Ravenscroft School - Raven Yearbook (Raleigh, NC)

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MRS. ELIZABETH SORRELL THOMPSON To our clear teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth Sorrell Tl1o111psu11, we. the Seventh Grade of Ravellscroft School, with love and gratitude, dedicate THE RAVEN of 1955. For her frienfllilless toward others: for her help on the Annual in the past years. For her kindness to us we dedicate this Annual.

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THE REVEREND STEPHEN CCNDICT WALKE

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RAVENCRGFT SCHOGL HISTORICAL SKETCH OR a new school, Ravenscroft has an old and interesting historical background. In his last will and testament, probated in 1Vake County in the year 1862, Josiah 1Vatson, a communicant of Christ Church, established a trust to run in perpetuity, the income from which under the terms of the trust, was to be used for the operation of a parish school by Christ Church. For a number of years thereafter Christ Church operated a parochial school, but near the close of the century the school Was discontinued. The fund lay dormant for many years, during which the income was used for the operation of the church school and for other religious purposes. In October, 1936, the Reverend John Armstrong 1Yright became Rector of Christ Church Parish. 1Vithin a short time he learned of the VVatson Trust, and immediately started a campaign to establish a new parish day school. The Vestry of Christ Church authorized Mr. VVright to investigate the possibilities of such a school, and appointed a committee to assist him. The Committee was composed of E. U. Rag- land, Charles R. Bugg, James R. Bynum, A. L. Purrington, Jr., Aldert S. Root, Perry E. Seagle, and J. M. Sink, Jr. The Committee approved the organization of the school and selected as its site the Edgar Hay- Wood Memorial Parish House on Tucker Street. 1Yith the iinancial assistance of the vestry of Christ Church numerous repairs were made to the property and modern equipment was purchased. After much consideration, the school was named 4'Ravenscroft in honor of the first Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and the first rector of Christ Church. The school opened on Monday, September 13, 1937, with an enrollment of 130 students, increased to 135 by the end of the school year.