The School District of Lancaster will soon decide on what to rename the former Edward Hand Middle School, which was named after a slave owner.There are three finalists for the new name, including Hazel Jackson, who was the first Black woman to teach in Lancaster.Born in South Carolina, Jackson taught in the segregated south before moving north, where she hoped to find greater opportunities. After nine years of rejection, she took a bold step. She just sat in the superintendent’s office every Friday. After waiting several years, and finally said, ‘I m just going to sit here.’ And she sat there until they finally gave her a break when there was an opening, said Jackson’s granddaughter, Amber Holland.After teaching in the School district of Lancaster Jackson went on to become the first Black professor at Millersville University, where she taught English literature until her retirement in 1994.
THE ISSUE
Leon B. Glover Jr., School District of Lancaster’s first Black principal, who was known as Buddy, died Feb. 11, two days after having a massive stroke, at age 71. As LNP | LancasterOnline s Alex Geli reported, “Glover, whose career at SDL spanned three decades, from 1971 to 2004, was a tutor, principal, assistant superintendent and interim superintendent. He was one vote shy of becoming superintendent in 2008, when the job went to former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education and current Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology President Pedro Rivera.” A public viewing will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday in the Heritage Ballroom at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square; those who attend will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing. A livestream of Glover’s homegoing service can be viewed at 11 a.m. Saturday at yourjourneychurch.com.
Editor s Note: This story was initially published on Jan. 11, 2021 and has been updated.
Renaming two School District of Lancaster buildings was at the center of a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the district and YWCA Lancaster earlier this month.
Wednesday is the last day district officials are accepting suggestions for new names until for its Southeast Middle and Buchanan Elementary schools, according to its website. Names can be submitted at bit.ly/3qfjAJh.
The âSoutheast Middleâ name has been a place holder since July, when district school board members moved to remove the schoolâs former name, Edward Hand Middle School.
Renaming two School District of Lancaster buildings will be at the center of a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the district and YWCA Lancaster at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.