Dr. E.W.B. Curry: the curry school

Urbana students research history, legacy of Urbana educator

This “Then” photo of The Curry School was taken on the occasion (Sept. 20, 1913) of the reunion of black Civil War veterans and widows, sons and daughters from all parts of Ohio (Urbana Daily Citizen). Professor Elmer Curry is on the grass at the extreme left. This building at 325 E. Water St. was originally a residence owned by Philander B. Ross. It was purchased by the Urbana City Board of Education, which used it until 1898. Then Professor Curry acquired the property and moved the Curry Normal and Industrial Institute into the building. Over 2,000 mostly African-American students, youth and adults, were instructed in industrial skills, higher academics, and morality at the Institute. (Source: Sherry Virts, Champaign County Preservation Alliance)

The article below was authored by 6th graders Elaei Brown, Grady Lantz, Ethan Rose, Janaya Scott, Gavin Stacy, and Michael Upchurch.
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The students of Urbana Junior High School have selected Dr. Elmer Curry for their 2020 Project Based Learning assignment.  They used primary and secondary resources to research his family history, educational background, and his different learning institutions. 
This is the 1st article written by Urbana Junior High students, click here to read Part Two and Part Three. 

 Dr. Curry was a pioneer in educational reform for African-Americans in the early twentieth century and many of his progressive schools were located throughout Champaign County. ​

​​Elmer Curry was born on March 23, 1871 in Delaware, Ohio. He lived in a log house on South Street with his mother Julia and his father George. His dad worked as a minister at The Second Baptist Church on Ross Street, which had a great impact on his future career in education. African-Americans that were freed from slavery were not permitted to an equal education that would have helped them to live a better life. Elmer was interested in helping solve that situation through education.
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While attending Delaware City Schools at the age of 17 years old, Elmer rented a kitchen shed for 50 cents per month to start his own school for African-Americans. His school was called The Place of Knowledge for Old and Young. It was located at 19 Davis Street in Delaware, Ohio. The tuition was 25 cents per week and his first student was a 50 year old man who was a day laborer. After attending Michael College and graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University, he went on to become the first African-American teacher at the desegregated Delaware City Schools. 

In 1889 moved to Urbana, Ohio and founded the Curry Normal and Industrial Institute. His school had a traditional education, which focused on reading, writing, and math.  It also taught trade school skills, such as nursing, caretaking, farming, printing, and clothes making. The building still stands today and is located at 325 East Water Street.

Dr. Curry passed away June 19th, 1930, in Springfield and was buried at Oakdale Cemetery in Urbana, Ohio. There were over 2,000 students who attended the various Curry Schools. Dr. Elmer Curry’s story illustrates activist African-Americans from Ohio utilizing the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments in an attempt to better the lives of African-Americans.