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Pierre S. DuPont gave money
to the colored school for modern
technology, better plumbing, and better books. |
The modern
black school C111 is pictured above. This colored school had better
facilities than the white school. |
Colored School 111-C
In the 1880’s there was a one room 18x26 school built for the black
children in Christiana. It was at that time education for the town's black
students began. There was a Philanthropist or wealthy giver, named
Pierre S. DuPont who donated money to make a new and improved black school
with indoor plumbing electricity and heat. This school was built in
1920, and called 111-C. The C stands for colored. The
colored school did not have many students in the 1950's
because of the desegregation. Desegregation was when schools were no
longer separated by color. Now the community is trying to make
this historical landmark into a museum.
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This is a picture of the
white school in 1926. This was a newer building compared to the one
room schoolhouse, but it still had a lot of problems like, no indoor
plumbing and a basement full of mud...yuck! |
The land where the white
school once sat is now vacant. |
The White School
Good morning class! Education for the white children in Christiana began
in 1829. At this time children attended classes in a one room schoolhouse.
Eventually a larger school was built for the white children to go
to. This second schoolhouse was torn down because it had a basement full
of mud, no heat, and no electricity. There was also no drinking water, no indoor plumbing, and not
enough room for a playground. So, the citizens of Christiana decided they
needed a new school that would have modern updates. Another reason people wanted a new white school was because the colored school had all of the above and
a lot more. In 1933
construction began for the new white school.
This school included everything the black school had. So all
there’s left to say is class dismissed!
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This is our school, Albert H. Jones as it
looks today. It is a Superior School as ranked by the Department of Education
based on most of our students passing the Delaware State Test. |
Teachers from 1939 stand on the steps of Albert H. Jones Elementary School (Christiana Salem). |
Albert H. Jones Elementary School
"I pledge allegiance to the flag..." Students at Albert H. Jones
Elementary School recite these words every morning. But, many of them
don't know that the school was originally named Christiana Salem. It was
renamed Albert H. Jones ("Jones" for short) after Dr. Albert H. Jones, a member of this community, and the school board. Albert H. Jones
Elementary School was built in 1934
and
it opened in 1935. This school was originally built for white students.
It was supposed to be the updated white school. During the time of segregation,
people in Christiana were upset because black students had a better school than
white students. So
the white school was torn down, and Jones took it's place. The original
building was built small. For example, the school had a small teacher room, a
small kitchen, and a small auditorium. The original Albert H. Jones building was
expanded in 1967 a second story, and eight classrooms were added to the
side, and two kindergarten rooms were added to the rear. Another
renovation took place in 2004. Many changes were made, like new floors,
new windows, and a new kitchen in the cafeteria. The school also become more
handicap accessible at that time with the addition of ramps and an
elevator. Albert H. Jones Elementary School currently has about 450 students who come
from
very diverse backgrounds. We are very happy to be able to attend school in
such an historical place.
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