Owner and Headmaster of Fleetwood Academy for the whole 20 years of its existence. Oliver opened Fleetwood Academy in 1838 after previously having taught at the Rappahannock Academy in Caroline County. Fleetwood Academy had an excellent reputation.
Oliver was born in Ireland and was educated at Trinity College in Dublin. He emigrated to the United States as a young man and spent several years teaching at other schools before settling in King and Queen County in the 1830's. He initially advertised the opening of Fleetwood Academy in October of 1837 while the Academy's dormitories and classrooms were being erected and the Academy was officially opened the following year. Unlike most rural schools of the time, his offered a course of study that was liberal and extensive, offering Greek, Latin, French, Mathematics and Natural philosophy and other courses that would be varied "...with reference to the future distinction of the pupil." This statement is clarified by the fact that, in a time when few schools offered more than a handful of textbooks to their students, Oliver offered his pupils as many as sixty-two. (Per his records for 1854.) These included pre-medical, pre-law, bookkeeping, moral and mental philosophy, chemistry, practical surveying, and many other textbooks that reveal his early use of vocational guidance which was very unusual for the times and almost unheard of for a rural school. In 1848, Oliver added military training to his school's curriculum when James Calvin Councill, a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, joined Oliver's staff. Soon after that Oliver began to record the day to day activities of each of his students and began to compile those records into report cards that were sent home to the parents, which was also unusual for the time. This was similar to practices that were in place at V.M.I. at the time of Mr. Councill's attendance at that institution.
Oliver frequently acted in loco parentis for his pupils, paying for their doctors' bills, buying them shoes and other such necessities, and even occasionally lending students money to enable them to travel home for holidays and vacations.
Oliver operated Fleetwood Academy until his failing health forced him to close its doors in May of 1858.
Many of Oliver's students accredited success in their later lives to the excellent education they received from Oliver White and his Academy.
A section of "The Beginnings of Public Education in Virginia", a book published in 1917 by A.J. Morrison, reads:
‘About the year 1839, a Scotchman of culture and wise forecast, came to us and established an academy at Fleetwood, some six miles above Bruington Church. This gentleman, Mr. White, deserves the everlasting gratitude of our people, within and beyond the borders of the county. He erected a standard which is telling today upon a number of pupils who do him honor.'
Oliver was married twice. His first wife was Lucy Ann Lawrence whom he married in Caroline County on 17 Dec 1838. She died in 1841. They had one daughter, Lucy Olivia White, who married Josiah Ryland, Jr. (One of his former students.) on the 25 of February,1864 which was just hours before Oliver passed away on the following day.
Oliver's second wife was Sarah Ann Bagby whom he married in 1847. She died in 1848.
Oliver was born in Ireland and was educated at Trinity College in Dublin. He emigrated to the United States as a young man and spent several years teaching at other schools before settling in King and Queen County in the 1830's. He initially advertised the opening of Fleetwood Academy in October of 1837 while the Academy's dormitories and classrooms were being erected and the Academy was officially opened the following year. Unlike most rural schools of the time, his offered a course of study that was liberal and extensive, offering Greek, Latin, French, Mathematics and Natural philosophy and other courses that would be varied "...with reference to the future distinction of the pupil." This statement is clarified by the fact that, in a time when few schools offered more than a handful of textbooks to their students, Oliver offered his pupils as many as sixty-two. (Per his records for 1854.) These included pre-medical, pre-law, bookkeeping, moral and mental philosophy, chemistry, practical surveying, and many other textbooks that reveal his early use of vocational guidance which was very unusual for the times and almost unheard of for a rural school. In 1848, Oliver added military training to his school's curriculum when James Calvin Councill, a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, joined Oliver's staff. Soon after that Oliver began to record the day to day activities of each of his students and began to compile those records into report cards that were sent home to the parents, which was also unusual for the time. This was similar to practices that were in place at V.M.I. at the time of Mr. Councill's attendance at that institution.
Oliver frequently acted in loco parentis for his pupils, paying for their doctors' bills, buying them shoes and other such necessities, and even occasionally lending students money to enable them to travel home for holidays and vacations.
Oliver operated Fleetwood Academy until his failing health forced him to close its doors in May of 1858.
Many of Oliver's students accredited success in their later lives to the excellent education they received from Oliver White and his Academy.
A section of "The Beginnings of Public Education in Virginia", a book published in 1917 by A.J. Morrison, reads:
‘About the year 1839, a Scotchman of culture and wise forecast, came to us and established an academy at Fleetwood, some six miles above Bruington Church. This gentleman, Mr. White, deserves the everlasting gratitude of our people, within and beyond the borders of the county. He erected a standard which is telling today upon a number of pupils who do him honor.'
Oliver was married twice. His first wife was Lucy Ann Lawrence whom he married in Caroline County on 17 Dec 1838. She died in 1841. They had one daughter, Lucy Olivia White, who married Josiah Ryland, Jr. (One of his former students.) on the 25 of February,1864 which was just hours before Oliver passed away on the following day.
Oliver's second wife was Sarah Ann Bagby whom he married in 1847. She died in 1848.
Owner and Headmaster of Fleetwood Academy for the whole 20 years of its existence. Oliver opened Fleetwood Academy in 1838 after previously having taught at the Rappahannock Academy in Caroline County. Fleetwood Academy had an excellent reputation.
Oliver was born in Ireland and was educated at Trinity College in Dublin. He emigrated to the United States as a young man and spent several years teaching at other schools before settling in King and Queen County in the 1830's. He initially advertised the opening of Fleetwood Academy in October of 1837 while the Academy's dormitories and classrooms were being erected and the Academy was officially opened the following year. Unlike most rural schools of the time, his offered a course of study that was liberal and extensive, offering Greek, Latin, French, Mathematics and Natural philosophy and other courses that would be varied "...with reference to the future distinction of the pupil." This statement is clarified by the fact that, in a time when few schools offered more than a handful of textbooks to their students, Oliver offered his pupils as many as sixty-two. (Per his records for 1854.) These included pre-medical, pre-law, bookkeeping, moral and mental philosophy, chemistry, practical surveying, and many other textbooks that reveal his early use of vocational guidance which was very unusual for the times and almost unheard of for a rural school. In 1848, Oliver added military training to his school's curriculum when James Calvin Councill, a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, joined Oliver's staff. Soon after that Oliver began to record the day to day activities of each of his students and began to compile those records into report cards that were sent home to the parents, which was also unusual for the time. This was similar to practices that were in place at V.M.I. at the time of Mr. Councill's attendance at that institution.
Oliver frequently acted in loco parentis for his pupils, paying for their doctors' bills, buying them shoes and other such necessities, and even occasionally lending students money to enable them to travel home for holidays and vacations.
Oliver operated Fleetwood Academy until his failing health forced him to close its doors in May of 1858.
Many of Oliver's students accredited success in their later lives to the excellent education they received from Oliver White and his Academy.
A section of "The Beginnings of Public Education in Virginia", a book published in 1917 by A.J. Morrison, reads:
‘About the year 1839, a Scotchman of culture and wise forecast, came to us and established an academy at Fleetwood, some six miles above Bruington Church. This gentleman, Mr. White, deserves the everlasting gratitude of our people, within and beyond the borders of the county. He erected a standard which is telling today upon a number of pupils who do him honor.'
Oliver was married twice. His first wife was Lucy Ann Lawrence whom he married in Caroline County on 17 Dec 1838. She died in 1841. They had one daughter, Lucy Olivia White, who married Josiah Ryland, Jr. (One of his former students.) on the 25 of February,1864 which was just hours before Oliver passed away on the following day.
Oliver's second wife was Sarah Ann Bagby whom he married in 1847. She died in 1848.
Oliver was born in Ireland and was educated at Trinity College in Dublin. He emigrated to the United States as a young man and spent several years teaching at other schools before settling in King and Queen County in the 1830's. He initially advertised the opening of Fleetwood Academy in October of 1837 while the Academy's dormitories and classrooms were being erected and the Academy was officially opened the following year. Unlike most rural schools of the time, his offered a course of study that was liberal and extensive, offering Greek, Latin, French, Mathematics and Natural philosophy and other courses that would be varied "...with reference to the future distinction of the pupil." This statement is clarified by the fact that, in a time when few schools offered more than a handful of textbooks to their students, Oliver offered his pupils as many as sixty-two. (Per his records for 1854.) These included pre-medical, pre-law, bookkeeping, moral and mental philosophy, chemistry, practical surveying, and many other textbooks that reveal his early use of vocational guidance which was very unusual for the times and almost unheard of for a rural school. In 1848, Oliver added military training to his school's curriculum when James Calvin Councill, a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, joined Oliver's staff. Soon after that Oliver began to record the day to day activities of each of his students and began to compile those records into report cards that were sent home to the parents, which was also unusual for the time. This was similar to practices that were in place at V.M.I. at the time of Mr. Councill's attendance at that institution.
Oliver frequently acted in loco parentis for his pupils, paying for their doctors' bills, buying them shoes and other such necessities, and even occasionally lending students money to enable them to travel home for holidays and vacations.
Oliver operated Fleetwood Academy until his failing health forced him to close its doors in May of 1858.
Many of Oliver's students accredited success in their later lives to the excellent education they received from Oliver White and his Academy.
A section of "The Beginnings of Public Education in Virginia", a book published in 1917 by A.J. Morrison, reads:
‘About the year 1839, a Scotchman of culture and wise forecast, came to us and established an academy at Fleetwood, some six miles above Bruington Church. This gentleman, Mr. White, deserves the everlasting gratitude of our people, within and beyond the borders of the county. He erected a standard which is telling today upon a number of pupils who do him honor.'
Oliver was married twice. His first wife was Lucy Ann Lawrence whom he married in Caroline County on 17 Dec 1838. She died in 1841. They had one daughter, Lucy Olivia White, who married Josiah Ryland, Jr. (One of his former students.) on the 25 of February,1864 which was just hours before Oliver passed away on the following day.
Oliver's second wife was Sarah Ann Bagby whom he married in 1847. She died in 1848.
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