Women's History Month

Miss Annie Wood chartered the Irene Leache Library Association in 1901 to honor her friend Irene Leache and for the purpose of promoting arts and cultural endeavors in Norfolk. The Irene Leache Memorial Literary Contest was established in 1918 and is now an annual event, drawing entries from throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Shown here, winners of the annual Irene Leache Memorial literary contest at the Norfolk Museum in 1955.

The Women's Council for Interracial Cooperation of Norfolk was formed by 19 Norfolk women at Ohef Sholom Temple in 1945 in an effort to create a better community by increasing interracial understanding. The Council's first president was Mrs. Vivian Carter Mason. The accompanying photograph was taken by Virginian-Pilot photographer Charles Borjes in 1955.

Miss Lucy Mason Holt, principal of Ocean View Elementary School (shown here in 1952), was an unforgettable personality with a keen sense of fun. During the Depression, some of her students didn't have shoes to wear. To help them save face, their beloved principal encouraged them to attend school barefoot, offering silver dollars to those who were able to remain barefoot for the longest time into the early winter. Miss Holt died in 1961 and her funeral was held at the school.

Mrs. Mary Whitworth Calcott in 1953. Mrs. Calcott was a Norfolk educator, School Board member, First Citizen (1945) and a founder of the Norfolk City Federation of PTAs. Mary Calcott Elementary School was named to honor her when it opened in 1952.

The Board of Directors of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in 1953. The Wheatley YWCA was organized c1910 as an auxiliary to the YWCA of Norfolk. It was housed in rented quarters at various locations for many years, including Bank Street, Cumberland Street and Washington Avenue. In 1954, the Wheatley Y moved into the former Ballentine Home on Park Avenue, where it remained until 1974. It was named to honor Phyllis Wheatley, 18th century African-American poet. Mrs. Laura E. Titus was the first president.

Miss Mary Churchill Brown, for 33 years head of the Sargeant Memorial Room, Norfolk Public Library (1927-1960), shown here at work at the Freemason Street library in 1953. Although City Librarian William Henry Sargeant began the Sargeant collection in 1896, it was not given a separate room until 1927. Miss Brown was its first director.

Mrs. Julia Johnson Davis, author, shown here with her newly published collection of poems, The Garnet Ring, in 1951. Mrs. Davis' mother, Josephine Johnson, was also a Norfolk poet.

College Place takes its name from the Norfolk College for Young ladies, which occupied this building at the northwest corner of Granby and Washington (renamed College Place c1887) Streets from 1880 until it closed in 1899. In 1905 the building reopened as the Hotel Algonquin, followed by the Hotel Edward (1918-1935) and the Hotel Lee (1936-early 1960s). Retail stores occupied the ground floor of the building until it burned in 1983. It was torn down the following year.

One of Berkley's most famous daughters was Peggy Hopkins Joyce. Born Marguerite Upton in 1893 to Berkley barber Sam Upton and his wife Dora Wood, Miss Joyce ran away from home in 1910 and gained fame as a Ziegfeld showgirl and socialite and for her many marriages to millionaires. She died in 1957.

Misses Irene Leache and Annie Wood founded the Leache-Wood Seminary in 1871 in this building at the corner of Granby and Freemason Streets. The school moved to Ghent in 1901 and this building was replaced by the Lynnhaven Hotel (now the Hotel Madison).

The Leache-Wood Seminary in 1903. The school was at this location at the corner of Botetourt Street and Fairfax Avenue from 1901 until it closed in 1916.

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