Sarepta Moran

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Sarepta Anna Moran (1875-1961) was an educator in Charlottesville schools from 1897 until her retirement in 1945[1]. She was the first principal of Venable Elementary when it opened in 1925, and served in that role for 21 years. Burnley-Moran Elementary School is named in honor of her and Carrie Burnley.

Note that Moran's given name is frequent misspelled "Serepta".

Biography

Sarepta Moran was born October 25, 1875 in Cairo, Illinois.[2]

Sarepta Moran.jpg

She received a Master's degree from Wesleyan Female Institute in Staunton, then became a teacher in Kentucky. In 1897, she began teaching in Charlottesville schools in the grammar division, then moved to the high school division in 1905. In 1906, she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, and later did other graduate work at several prestigious universities. From 1907 to 1923 she was assistant principal at Midway High, then became the first principal of Venable Elementary School when it opened in 1925, staying there until her retirement in 1946.

For most of her adult life, Moran lived with her two sisters, Edna and Virginia, at 215 Montebello Circle, known as "Montebello"[3], now 1700 Stadium Road. None of the three sisters married. Coincidentally, Col. Charles S. Venable, for whom Venable Elementary School is named, owned the house from 1875-1887, and it was later purchased as the "Montebello Mansion House" by Moran's father, Issac Kimber Moran in 1914.

In 1924, the Midway High School yearbook was dedicated to her "high ideals, true sense of justice, refined culture and sincere devotion to her work". In 1954, she received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award from UVA for her contributions as an educator.

In 1955, the newly-opened Burnley-Moran Elementary School was named in honor of her and Carrie Burnley.

Moran was active in the Women of First Presbyterian Church, and the Albemarle chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. In her 1906 application to the United Daughters of the Confederacy, she describes her father's service in the Confederate States Army:

Issac Kimber Moran

At the age of sixteen, served as special courier and aide in Campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley. During the year 1863, served as a member of the Avis Guard.

Early in 1864, entered the field service in the Army of Northern Virginia, serving as private in Company D, Fourteenth Regiment, Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Armistead's Brigade, of Pickett's Division, Longstreet's Corps.

Took part in the various engagements against Gen. Butler's army on the James River, and on May 16, 1864 was desperately wounded in the battle of Drewry's Bluff, causing amputation of left leg above the knee, thus closing active service for the Confederacy.

Under the Conscription Act of 1862, I. K. Moran younger than minimum 16 years old required to join the Confederate States Army. In February 1864, this was lowered to 17, thus allowing join as a infantryman. I. K. Moran served as bursar of UVA from an unknown date until 1912.

References

  1. Print: Miss Sarepta Moran Dies at 86; Former Principal at Venable, unknown, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises November 10, 1961, Page 1.
  2. Web. Why name a school for Sarepta Moran?, Correcting the Narrative
  3. Web. 215 Montebello Circle Landmark Survey, retrieved September 18, 2019.

External Links

  1. Why name a school for Sarepta Moran?