It is a two-story brick building, set into the hillside so that it presents two stories in front and one in the rear.

"[5] The school offered training in domestic arts and various vocations, and also gave religious instruction.

It was also distinguished in having a stronger academic component than other period schools for African Americans, which generally focused on vocational training.

The school attracted students from nearly every state, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and as far away as South America and Africa.

[1][6] The school expanded its offerings in the 1920s, providing a wider array of vocational skills training.