The Names and Namesakes of Charlottesville City Schools

Click on each person’s name below to see a detailed article about them and why a school is named for them.

  • Venable Elementary (1925) is named for “Colonel” Charles S. Venable (1827–1900). Venable was a Confederate officer and served as aide-de-camp to Robert E. Lee from 1862 until 1865. He was a professor at the UVA for 30 years, writing several math textbooks and serving on the City School Board for six years.
  • George Rogers Clark Elementary (1931) is named for Brigadier General George Rogers Clark (1752-1818). Clark was born in Albemarle County near Charlottesville. He spent most of his military career supporting white settler-colonialist expansion in land occupied or claimed by Indigenous groups in Lord Dunmore’s War, the Revolutionary War, and the Northwest Indian War.
  • Johnson Elementary (1954) is named for Dr. James G. Johnson (1871-1957). Johnson received his Ph.D. in English from UVA in 1909, then became Superintendent of Schools, holding that position until 1946.
  • Burnley-Moran Elementary (1954) is named for Carrie Burnley (1864-1954) and Sarepta Moran (1875-1961). Burnley worked in City schools for 50 years, teaching at all levels and as principal of McGuffey for 28 years. Moran worked in City schools for 48 years, first as a teacher, then as assistant principal at Midway, then as the first principal of Venable, working there for 21 years.
  • Greenbrier Elementary (1962) is named for the Greenbrier neighborhood.
  • Walker Upper Elementary (1966) is named for Haswell Hunter Walker (1896-1992). Walker worked at Midway/Lane High for 42 years as a math teacher and principal.
  • Buford Middle (1966) is named for Florence De Launey Buford (1893-1974). Buford worked in City schools for 37 years, first as a teacher at Midway for four years, then as the first principal of Clark until her retirement.
  • Jackson-Via Elementary (1969) is named for Nannie Cox Jackson (1865-1953) and Betty Davis Via (1901-1993). Jackson taught in the City for 25 years at the Jefferson School, out of a 46 year career. Via worked in City schools for 38 years, first as a teacher at Venable, becoming principal in 1945, then as the first principal of Johnson Elementary for 10 years.
  • Charlottesville High (1974) is named after the city of Charlottesville, which itself is named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of King George III.
  • Lugo-McGinness Academy (2014) is named after Alicia Inez Bowler Lugo (1941-2011) and Rebecca Fuller McGinness (1892-2000). Lugo served as a teacher and administrator in the City for several years, on the School Board for 11 years, on numerous local Boards of Directors, and received numerous awards in recognition of her service to the community. McGinness taught at the Jefferson School for over 40 years, served in more than a dozen community organizations, such as the Order of the Eastern Star, Church Women United, and the Thalian Art and Literary Club.

The original 56-page document, A Primer on the Names and Namesakes of Charlottesville City Schools, from which most of the content on these pages was created, can also be downloaded in PDF or Word formats.