Much was accomplished and many came to witness the installation of the marker that will ensure the legacy of our beloved Brookvale High School. The program, a speech from the chair of the committee, information from the awards ceremony recognizing organizations that aligned with the philosophy and visions of Brookvale High School, and a beautiful wall plaque, designed by Cristiane Cockrell of Titles Projects that was presented to the superintendent of Lancaster County Public Schools, and William Lee, member of Lancaster County, VA Board of Supervisors, hopefully to be placed in the new middle and high schools for all to remember the Black schools that served so well during the years of segregation…may those time served as a valuable lesson for the future; all of this are here for your viewing.
The Speech
“Good Morning and welcome to the Brookvale High School highway marker dedication and unveiling ceremony. We also are awarding organizations that mirrors the commitments and goals that Brookvale High School aspired to implement during its tenure.
I wish to first acknowledge the omission in the program of Mr. Maurice Savoy on the honor roll. My apologies to the Savoy Family and the Championship team who will be unveiling the historical highway marker later on.
If there are faculty and staff not mentioned on the honor roll, please acknowledge your presence now by a wave of the hand and your name or,Warriors, shout out names of those who are still with us as I speak the names of Mrs. Bettye Jean Parker Thornton, Mrs. Martha Jones Lee, Ms. LaVerne M. Taylor, Mrs. Ruth Caster Ball, Mr. Richard Ruffin, Sr., and Ms. Mary Eliza King.
To all the teachers, and staff of the schools in Lancaster County that taught Black people, this ceremony is in your honor.
I also want to honor The Carter Twins and Dr. Elton E. Smith, Jr. who encouraged and guided me in organizing this event that lead to the achievements the Save Brookvale History Committee were able to accomplish.
This building has been vacated. No more sounds of bells ringing, laughter and chattering as students changed classes, the smell of the coming lunch hour, rehearsals, and practices, the jingling of Dr. Smith’s keys; those memories are part of this building but more importantly, are in our hearts.
The future of this building, of this plot of land is uncertain. It may one day be a Target or four large houses on very large lots, or small affordable homes for family of five, a trade school, or any number of things, but there will be a marker that will show that once there was a school, that gave young people the skills, the knowledge, and the courage to go and make their way in the world and make their mark. That they were superstars in math, science, the arts, that they are champions, that they could compete not only on the state level, but on the international stage, they are finance wizards, designers, doctors, lawyers, good parents and great citizens.
It is a fact that society that tried to enforce the fallacy that our skin color, a darker shade of pale, was our downfall, in the “separate but equal” doctrine enforced by the government, necessitating our people to build our own schools staffed by outstanding teachers, with the help of people and foundations who knew equality could be founded in quality education. Our history may be re-written, erased, or white-washed. But the marker will stand as our truth. It is a known reality that our strength is in our history as Black people knowing that much can be accomplished with so very little.
It is my honor to introduce our speaker for today. Mr. Frank J. Thornton is the curator of the Virginia Randolph Museum in Henrico County. He was awarded a 2024 Henrico Historic Preservation Advisory Committee Award of Merit. Before that, as the first African-American elected supervisor in 1995, Mr. Thornton served over 28 years on the Board of Supervisors for Henrico County, Fairfield District, five of those years as Chairman. A YMCA Aquatic Center in Henrico County bears his name. Mr. Thornton has numerous accolades from his active community services.
But before that he was the French and Latin teacher here at Brookvale High School. I must add that Mr. Thornton was one half of a power couple among-st other power couples who served in the Lancaster County Public Schools during those segregation years. His wife, Mrs. Bettye Jeane Parker Thornton, was a former Home Demonstration Agent for 4-H, Lancaster County 4-H Extension Agent, and a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent. They were part of the caliber of teachers whose commitments were to give first class instruction and devotion to their wards…we were part of a village and each adult took upon themselves to be more than a teacher, but part of The Family…Mr. Thornton was and is no exception.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome, Mr. Frank J. Thornton.”
The Program
Award Recipients
The Black Schools of Lancaster County, VA
The Wall Plaque
Designed by Cristiane Cockrell of Tiles Projects Kilmarnock, VA