While
ministering to the people of Norfolk during the 1855 yellow fever
epidemic, the Rev. William M. Jackson, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church, believed that “a Christian minister’s post in a time of trial
was in the bosom of his flock, watching by the bed of death, comforting
the bereaved, and encouraging the faith of the weakhearted.”1
As
the disease ravaged the communities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, there
was a growing number of orphans left to fend for themselves…no family…no
funds…little hope.
On
August 27, 1855, Jackson was asked by a relief organization if he would
“assume the care of the children made orphans by the pestilence. His
noble reply was that if there were five hundred orphans, he would pledge
the Church to be responsible for them; and from this time forth he took
upon him the heavy burden of providing for them. The lecture-room of
Christ Church, now Christ & St. Luke’s, was converted into a
temporary asylum for them, and it was a pleasant thing for him to go in
and cheer the sad hearts of the desolate little ones.”2
In
October 1855, near the end of the epidemic, Jackson succumbed to the
disease. In February 1856, the Virginia General Assembly approved the
formation of the Episcopal Orphan Asylum, funded and operated by the
parishes of St. Paul’s and Christ Church (later Christ & St.
Luke’s). The home for children was later renamed The Jackson Orphan
Asylum in memory of the man who did so much for the people of Norfolk
and Portsmouth, and who literally gave his life for them. Initially the
Asylum served boys and girls but somewhere along the line decided to
serve only girls.
In
1920, the Rev. Norman F. Marshall – rector of Meherrin Parish and
grandson of First Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court John
Marshall – started a movement in Purdy, Virginia to found a home for
girls. His effort was an outgrowth of a nationwide Campaign of the
Protestant Episcopal church of America. Marshall’s Episcopal Home for
Girls was established in the unused rectory of Grace Church in Emporia.
In 1922, Mr.& Mrs. George Feild donated their ancestral property –
Walnut Grove – to the Home. A year later, after extensive renovations
were completed, the girls relocated to the house. In 1925, The Jackson
Orphan Asylum and the Episcopal Home for Girls merged to become
Jackson-Feild Episcopal Home for Girls.
|
|
In
those early-20th century years, the Jackson-Feild Episcopal Home for
Girls was an operating farm led by Superintendent Miss Edith “Ma” Gage.
The staff and children lived their lives much as any family would. They
grew and preserved their own food, raised chickens and dairy cows,
maintained an orchard, and attended public school and Grace church.
The
1950s brought significant change to Jackson-Feild. Foster care homes –
rather than orphanages – became the preferred environment for children
in need of out-of-home care, particularly children who were abused and
neglected. In response, the Board of Trustees approved a change in focus
to serve at-risk children.
|
|
In
1955, a rectory was built for Jackson-Feild’s chaplain, but the
greatest amount of growth came in the 1960s and 1970s. Until 1960, when
Rogers Cottage was built, all the children slept in the home’s bedrooms,
meals were cooked in the kitchen and served in the dining room, and the
administrative staff worked out of various rooms. In 1963, the Edith
Gage dining hall was built followed by the Lallie Darden Cottage in
1967, the Robinson-Withers gym in 1971, All Saints Chapel in 1979, and
Gwaltney Cottage in 1992. (photo: groundbreaking for Darden Cottage in 1967)
In
1994, Gwaltney School was established in order to provide academic
instruction to children as part of their overall program of care. To
date, nearly 200 students have earned either their high school diploma
or GED while at Jackson-Feild.
Jackson-Feild
again adapted to the needs of children and became a residential
psychiatric treatment program in the early 2000’s. Accredited by The
Council on Accreditation, a variety of mental health services are
provided including Neurotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and more.
In 2012 Jackson-Feild at the request of public agencies decided to again
serve boys.
Today,
Jackson-Feild is a behavioral health organization treating children
with severe emotional disorders. Utilizing a trauma-informed,
trauma-focused approach, it serves 100+ children a year.
For
165 years, Jackson-Feild Homes has given hope, help, and healing to
children. Its ability to meet their needs has never wavered, and while
Jackson-Feild celebrates its past it also embraces its future.
1 Rev. George D. Cummins, The Life of the Rev. William M. Jackson, (New York, Protestant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Evangelical Knowledge, 1856) 69
2 Cummins, Rev. William M. Jackson, 76-77
