Watchman Institute
Encyclopedia
The Watchman Industrial School and Camp, known to some as the Watchman Institute, was founded 1908 by Reverend William S. Holland in Providence
, Rhode Island
. It moved to North Scituate
in 1923 and closed in 1938, although Holland's summer camp
operated there until 1974.
slave, founded the Watchman Industrial School at 140 Codding Street, in Providence
in 1908.
The educational program there was inspired by the work of Booker T. Washington
, and based on the programs at both the Hampton Institute and the Tuskeegee Institute. It focused on training black
youths in vocational trades in addition to academic subjects, hence the name "industrial school," although it did not produce a commercial product. In lieu of seeing them enter Rhode Island
's reform school or prison systems, Holland often took custody of young persons in trouble with the authorities.
The Watchman Industrial School was incorporated in Rhode Island by 1910. In 1917, the Watchman School was described as "a small elementary school of very doubtful management. The industrial work is negligible."
In 1920, Holland acquired the former North Scituate
campus of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute
, which had moved to Wollaston
in Quincy
, Massachusetts
the year before, and moved his own school there in 1923. The site was originally designed for the Smithville Seminary in 1839 by Russell Warren, the leading Greek Revival architect in New England
in the 20th century,
In the December 1923 edition of The Crisis
, the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), founded by W. E. B. Du Bois, the School was advertised as "the ideal Home for Boys and Girls age 14 years and upwards".
The school was struck by a series of fires that took place throughout the 1920s and 1930s, however, and closed its doors in 1938. It is suspected that these fires, in 1924, 1926, and 1934, were set by the local Ku Klux Klan
, although no one was ever arrested.
After the closure of the school, Holland continued to operate the summer camp
until his death in 1958. After his death, Holland's second wife, Viola Grant Holland (born about 1901 in Worcester, Massachusetts; died October 1986), then took over operation of the camp until 1974 when it was forced to close for financial reasons. By 1969, the principal was Edward T. Duncan.
The site became part of the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978. The buildings were renovated in the 1970s and converted into apartments known as Scituate Commons, on Institute Lane. In 1985 the site was identified as a black historic site in Rhode Island.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. It moved to North Scituate
Scituate, Rhode Island
Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,329 at the 2010 census.-History:Scituate was first settled in 1710 by emigrants from Scituate, Massachusetts...
in 1923 and closed in 1938, although Holland's summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
operated there until 1974.
Providence
William S. Holland (born October 1866 in Virginia; died 1958 in Rhode Island), the son of a former VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
slave, founded the Watchman Industrial School at 140 Codding Street, in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
in 1908.
The educational program there was inspired by the work of Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
, and based on the programs at both the Hampton Institute and the Tuskeegee Institute. It focused on training black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
youths in vocational trades in addition to academic subjects, hence the name "industrial school," although it did not produce a commercial product. In lieu of seeing them enter Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
's reform school or prison systems, Holland often took custody of young persons in trouble with the authorities.
The Watchman Industrial School was incorporated in Rhode Island by 1910. In 1917, the Watchman School was described as "a small elementary school of very doubtful management. The industrial work is negligible."
North Scituate
Scituate, Rhode Island
Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,329 at the 2010 census.-History:Scituate was first settled in 1710 by emigrants from Scituate, Massachusetts...
campus of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute
Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (Rhode Island)
The Pentecostal Collegiate Institute was a co-educational interdenominational collegiate institute located at North Scituate, Rhode Island from September 1902 to 1918...
, which had moved to Wollaston
Mount Wollaston
Wollaston, Massachusetts, is a neighborhood in the city of Quincy, Massachusetts. Divided by Hancock Street/Route 3A, the Wollaston Beach side is called Wollaston Park, while the Wollaston Hill side is called Wollaston Heights....
in Quincy
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
the year before, and moved his own school there in 1923. The site was originally designed for the Smithville Seminary in 1839 by Russell Warren, the leading Greek Revival architect in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in the 20th century,
In the December 1923 edition of The Crisis
The Crisis
The Crisis is the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , and was founded in 1910 by W. E. B. Du Bois , Oswald Garrison Villard, J. Max Barber, Charles Edward Russell, Kelly Miller, W.S. Braithwaite, M. D. Maclean.The original title of the journal was...
, the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
(NAACP), founded by W. E. B. Du Bois, the School was advertised as "the ideal Home for Boys and Girls age 14 years and upwards".
The school was struck by a series of fires that took place throughout the 1920s and 1930s, however, and closed its doors in 1938. It is suspected that these fires, in 1924, 1926, and 1934, were set by the local Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, although no one was ever arrested.
After the closure of the school, Holland continued to operate the summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
until his death in 1958. After his death, Holland's second wife, Viola Grant Holland (born about 1901 in Worcester, Massachusetts; died October 1986), then took over operation of the camp until 1974 when it was forced to close for financial reasons. By 1969, the principal was Edward T. Duncan.
The site became part of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978. The buildings were renovated in the 1970s and converted into apartments known as Scituate Commons, on Institute Lane. In 1985 the site was identified as a black historic site in Rhode Island.
Further reading
- Forty-Third Anniversary of the Watchman Industrial School and Camp, North Scituate, Rhode Island [and] Watchman Community Center Day Nursery. Providence, Rhode Island, s.n., 1951.