Promotion of Education and Professional Enrichment
Where educators collaborate to advance the mission of leading and learning
History of the School Club
1907 - Present
At the turn of the 20th century, a group of nine educators in the Colored Public Schools of the District of Columbia would gather together to socialize and play whist together. These men were: H. L. Bailey; J.C. Bruce; R. C. Bruce; F. L. Cardozo; W.T. S. Jackson; A.P. Lewis; J. C. Nalle; J. E. Syphax; and J. E. Walker.
On May 4, 1907, several of the founding members and others gathered together at the Garnet School to form a professional social club. They called the new organization, The School Club.
William Tecumseh Sherman Jackson, who had followed Francis L. Cardozo as Principal of the M Street School, was elected as the first president. He determined that at each meeting, along with social activities, time would be devoted to discuss current educational issues. A review of these discussions and exchanges among club members surfaced a common continuing goal: the improvement of the quality of education for Negroes in Washington, D.C. The achievement of this goal was especially significant during this period when Washington, D.C. operated a segregated school system. This practice continues today and discussions/presentations have been expanded to include current trends, developments and changes in Washington, D.C., the metropolitan area, and the educational arena.
In June 2013, two women educators were invited to join The School Club, thus amending the one hundred and six year tradition of having an organization exclusively for men. The two women, Dr. Floretta Dukes McKenzie, a retired superintendent of DC Public Schools and Charlotte Jarvis-Cureton, a retired administrator of DC Public Schools. Anita Berger was elected the first female president in 2021.
DCPS has recognized the special contributions of some of the members of The School Club by naming the following schools for them:
- Cardozo Senior High School (now Cardozo Education Campus ) for Francis Cardozo;
- Clark Elementary School for Eugene Clark;
- Savoy Elementary School for A. Kiger Savoy;
- Nalle Elementary School for J.C. Nalle;
- Wilkerson Elementary School for Garnet C. Wilkerson;
- Montgomery Elementary School for Winfield Scott Montgomery;
- Penn Career Center for Lemuel A. Penn;
- Jackson-Reed High School for Vincent Reed.
Similarly, one of the city libraries is named after Francis A. Gregory. In addition, several School Club members have provided leadership to the District of Columbia Public Schools and other jurisdictions. They are:
- Garnet C. Wilkerson as the first Assistant Superintendent of the Colored Schools
- Harold A. Hayes as Assistant Superintendent of the Colored Schools
- Benjamin I. Henley as Acting Superintendent of DC Public Schools (twice);
- Vincent E. Reed as Superintendent of DC Public Schools;
- Andrew E. Jenkins as Superintendent of DC Public Schools;
- James Williams as Superintendent of Dayton Public schools and Buffalo Public Schools
- Michael Durso as President of the Montgomery County Board of Education
- Sito Narcisse as Superintendent of Baton Rouge Public Schools
- Floretta Dukes McKenzie as Superintendent of DC Public Schools.
- Darryl Williams as Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools
- Frazier O’Leary as Ward 4 member of the DC State Board of Education
