At the conclusion of their deliberations in a school board directed name review process, the Broadus Wood Name Review Advisory Committee recommended to the Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent, Dr. Matthew Haas, that the name of their school remain Broadus Wood Elementary School.
The action taken by the volunteer committee follows an opinion survey, the third of three, that asked members of the school’s community for their top three preferences among a list of five suggested names, including Broadus Wood Elementary School, Buck Mountain Elementary School, Northern Elementary School, Piney Mountain Elementary School, and Rivanna/Rivanna River Elementary School. The survey had more than 1,100 respondents and, factoring in multiple responses from each, 882 of 1,388 (64%) expressed a preference for keeping the name the same. Those survey results are available on the School Naming Review: Broadus Wood Elementary School web page under the “Survey Results” tab.
“The advisory committee members appreciate the tremendous amount of input that has poured in from the community through public surveys and meetings. People in the Earlysville area and beyond clearly have a deep connection to and admiration for both Broadus Wood the school and the man himself,” said Katie Breaud and Ray Chrobak, co-chairs of the committee.
The school board policy governing school naming reviews requires that in the event a school is to be named for an individual, community advisory committees must determine if the person’s personal and professional life exemplified the school division’s four core values of equity, excellence, family and community, and wellness.
Broadus Ira Wood, born in Earlysville in 1864, was a farmer and local businessman. He served as a member of the Rivanna and Albemarle County school boards for over three decades, as a member of the Board of Public Welfare, and as president of the School Trustee Association of Virginia. In addition to those interests related to improving public education, Wood served many years as a member of the Board of Directors of the People’s National Bank, the Chief Forest Warden of Albemarle County, and as deputy commissioner of revenue for the Charlottesville and Ivy District.
In 1906, Wood sold four acres of his land for use as the site of Earlysville High School for $50, a fraction of its value, and later gave the school two more acres to expand its playing fields. When Earlysville High School burned down in 1934, a new school was built in its place, this time named after Wood. The school transitioned for use as an elementary school in 1954.
In their deliberations, the Broadus Wood advisory committee members used several source materials as references, including the books Distant Echoes of Broadus Wood High School (1998) and 1931’s An Appreciation of B.I. Wood. They also drew from research performed by local historian Jordy Yager, creator of Mapping Cville in partnership with Dr. Shelley Murphy, University of Virginia Descendant Project Researcher, testimonials given by members of the Wood family and other artifacts and pieces of community wisdom that had been submitted throughout the name review process.
Taken into consideration during the committee’s deliberations was Yager’s research into Broadus Ira Wood showing that 15 members of the Wood family—five of whom are known to be direct relatives of Broadus Ira Wood—are listed in the 1850 Slave Schedule as having enslaved Black people. Among those, Wood’s grandfather, William M. Wood (1799-1856) and his four siblings are known to have enslaved at least 52 Black people.
The advisory committee noted, however, that based on the evidence they had compiled, Broadus Ira Wood himself was known to have been an advocate for the education of all Virginians and members of his community. One artifact that they consulted was a letter from W.D. Gresham, who at the time was Supervisor for Negro Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia, dated October 20, 1931. In this letter, Gresham spoke of his regret that Wood was leaving his role as trustee of the schools of Albemarle County, and of his appreciation of Broadus Wood’s “fine service” on state committees.
Notes from the Albemarle County School Board meetings held during his tenure recognize Wood’s dedication to advancing education opportunities for African American and rural students, which continue to be key demographics at Broadus Wood Elementary.
The advisory committee stated that what they have learned about Wood over their months of reviewing his legacy has suggested that his personal values aligned with those of ACPS. According to Breaud, “The school division recently approved a new strategic plan, which is named Learning for All and includes as its values equity, excellence, family and community, and wellness. Based on everything we have learned through this process, Broadus Ira Wood consistently acted in a manner that exemplifies those and encouraged them throughout his community—even when that was not the norm among his peers.”
Dr. Haas will take the advisory committee’s recommendation under advisement and submit a formal recommendation to the school board this Thursday evening, February 10. The school board will make the final decision as to whether Broadus Wood Elementary School will retain its name.
Members of the public can track the progress of all school naming reviews on the school division’s School Naming Review website. The site provides information on relevant school board policy and the school naming review process. Information compiled to date on the Broadus Wood naming review, including survey results, can be accessed on the School Naming Review: Broadus Wood Elementary School page.
To contact Albemarle County Public Schools regarding the naming or renaming of a school or the naming review process, please email SchoolNamingReview@k12albemarle.org.
CONTACT: Helen Dunn, Legislative and Public Affairs Officer
PHONE: 434-249-8379