Rockville Elementary School

Front: This campus was originally Rockville Elementary School. It replaced an older Rockville School that moved to this site between World Wars I and II from Bethlehem Baptist Church (1 mi. N). It served African American residents of Wadmalaw Island and was built in 1953-54 through the S.C. equalization program, a state effort to defend segregation by improving Black schools. Reverse: The equalization school was designed by Charleston architect Augustus E. Constantine. It enrolled around 400 students in its early years and had 12 rooms. It remained predominantly Black after desegregating in 1970-71. In 1974 the school was renamed in honor of longtime principal Edith L. Frierson (1908-1998). A native of Charleston, she led the school from 1926 until retiring in 1974.