Miner Normal School
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Miner Normal School
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| Location | 2565 Georgia Ave., NW., Washington, D.C. |
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| Coordinates | 38°55′24″N 77°1′21″W / 38.92333°N 77.02250°WCoordinates: 38°55′24″N 77°1′21″W / 38.92333°N 77.02250°W |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | Leon E. Dessez; Snowden Ashford |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 91001490 |
| Added to NRHP | October 11, 1991 |
Normal School for Colored Girls established in Washington, D.C., in 1851 as an institution of learning and training for young African-American women, especially to train teachers. As Miner Normal School, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The school was founded by Myrtilla Miner with the encouragement from Henry Ward Beecher and funding from a Quaker philanthropist after the school in Mississippi where she taught refused her permission to conduct classes for African American girls. While inappropriate today, the use of the term "colored" was considered polite in 19th century speech. However, some sources refer to the school as the "Miner School for Girls".
Although the school offered primary schooling and classes in domestic skills, its emphasis from the outset was on training teachers. Miner stressed hygiene and nature study in addition to rigorous academic training.
Within two months of opening, school enrollment grew from six to forty. Despite hostility from a portion of the community, the school prospered with the help of continued contributions from Quakers and a gift from Harriet Beecher Stowe (cousin of Beecher) of $1,000 of the royalties she earned from Uncle Tom's Cabin.
As it grew, the school was forced to move three times in its first two years, but in 1854 it settled on a 3-acre (1.2-hectare) lot with house and barn on the edge of the city. Around this time, Emily Edmonson enrolled in the school. To help protect the school and those involved with it, the Edmonson family took up residence on the grounds and both Emily Edmonson and Myrtilla Miner learned to shoot.
In 1856 the school came under the care of a board of trustees, among whom were Beecher and wealthy Quaker Johns Hopkins. By 1858 six former students were teaching in schools of their own. By that time Miner's connection with the school had been lessened by her failing health and from 1857 Emily Howland was in charge.
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