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10 <br />6. HISTORY <br />The Carr community, a traditionally African- American enclave near <br />the Cedar Grove rural crossroads, decided to build a school within <br />their neighborhood because their children were forced to travel <br />several miles to attend segregated schools. <br />The White Oak Grove School was built in the late 1920s, adjacent to <br />the White Oak Grove Church. It officially opened on October 19, <br />1927 after contributions from the local community matched an <br />appropriation by the Orange County Board of Education. <br />The building of the school galvanized the community. Numerous <br />fund raisers were conducted in order to match the funding from the <br />County school board. Festivities such as cookouts and bake sales, <br />box sales, and `womanless weddings' were organized to raise money <br />for school desks, books, and supplies. <br />School construction was spearheaded by Burrie "Doc" Corbett, scion <br />of the family who donated land for the original White Oak Grove <br />Church in the late 19th century. Mr. Corbett was a prosperous <br />farmer, and was well -known as a philanthropist in the local <br />community. <br />White Oak Grove School served the African - American families of <br />Cedar Grove and Carr for 25 years, until the County constructed a <br />modern, consolidated facility near McDade's Crossroads. Around <br />1952, Doc Corbett converted the school building into a home for his <br />daughters. Later, James Corbett lived in the house from 1957 until <br />1978. The structure has been vacant since. <br />