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Religious and Educational Development (1.4.6)

The greatest religious growth during the 1860s and 1870s occurred in the black community. In November 1865 Olive Branch Baptist Church (510 Brooks Avenue) was organized as the first black Baptist congregation in Elizabeth City. It joined Mt. Lebanon A. M. E. Zion Church (320 Culpepper Street), the successor of the antebellum Methodist Colored Mission, as the town's two black congregations (Outlaw 1961, 172-174; Branson 1872, 181; 1877-78, 237). The white Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal churches continued in service to their members, remaining in their antebellum structures.

The difficulties facing the redevelopment of the city's white educational system following the Civil War were considerable. In 1867-1868 only the Elizabeth City Female Academy, operated by Miss S. E. Martin, was listed in the Branson directory. Sectarian schools connected with the Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal churches were open for an unknown period of time in the early 1870s. The schools in 1877-1878 consisted of Miss Martin's academy, a male academy operated by Isaac Tillett (building still standing at 410 West Church Street), and three coeducational schools. In 1878 Samuel Lloyd Sheep (1856-1928) came to Elizabeth City from Pennsylvania and re-opened the private Elizabeth City Academy, advertising that "The latest and most improved normal methods of instruction will be introduced." The academy quickly regained its stature and remained the leading school for white children for almost thirty years (Butchko, 1989: 163, 259; Deed Book 4, p. 82; Pasquotank Year Book 1955, 61, 83; Branson, 1867-68: 88; 1872: 182; 1878: 239).

While the years between 1865 and 1880 saw a considerable expansion of free public schools in the county, research has yet to determine the location of the free schools for whites in or near Elizabeth City. Indeed, all informal histories and personal recollections of schools for whites in Elizabeth City during the late nineteenth century deal exclusively with the private Elizabeth City Academy. Nonetheless, in 1869-1870 there were eighteen public schools for whites in Pasquotank County, and it seems likely that at least one within the town. In support of this belief is the item in The North Carolinian on September 2, 1869 that the Elizabeth City school population was 297 white children, an implication of the existence of a public school for whites (Butchko 1989, 36; Ballou 1966, 2):

Because of research undertaken to document the years leading to the 1891 formation of the State Colored Normal School, the educational history of blacks between 1865 and 1880 is well known. Unlike whites, who had to rebuild their schools after the Civil War, local blacks were faced with creating an educational system. By 1869-1870 there were ten free public schools for blacks in the county. One of these, the "Red School House" near the Corporate limits of Elizabeth City, was loaned by the Pasquotank Board of Commissioners in March 1869 "to the Colored people for School purposes." This building, "near the residence of Mr. A. B. Perse" (perhaps now the vicinity of Persse [sic] Street), was probably where Thomas W. Cardozo opened a school the following July; it was attended by 124 children. Where Cardozo was from is not known, but his work in Elizabeth City was sponsored by the New York Freedman's Union Commission (Butchko 1989, 36; Ballou 1966, 1).

Under Cardozo's leadership, educational opportunities for blacks in Elizabeth City made rapid advances. Even though The North Carolinian reported on October 13, 1869, that property had been purchased on Hines Street for a black public school, no such deed was recorded in the Pasquotank County Register of Deeds Office. Three months later, on January 1I, 1870, the trustees for the colored normal school--Cardozo, Jesse R. Brown, Selim Sutton, and Jacob Spellman--acquired properly at what is now 708 Herrington Road "for permanent school purposes for Freedmen and children irrespective of color." A building was erected here in time for classes to begin the following October 27, and The North Carolinian reported on December 22, 1870, that the primary school had twenty-nine students registered and the three "Higher Departments," each in a separate part of the new school, had a total enrollment of 128 pupils. After placing education for blacks in Elizabeth City on a firm footing, Cardozo left in January 1871 for Vicksburg, Mississippi (Ballou 1966, 3-10)

With Cardozo's departure, leadership in the further advancement of education for blacks was gradually assumed by Hugh Cale (1835-1910), a black businessman, property owner, and local politician. Cale, a native of Perquimans County, came to Elizabeth City in 1867 and immediately became active in the educational, fraternal, social, and, especially, the political aspects of the town. He was a stalwart and active member of the Republican Party, and, after several failures at seeking public office, he was elected Treasurer of Elizabeth City in 1874. Two years later was elected to represent the county in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He represented the county in the sessions of 1876-1877f 1879, 1880, 1885, and 1891. During his career--both in an out of state office--he actively furthered the improvement of education for all (Ballou 1966, 11-16).

Property was acquired in March 1873 for another school for blacks. The half-acre lot was bounded by Dawson Lane and the "Poor House Road" (now Southern Avenue). Although the tract (exact location unknown) was outside of the town limits at the time, and nothing else is known of the school, it represents further improvement in the public school system for black children in the Elizabeth City area (Ballou 1966, 29,30).