Davis provided the school's first monthly report to the 

Freedmen's Bureau in November 1867,

in which he described the Tinkersville school as a primary school and noted that it was
supported in part by the local township school board and in part by the African-American
residents.[4] Davis noted that he was the only teacher, and characterizing the support of the
township, he stated: "General apathy prevails where there is not decided prejudice and
opposition."[4] Davis continued to make progress with his students, and by January 1868, all but
three of his students were "advanced readers".[4] Following his marriage in 1869, Davis
relocated to Charleston, while continuing to teach at the Tinkersville school, walking six miles
(nine point seven kilometres) to and from there each school day. [6]
Davis's abilities as an educator became widely known throughout the Kanawha River valley,
and in 1871, he was hired to serve as principal of Charleston's African-American schools. [4][8]
[14]
 When Davis commenced his tenure there, the schools were located in a two-room building
on Quarrier Street and had an enrollment of around 100 students. [14] Soon after, the building
expanded to four rooms.[8] In 1872, the Kanawha County Schools superintendent lauded Davis
as being "well qualified in every way" and awarded him with a first grade teaching certificate.
[4]
 He also received the support of white benefactors, the most prominent of whom was Edward
Moore, who operated a school for African Americans in Pennsylvania. [15]
Davis was in charge of Charleston's African-American schools for 31 years, [14] and he served as
principal of the graded school for a total of 24 years, bringing his tenure as a teacher in the
city's schools to a total of 47 years.[6][15] While serving as principal, Davis was demoted to a
subordinate teaching position before returning as principal. [15] When Davis departed as
principal, the school building had grown to five rooms, and the school had instituted a grade
system, standardized instruction, and had begun employing and updated the teaching
methodology.[8] He retired from the Charleston schools in 1913. [6][9] According to the Charleston
Daily Mail, almost every African-American person in Charleston was either a student or under
the direct supervision of Davis.[5][6] In addition to his career in instruction and administration,
Davis also served on the Kanawha County Board of Examiners. [2]
Davis and his corps of teachers were among the first in West Virginia to advocate for a state
institute of higher learning for African Americans in Southern West Virginia, which eventually
resulted in the establishment of the West Virginia Colored Institute (present-day West Virginia
State University) at Institute.[16]
Davis provided the school's first monthly report to the Freedmen's Bureau in November 1867,
in which he described the Tinkersville school as a primary school and noted that it was
supported in part by the local township school board and in part by the African-American
residents.[4] Davis noted that he was the only teacher, and characterizing the support of the
township, he stated: "General apathy prevails where there is not decided prejudice and
opposition."[4] Davis continued to make progress with his students, and by January 1868, all but
three of his students were "advanced readers".[4] Following his marriage in 1869, Davis
relocated to Charleston, while continuing to teach at the Tinkersville school, walking six miles
(nine point seven kilometres) to and from there each school day. [6]
Davis's abilities as an educator became widely known throughout the Kanawha River valley,
and in 1871, he was hired to serve as principal of Charleston's African-American schools. [4][8]
[14]
 When Davis commenced his tenure there, the schools were located in a two-room building
on Quarrier Street and had an enrollment of around 100 students. [14] Soon after, the building
expanded to four rooms.[8] In 1872, the Kanawha County Schools superintendent lauded Davis
as being "well qualified in every way" and awarded him with a first grade teaching certificate.
[4]
 He also received the support of white benefactors, the most prominent of whom was Edward
Moore, who operated a school for African Americans in Pennsylvania. [15]
Davis was in charge of Charleston's African-American schools for 31 years, [14] and he served as
principal of the graded school for a total of 24 years, bringing his tenure as a teacher in the
city's schools to a total of 47 years.[6][15] While serving as principal, Davis was demoted to a
subordinate teaching position before returning as principal. [15] When Davis departed as
principal, the school building had grown to five rooms, and the school had instituted a grade
system, standardized instruction, and had begun employing and updated the teaching
methodology.[8] He retired from the Charleston schools in 1913. [6][9] According to the Charleston
Daily Mail, almost every African-American person in Charleston was either a student or under
the direct supervision of Davis.[5][6] In addition to his career in instruction and administration,
Davis also served on the Kanawha County Board of Examiners. [2]
Davis and his corps of teachers were among the first in West Virginia to advocate for a state
institute of higher learning for African Americans in Southern West Virginia, which eventually
resulted in the establishment of the West Virginia Colored Institute (present-day West Virginia
State University) at Institute.[16]
Davis provided the school's first monthly report to the Freedmen's Bureau in November 1867,
in which he described the Tinkersville school as a primary school and noted that it was
supported in part by the local township school board and in part by the African-American
residents.[4] Davis noted that he was the only teacher, and characterizing the support of the
township, he stated: "General apathy prevails where there is not decided prejudice and
opposition."[4] Davis continued to make progress with his students, and by January 1868, all but
three of his students were "advanced readers".[4] Following his marriage in 1869, Davis
relocated to Charleston, while continuing to teach at the Tinkersville school, walking six miles
(nine point seven kilometres) to and from there each school day. [6]
Davis's abilities as an educator became widely known throughout the Kanawha River valley,
and in 1871, he was hired to serve as principal of Charleston's African-American schools. [4][8]
[14]
 When Davis commenced his tenure there, the schools were located in a two-room building
on Quarrier Street and had an enrollment of around 100 students. [14] Soon after, the building
expanded to four rooms.[8] In 1872, the Kanawha County Schools superintendent lauded Davis
as being "well qualified in every way" and awarded him with a first grade teaching certificate.
[4]
 He also received the support of white benefactors, the most prominent of whom was Edward
Moore, who operated a school for African Americans in Pennsylvania. [15]
Davis was in charge of Charleston's African-American schools for 31 years, [14] and he served as
principal of the graded school for a total of 24 years, bringing his tenure as a teacher in the
city's schools to a total of 47 years.[6][15] While serving as principal, Davis was demoted to a
subordinate teaching position before returning as principal. [15] When Davis departed as
principal, the school building had grown to five rooms, and the school had instituted a grade
system, standardized instruction, and had begun employing and updated the teaching
methodology.[8] He retired from the Charleston schools in 1913. [6][9] According to the Charleston
Daily Mail, almost every African-American person in Charleston was either a student or under
the direct supervision of Davis.[5][6] In addition to his career in instruction and administration,
Davis also served on the Kanawha County Board of Examiners. [2]
Davis and his corps of teachers were among the first in West Virginia to advocate for a state
institute of higher learning for African Americans in Southern West Virginia, which eventually
resulted in the establishment of the West Virginia Colored Institute (present-day West Virginia
State University) at Institute.[16]