Abram F. Biggers was the first superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools. The school once named for him was the largest in Lynchburg when it was built in 1881. That school stood on the corner of Fifth and Clay Streets until it was demolished in the fall of 1967.
On March 30, 2010, in front of former students, former teachers and current local government figures, a historical marker was unveiled on the same corner on which the school stood. During the dedication several people made remarks including current Superintendent Paul McKendrick, Mayor Joan Foster, and former student Gene Tomlin – among others.
Mr. Tomlin, along with Anne Langley, spear-headed the effort to raise money for this historical marker. The following is the wording that appears on the sign:
“Abram Frederick Biggers (1838-1879), a lawyer by profession, was appointed the first superintendent of the Lynchburg and Campbell County schools in 1870. As a part of his effort to build a strong system, Biggers toured northern states to study their schools. He is credited with building one of the best school systems in the state. The Lynchburg schools opened to more than 700 students segregated by race in nine rented buildings. Biggers School, designed by August Forsburg, was the largest in Lynchburg when it opened in 1881 with a capacity of 305 students. The school served the community until its demolition in the autumn of 1967.”