▁schools ▁for ▁black ▁children , ▁to ▁prepare ▁them ▁for ▁the ▁respons ib ilities ▁of ▁citizens hip . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁Major ▁G iles ▁Buck ner ▁Co oke ▁( a ▁Virginia ▁Military ▁Institute ▁gradu ate ▁and ▁former ▁Confeder ate ▁army ▁officer ▁on ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁General ▁Robert ▁E . ▁Lee ▁who ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁began ▁studying ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁Epis cop al ▁priest ) ▁had ▁started ▁a ▁Sunday ▁school ▁for ▁fre ed ▁slaves ▁at ▁St . ▁Paul ' s ▁Epis cop al ▁Church ▁in ▁Petersburg . ▁Two ▁other ▁Confeder ate ▁veter ans , ▁Alexander ▁W . ▁Wed d ell ▁and ▁future ▁bishop ▁Robert ▁At kin son ▁Gib son ▁had ▁done ▁like wise ▁at ▁Grace ▁Epis cop al ▁Church ▁the ▁previous ▁year . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁Caroline ▁B rag g ▁was ▁among ▁the ▁found ing ▁members ▁of ▁St . ▁Stephen ' s ▁Epis cop al ▁Church , ▁Petersburg ' s ▁first ▁black ▁Epis cop al ian ▁church , ▁and ▁her ▁extended ▁family ▁formed ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁con greg ation . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 9 , ▁with ▁financial ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Fre ed men ' s ▁Bureau ▁and ▁the ▁Pe ab ody ▁fund , ▁Petersburg ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁city ▁in ▁Virginia ▁to ▁begin ▁establish ing ▁public ▁schools ▁for ▁black ▁children , ▁and ▁Co oke ▁became ▁principal ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Element ary ▁School ▁Number ▁ 1 ▁( which ▁later ▁became ▁Pe ab ody ▁High ▁School ). ▁He ▁later ▁formed ▁Big ▁Oak ▁Private ▁School ▁for ▁the ▁same ▁purpose . ▁In ▁