Attempting to unravel the history of the Hungerford School requires a closer examination of the changes made over time to both its name and mission. Identifying the school’s various periods helps clarify timelines to better trace the history of its educational legacy and community impact. How did changes to the school’s name reflect changes to its educational mission? How did these changes impact the school and the community?
As Eatonville developed alongside Maitland, further collaboration between those in both communities engendered reciprocal reward. White benefactors such as the Hungerfords, Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Cleavland, and Bishop Henry P. Whipple contributed to initial establishment efforts through contributions of money, land, and time. With land set aside and money raised, the school’s establishment filled an educational void while also promising to provide the community with a more specialized and experienced workforce—a purpose which influenced its first iteration as the Robert Hungerford Normal and Industrial School.
In addition to implementing curriculum according to the Tuskegee model, Hungerford hosted many Tuskegee alumni as educators. Hungerford, as part of the Tuskegee network, provided education for teachers, as well. While not as commonly used today, the term “normal” as applied to schools indicates one that offers training opportunities for future teachers and educators. Starting with two Tuskegee alumni as the founders, the Calhouns were the first of many who came from the Alabama university to learn about and gain experience with teaching students. This connection continued with the school’s refounding in 1938 with a commencement address from George Washington Carver [2] and is still evident in the 60s with newspaper articles mentioning visiting Tuskegee students or new graduates from the university arriving at Hungerford. [3]
Tuskegee students and graduates connected with other schools in the network through training and/or employment
With much of Central Florida’s African American communities working in agricultural, domestic, or service industries and available educational opportunities limited, the Hungerford School—operating according to the Tuskegee model—prioritized a well-rounded, yet “realistic” curriculum that provided both secondary and vocational education. Students cultivated skills and gained experience with the technical knowledge required to excel in demographically predominant job opportunities. They also engaged with other subjects such as liberal arts, sciences, mathematics, and accounting. Not only did this education expand previously narrow intellectual and economic horizons, but it also set students up for success in future employment—either for others or themselves. [4]
Excerpts from "Practical Details of Booker Washington's Work" document the economic opportunities created through a combination of education and dedication.
With its beginnings as an industrial or trade school, there is an interesting connection between Hungerford and Florida agricultural history that warrants further investigation. As mentioned at the beginning of the post, there were often (but not always!) financial or economic motives in whites funding Black educational initiatives. This is likely the case of the Chase family’s involvement with Hungerford. As the holders of an extensive amount of agricultural land throughout Florida, the Chase family of Sanford likely saw the Hungerford School—operating on the Tuskegee initiative—as an opportunity to benefit from the school’s goal to provide an experiential education. Possibly they had a vested interest in a more experienced workforce with Hungerford acting as a pool of recruitment. While their motives remain unclear, the Chase family offered scholarships for students to attend schools which specialized in agricultural education and/or those with whom they had connections—such as a joint scholarship fund between the “the patrons of the colored school at Windermere, many of whom are employed at the [Chase family’s] Isleworth Grove” and the Chase Investment Company. [5] There is a potential connection between the Chase family and Black education through Hopper Academy in Sanford; however, this is—at present—merely a tenuous research thread.
What is not tenuous is the Chase family’s connection to Hungerford prior to its takeover by the Orange County School Board. A notice to appear filed by the Circuit Court and posted in the Orlando Sentinel throughout 1950 names Randall Chase—the son of Chase & Company co-founder Sydney Chase—among those who possess an interest in the school’s holdings. [6] Further investigation of this connection can reveal how Hungerford students contributed to the success of the Chase Company and its subsequent iteration, Sunniland, while further underscoring the reciprocal relationships between Black education and economic opportunities and benefits.
With name changes, land additions, and reconstitutions, the history of Hungerford School would benefit from a timeline of its evolution over the years. The complex nature—pieced together from various archival records—of Hungerford’s history make it a prime candidate for a StoryMap which can display the elements necessary to fully tell its story: narrative, temporal, and spatial. This StoryMap will capture changes in land and name from the 1960s to the 1980s, while also demonstrating the scope of the Hungerford’s influence in Eatonville and beyond. Illustrating Hungerford’s story with archival records, images, and other visual aids will highlight its history and community connections.
Sources
[1] "Practical Details of Booker Washington's Work with Illustrations Showing the Daily Routine," Montgomery Advertiser, Dec. 13, 1903. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020645/1903-12-13/ed-1/seq-71/
[2] C. A. Glover, "Flashback," Orlando Sentinel, Feb. 8, 1990.
[3] social column of Orlando Sentinel, Feb. 8, 1960.
[4] "Practical Details of Booker Washington's Work..."
[5] “Negroes Offer Scholarship,” Orlando Sentinel, June 26, 1944.
[6] “Notice to Appear,” Orlando Evening Star, Nov. 4, 1950.
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