History

Archdeacon James S. Russell of the Episcopal Church founded St. Paul Normal and Industrial school, which opened on September 24, 1888 with 3 teachers and forty students.  The school was incorporated in 1890.  The aim of the school was to make the name of St. Paul “stand for the highest Christian education coupled with a good normal training and a useful trade of some kind.”  To that end, St. Paul hoped “to turn out boys and girls fitted for actual service in life.”  The Times Dispatch noted that students had daily morning and evening prayers and regular classroom study of the Bible.

 

By 1913 the school’s curriculum stressed technical skills, and enrollment had passed 500.  A collegiate department in teacher training was added in 1922, receiving state accreditation in 1926.  In 1941 the school was allowed to offer a four-year liberal arts curriculum and received a name change to St. Paul’s Polytechnic Institute.   In a final name change in 1957, it became St. Paul’s College. 

 

The 1961 yearbook, the Tiger, shows a student body of 282—more than 80% percent from Virginia.  Almost half of graduates were in elementary education with general science and business education each taking about a quarter.  St. Paul’s had chapters of three social fraternities and three social sororities.  Students had the usual discipline-based organizations as well as a drama guild and a modern dance troupe.  

 

In the 21st century St. Paul’s began to experience financial problems.  These were compounded by a loss of SACS accreditation in 2011.  Still a lawsuit helped the school receive a stay of execution.  But the problems did not go away, and enrollment fell to fewer than 100.  After 125 years, St. Paul’s closed in 2013.