Class of 1954 on mission to save Nokesville, VA school building

Since 1929 residents in the rural Nokesville area have been getting their education at a school in the village.

The school, Brentsville District, officially opened on Sept. 5, 1929 and hosted grades one through 11.
From 1929 to 1964 the high school existed in the building that currently houses Nokesville Elementary School. In 1965 the high school moved to its new building on Aden Road and the building became classrooms for some 470 students PK-5.

Hundreds of graduates of the school have fond memories of the school and want the building to remain a vital part of the community. It will cease to be a school with a new replacement school under construction adjacent to the present high school.

In fact, this was the major discussion at the annual reunion of the Class of 1954 recently.

“We want to make sure the building is not destroyed and we are preparing a petition to present to the Prince William County School Board that it be preserved,” said Helen Graves, a member of the class.

Graves said she and other members of the group would like for it to become a community center where such groups such as the Nokesville Ruritans, Nokesville Business Association, Scouts and sports groups would have a place to meet.

“We want to keep a little of the history of the school and decided we had better start now to make sure it is not destroyed. We don’t want it to disappear like to the former Home Ed Cottage did from the grounds,” said Paul Croushorn, a member of the class.

Other members of the alumni group that has been meeting almost annually for the past 59 years and present for the occasion were Sarah Burke, who hosted the session, Laura Sloper, Myrna Strickland, Lois Alderman and Nancy Tiller.

The senior class president, Warren Manuel, who unlike most of the class members who are retired, still works and was on a business trip and unable to attend.

The class had 26 graduates and 18 still survive. Maneul came up with the slogan of “No More Like 54” and the group has adopted it.

“We have always stayed in touch with one another—either through meetings or by telephone. We have a lot in common. We enjoy each others company. We were an exceptionally real good class,” said Tiller.

Graves, who volunteers and greets visitors at the Manassas Museum, said she understands the school is the oldest in the state still in use. The alumni met and toured the school 10 years ago and according to Graves “brought back many fond memories of how we were taught to get along in our rural surroundings.”

Generation after generation have been educated at the school and while the need for a new school was needed, they do want the building to continue to be a part of the community for yet more years to come.