Frederick Deming Jr. Industrial School

Front inscription

The Frederick Deming Jr. Industrial School opened at this site in 1892. It was founded to serve African American residents of Marvyille, a Black town chartered in 1886 and later annexed into the City of Charleston. Early school leaders included Mary Matthews Just, Rev. George Clinton Rowe, and Joseph C. Berry. It was supported by the American Missionary Association (AMA) and named for an AMA benefactor.

Reverse inscription

The original Deming School campus included a 2-story classroom and teacherage building, and an annex. Both burned in 1897 and were replaced by a 1-story wooden building. Deming was part of St. Andrew’s School District No. 10. It closed in 1953 and had around 200 students in grades 1-8 in its last year. Students then attended Wallace Consolidated School (2 mi. W). Deming was razed a few years later, and a playground opened in 1962.