Schofield Normal and Industrial School

The bell tower from Schofield Normal and Industrial School in Aiken.

Dr. Walter Curry

Quick Facts

Location:

Aiken, South Carolina

Significance:

A school for freed African Americans and future teachers across the state of South Carolina.

Designation:

The Schofield Normal and Industrial School is a part of the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network

MANAGED BY:

City of Aiken, South Carolina

The Schofield Normal and Industrial School in Aiken was founded in 1871 by Martha Schofield, a Pennsylvania Quaker, to educate formerly enslaved African Americans. Freed people received training at this site and went on to teach throughout rural areas of the state. The Schofield School served as a public high school for Black students during segregation, and today is a public middle school. The original bell tower on the Sumter Street campus still stands and is accompanied by a historical marker. This site is a part of the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.