Much of the history of the Richmond Public Schools was recorded in the context of a segregated society, and the reader should readily discern between pre- and post-desegregation observations. The terms "black," "colored," "Negro," and "white" in this booklet should not be considered offensive as they have been used according to the custom of the particular period. Since 1962, the division has omitted such racial designations from its reports and publications.

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• V
• W

Mason (George) School 813 North 28th Street (28th Street between "N" & "O" Streets)

Named for George Mason (1725-92), the eminent Virginia statesman and author of the Virginia Bill of Rights. This school is unique among the public schools in that it once consisted of five separate building projects, resulting in what has been termed "compromised architectural integrity of the building."

In 1881, a four-room frame building was erected at 29th & "0" Streets; this was followed by the construction of a six-classroom brick building in 1887. The two schools were known as East End School until the name was changed to George Mason in 1909. In 1922, the old Richmond High School was tom down and rebuilt in its original form as a twelve-classroom addition to George Mason; the playground was enlarged in 1922-23, until the entire half block was owned. In 1933-34, the school was so badly crowded that some pupils were housed in rented rooms. A U.S. government grant partially funded a fourteen-room addition in 1936; the 1951 twelve-classroom wing included auditorium, cafeteria, and offices. (The 1881 building was demolished in 1974.)

Despite these facilities, George Mason was generally so crowded that for several years all pupils below grade 6 were on part time. The construction of the Creighton Court housing project added to the enrollment, and for awhile the project's community center housed classes supervised. by George Mason's principal. Under Plan III, George Mason was paired with Reid.

The George Mason program operated from the Fairmount Building during the1979-80 building modernization. This included an addition named by the School Board as the "Henry L. Marsh III Wing," a tribute to the achievements and public service of then-Mayor Marsh (now State Senator).