The Fessenden Elementary School is a historic school established previously known as Fessenden Academy in the outskirts of

Ocala, Florida Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida. Home to ...

, between

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

and Zuber. It is part of the

Marion County Public Schools Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) is a public school district that covers Marion County, Florida. The district has its headquarters in Ocala, Florida. School Board *District 1: Mrs. Allison Campbell, 2020-2024 *District 2: Mr. Don Browning, ...

district. On September 29, 1994, it was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as the Old Fessenden Academy Historic District The district covers and has 3 buildings and 1 structure. A school has existed at the current location since 1868, when Fessenden was founded as a private academy for African-American students.

History

In 1868, the school that would become Fessenden Academy was founded by a group of freedmen led by Thomas B. Ward. The school was initially staffed by young, white women from the northeast and Florida.Amistad Research Center. http://amistadresearchcenter.tulane.edu/archon/?p=creators/creator&id=94 The first African American teacher was appointed in 1877. Ferdinand S. Fessenden, upon seeing the conditions of the school while on a walk in 1890, agreed to build a two-story building as well as provide desks and learning materials. Two years later, Fessenden deeded the school in 1892, under the auspices of the

American Missionary Association The American Missionary Association (AMA) was a Protestant-based abolitionist group founded on in Albany, New York. The main purpose of the organization was abolition of slavery, education of African Americans, promotion of racial equality, and ...

of the

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

. There is a memorial stone to F. S. Fessenden on the school grounds, and he is presumed to be buried under this memorial. The main building was built in 1909 with funding from

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

. Joseph L. Wiley, principal of Fessenden, was responsible for securing the $6,500 grant. This funding, plus $1,500 raised in donations, built the main building that included the library, accommodations for female boarders, a dining hall and more classrooms. Fessenden Academy ceased operations in 1951, when the school became part of the Marion County School System.

Alumni

Ruby McCollum Ruby McCollum, born Ruby Jackson (August 31, 1909 – May 23, 1992), was a wealthy married African-American woman in Live Oak, Florida, who is known for being arrested and convicted in 1952 for killing Dr. C. Leroy Adams, a prominent white doctor a ...

Archival material

* In the American Missionary Association archives,

Amistad Research Center The Amistad Research Center (ARC) is an independent archives and manuscripts repository in the United States that specializes in the history of African Americans and ethnic minorities. It is one of the first institutions of its kind in the United ...

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...

, there are 37 boxes of records of the Fessenden Academy, 1911–1964. They include individual student files, budgets, and school publications.

References

External links

*
1909 picture of Fessenden Academy
Buildings and structures in Ocala, Florida National Register of Historic Places in Marion County, Florida Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida Schools in Marion County, Florida Historically segregated African-American schools in Florida {{Florida-school-stub

History

Alumni

Archival material

See also

References

External links