Drayden, Maryland facts for kids
Drayden is a small, quiet community in Maryland, USA. It's not a city or a town with its own government. Instead, it's an unincorporated community where people live and work, located in St. Mary's County. Drayden is known for its interesting history, especially its old schoolhouse.
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Exploring Drayden's Past
Historic Places in Drayden
Drayden is home to some very old and important buildings. Two of these, West St. Mary's Manor and Porto Bello, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are special places recognized for their history and architecture. They help us remember what life was like long ago.
The Historic Drayden Schoolhouse
One of the most important historical sites in Drayden is the old Drayden Schoolhouse. This small, one-room school was built especially for African American children. It taught students from first to seventh grade. The school was open for many years, from 1890 to 1944.
Building the School
The land for the school was a gift from Mary Ellen and Daniel A. Gross in 1889. The schoolhouse itself was designed like other one-room schools from that time. It had a Victorian style. Inside, you can still see some of the original green paint on the walls! In 2000, new paint was added to the outside to help protect the old wooden planks.
Learning in One Room
The Drayden Schoolhouse was one of only three schools for African American children in the Valley Lee District. Imagine having all seven grades in just one room! One teacher taught all the subjects to as many as forty students at a time.
Challenges for Students
During this time, there were no public high schools for African American students in the area. This meant most students could not continue their education past the seventh grade. A public high school for African American children finally opened in 1934.
Schools in St. Mary's County were also "segregated." This means that students of different races went to separate schools. This separation ended in St. Mary's County in 1967, when schools became "desegregated" and open to all students.
