CHESAPEAKE, Va. — In 1902, a small school was built by the hands of free and former slaves, using materials from the Dismal Swamp.
In the spring, the historical Cornland School will be restored to showcase an important part of Hampton Roads history.
Walking up the steps of the Cornland School is a walk down memory lane for former students Mildred Brown and Emma Nixon. Nixon says the school holds more than just Chesapeake history, but familial history.
"My mother and my sisters went to this school and I went later on. I knew how important getting an education was," said Nixon.
Years ago, the one room school was used to educate many Black children. Nixon and Brown say the start of their day began in extreme heat or frigid cold.
"I remember being six years old walking from Cornland Road to Benefit Road. That was about eight miles to get there. So every day I would walk 16 miles to go a school and then go home," explained Brown.
Nixon says she remembers walking to school in the freezing cold the most.
"It was a hard time walking. My feet and hands were so cold. I remember getting to school and there was no resource for warmth, no stove, no fire. At some point, I think someone's grandfather or father came out to build us a potbelly stove so we could stay warm throughout the day," remembers Nixon.
In 1936, Brown went to school at Cornland. She says from an early age, she remembers the divide between White and Black children.
"We never had anything new. Everything we had was used. The books were written in, pages torn out, but that's what we had to learn from," said Brown.
Brown says she and other kids were also treated poorly.
"At the time, we all had to walk while white children would ride the school bus. There was this one time when we were walking in the cold and a bus driver stopped the bus. A child got off and picked up rocks and threw them at us," said Brown.
While much has changed in the last 100 years most of the school building has not. Recently, it was moved from its original location, so it could be preserved.
Councilwoman Dr. Ella Ward is the board chair for the Cornland School Foundation. She says this part of Hampton Road's history was nearly lost.
"The school was almost buried with trees and brush," said Dr. Ward. "There were trees coming out of the windows it was in very very poor condition."
After 12 years of planning, the foundation raised the money to apply for historic preservation on the state and national level. Next spring, the school will get more than a fresh coat of paint. An historic village will be created, including an outdoor classroom, replicas of the underground railroad, and a visitor's center.
Under-sheriff David Rosado, one of the members of the foundation, says this project is so important. "History is alive here in Chesapeake. There is so much history here. This is a portion but it's an important part."
For Brown and Nixon, the restoration will be a new chapter in the story they'll get to share with their family, community, and each other.
"More than anything, we just want to see it finished. It's something to live longer for," joked Brown and Nixon.
