under the Department of Education.
• 1984: Canteen at the bottom of the Chapel stopped being used.
• SEPTEMBER 1988: Darden Hall was closed. Older deaf boys moved to Watts Hall.
• 1989: VSDB celebrated being 150 years old.

1990's

• 1991: Abernathy Natatorium was erected. It was named after Louise Abernathy, a long time student life director.
• 1992: Dr. Joseph Panko became the fourteenth superintendent of the school.
• 1993: The soccer team for the Deaf was organized.
• 1994: Old Canteen store at the bottom of the Chapel was made into the Yates Library.
• 1995: Mr. VSDB was held for the first time at VSDB and William Whitfield was the first Mr. VSDB.
• 1998: The bell tower was opened in the Chapel. The passageway from Main Hall to the Chapel was removed.
• 1999: Mr. Robert Whytal became the fifteenth superintendent of the school.
• 1999: The controversial I-95 mandate was removed.