In “Writing to Change the World,” Professor of Creative Writing Mary Carroll-Hackett’s CTZN 410 class, Carroll-Hackett tasks her students with making an impact on the community beyond Longwood’s campus. This semester, students were asked to create problem–solution proposals for the Mary E. Branch Heritage Center, a site aimed at expanding resources and providing community for citizens of Prince Edward County.
The Heritage Center sits in the former Mary E. Branch School, which educated Black children in Prince Edward County for generations. Opened in 1926 as the Farmville Colored School, it later became the first Robert Russa Moton High School before being renamed Mary E. Branch School when the new R. R. Moton High School — now the Moton Museum — was built across the street.
Later, the school became one of three sites operated by the Prince Edward Free School Association from 1963 until 1964, when the Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County decision required the county’s public schools to desegregate and reopen.
The site is no longer used as a school and the building degraded over time. That was until members of the community banded together to save the site, and the Heritage Center was born.
Students were divided into 6 groups, 3 working on proposals for an updated website for the Heritage Center, and 3 working on proposals for the 100-year anniversary of the Mary E. Branch School, which opened in 1926.
Students spent a large part of the semester working on their proposals, as well as meeting with Shirby Scott Brown, Vice President of the Heritage Center.
In an interview with The Rotunda, student Jaylin Plummer, whose group submitted a proposal for the website, said, "It's the most important project I’ve ever done. It's helped me connect more with the Farmville community.”
Plummer said before the class began working on the proposals, she had no idea about the Center. “That's what made me really excited about this project, making the Heritage Center more widely known.”
Zachary Millett, who also worked on a website proposal, said, “It’s unique that Mary is doing this. I hope what we’re doing here makes a difference for [the Heritage Center] and the Farmville community.”
On Thursday, October 30, all 6 groups were able to present their completed proposals to Brown, Board President Dione Scott Jennings and Board Treasurer Sylvia Mayo Scott. All three women come from families impacted by the closing of Prince Edward County Public Schools.
Brown's late husband, Warren L. Brown, did not attend school until the age of 10 because of the Public School closure. “He used that as the catalyst to help him move forward in his life,” she said.
Jennings said of her parents and cousins impacted by the school closures, “It made them stronger, because they took that and made lemonade.” She added, “My mom always said, just because she wasn't in school, she never stopped learning.”
Scott’s late husband was also affected by the schools closing; he went out of state to continue his education while the schools were closed. When she moved to Farmville and began teaching, she said, “The students were telling me about how the school closed, and then about their parents.”
In response, she recounted telling them, “That was a negative that happened, but you have to continue your education … Now that the schools are open, we're going to make the best of it.”
When asked about Longwood students being involved in the project, Jennings said, “It's something that inspires you, because you’ve got young people that are coming up with good ideas, they are collaborating.” Scott said, “With them becoming involved, it's excellent, it's a way to enlighten them.”
Brown, Scott and Jennings said they have big plans for the Mary E. Branch Heritage Center in the future. Plans for programming include mentorship programs for young children, technology classes for seniors, and cooking and dancing classes.
The Heritage Center Board will look through each group's proposals and choose 1 to implement for an updated website, and 1 to implement for the 100-year anniversary.
Jennings said she sees the Heritage Center as a place that will “bridge a gap … and empower people to be there for one another and encourage each other.” Scott said she wants to see the Heritage Center host both community outreach programs and help with educational needs in the county. “Just to make it warm, welcoming, and accessible to all in the community, that's my goal,” she said.
