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Whittier School, Hampton, Virginia

Updated Mar 10, 2025
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Whittier School, Hampton, Virginia
The children at Whittier Primary School, Hampton Virginia are being taught about Thanksgiving.

This is about 1899 and there is a log cabin on the table as part of the lesson.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, Johnston, Frances Benjamin,photographer
Date & Place: at Whittier Primary School in Hampton, Virginia USA
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1899 photo of schoolchildren being taught about Thanksgiving. Nothing like a photographer to make children look attentive! Love the blackboard (and the beautiful cursive).
Photo of Heather Worlledge Gentry Heather Worlledge Gentry
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11/23/2016
.
Beautiful dedos, too.
Photo of Norma Jean B. Martinez Norma Jean B. Martinez
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11/23/2016
They are attentive because they are interested.
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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11/23/2016
You're probably right - I was just being silly. :)
Photo of Norma Jean B. Martinez Norma Jean B. Martinez
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11/23/2016
I love what you do. Bringing the past to the present is something people can appreciate, especially the older generation like myself. I will turn 60 next year and I love the photos that technology produced in those days. I would love to send a few photos of my maternal grandparents , my mom and dad ,aunt . How may I do this.Thank you.
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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11/23/2016
Norma Jean B. Martinez AncientFaces is 100% free and it would be wonderful if you shared your photos! You can go to our website and click on "share your memories" at the top of any page. (If you aren't already a member you can sign-up there and then you will be taken to "submit"). I look forward to seeing your photos. (We share a lot of the photos from there on Facebook.)
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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11/23/2016
There are over a million old photos on AncientFaces.com too!
Photo of Adrianne Balcom Adrianne Balcom
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11/23/2016
and they are beautufully dressed - wonderful photo
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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11/23/2016
I especially like the pinafore. They were so cute!
Photo of Adrianne Balcom Adrianne Balcom
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11/23/2016
as an architect - love the model of a "Pilgrim" house. Plymouth, Mass. is a long way from there.
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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11/23/2016
You're so right - the history aspect of Thanksgiving is often off. Even Presidents have called them "Puritans," not "Pilgrims."
Photo of Janet Rowlands Janet Rowlands
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11/23/2016
So posed so unreal
Photo of Carla Hernandez Carla Hernandez
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11/23/2016
I loved this picture!!!
Photo of Anne Cattlin Richnavsky Anne Cattlin Richnavsky
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11/23/2016
The schoolroom itself is beautiful as well as the desks.
Photo of Ruth Hartley Louzon Ruth Hartley Louzon
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11/23/2016
Nice
Photo of Sonja Skirka-Harwood Sonja Skirka-Harwood
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11/23/2016
Amazing to look at this picture through the lenses of both culture and time.
Photo of Brenda Lichty-Steedley Brenda Lichty-Steedley
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11/23/2016
Back then, it was a privilege to attend school. Children were always children. But, things were different. If you didn't toe the line, there was discipline at school & at home!
Photo of Patricia Tilley Patricia Tilley
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11/23/2016
Cursive is a secret code language for old people is what my nephew told me. Lol cause they dont teach it in school.
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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11/23/2016
Oh, you made me laugh!!!
Photo of Christine LC Christine LC
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11/23/2016
Lol. .my kids say the same thing. :D
Photo of Robyn Peery Robyn Peery
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11/23/2016
Unusual for most children to have shoes back then. This must have been in the colder months of the year, I know that normally they weren't allowed to wear shoes through spring and summer in order to keep them in good shape.
Photo of Jan Burrell Jan Burrell
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11/24/2016
My Dad and his brother attended school on alternate days in the 1930s as the family had only one pair of shoes between them. Which fitted neither of them for the 5 mile walk each way, in Scotland which got v v cold
Photo of Robyn Peery Robyn Peery
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11/24/2016
Wow, yes, I bet it was very cold, and very uncomfortable.
Photo of Sven Svendsen Sven Svendsen
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11/23/2016
I wonder if it was cold in there with that high ceiling?
Photo of Karin Moseley Karin Moseley
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11/23/2016
amazing photo
Photo of Dorothy Laird Dorothy Laird
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11/23/2016
Wonderful to see these children attending class and dressed well.
Photo of Roger Nelson Roger Nelson
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11/23/2016
If we could read the (seated) girl in the front

"Something ain't right about this Thanksgiving story"
Photo of Linda Sorrell Linda Sorrell
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11/23/2016
What a beautiful photo.
Photo of Ann Nottingham Ann Nottingham
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11/23/2016
It looks well-supplied for a segregated school of the time and place. This was only a generation or two out of slavery. Perhaps they were wearing "Sunday best" for the photographer.
Photo of Stratton Shartel Stratton Shartel
via Facebook
11/24/2016
Drawn to the young man sitting in the center looking at the camera.
Photo of Mo Watson Mo Watson
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11/24/2016
😂 Kids are kids!
Photo of Linda Virtue Linda Virtue
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11/24/2016
Yes, neatness used to count.
Photo of Denis Kucharski Denis Kucharski
via Facebook
01/10/2017
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