Oldest Schoolhouse In Arlington Needs Donations For Upgrades, Repairs

ARLINGTON, VA — The Arlington Historical Society is asking the public to donate money on Nov. 29 — Giving Tuesday — to preserve the historic Hume School, the oldest standing schoolhouse in Arlington.

The Arlington Historical Society won a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation that funded a study of the Hume School, which now houses the Arlington Historical Museum. The study showed that the school building, built in 1891, needed to upgrade its HVAC system, which has been completed.

The study also found that the building’s windows need to be restored and the building foundation needs to be waterproofed. The Arlington Historical Society said it has raised half of the money needed to restore the windows and is hoping it will raise the rest of the money need on Giving Tuesday.

The school was built in 1891 on a small piece of land bought by the Alexandria School Board, Jefferson District for $250. The school is a Queen Anne-style brick building. The building’s tower is topped by a cupola, which houses the school’s bell.

The building was named for Frank Hume, a Confederate soldier wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, he moved to Arlington, where he was elected to the House of Delegates for two terms. He donated the land adjacent to the school building for use as a playground.

The school closed in 1956 and was deeded in 1960 to the Arlington Historical Society for use as a museum. The Hume School Historical Museum opened in May 1963, with exhibits on Arlington and Virginia history.

Today, the Arlington Historical Society hosts school tours, civic organization tours, boy and girl scout visits, book talks and other events at the building.

The public can visit the donation page on the Arlington Historical Society’s website and designate the Hume school as the recipient of a donation.