York County’s school board will hear what citizens think about renaming Magruder Elementary School at their work session next month.
But several speakers at their Aug. 25 meeting already had a new name in mind – Bruton Elementary.
The future of Magruder’s name has been in play since 2020, when Bruton resident Mary Lassiter and her brother Carl Lassiter began a campaign to rename Magruder Elementary, as well as James Blair Middle School in Williamsburg.
Gen. John B. Magruder, a Confederate general, ordered the destruction of Hampton by fire in August 1861 to prevent it from falling into Union hands and to stop the town from becoming a safe harbor for runaway slaves.
After months of research into the origin of the school name and discussions about whether other schools would also need to be renamed, the school board asked staff to poll county residents about their preference.
The results of the poll will be reviewed with the school board at its Sept. 8 work session, Board Chair Kimberly S. G…