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Greenville
South School Leadership Students released
balloons about 8 a.m. May 21 to celebrate the 101st birthday of
the
building. The celebration included historical memories of the building
and all that it has given to the community.
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South School
South students
hold birthday balloon release for 101-yr-old building
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – “Did you know that in 1912, the same year that South
School was built, the Titanic sank?”
South School celebrated its 101st birthday on May 21 with a balloon
launch in which 10 students provided some “fun facts” about their
historic school.
It was a celebration that brought out the entire student body about
7:45 a.m. Principal Rhonda Schaar told them what some of Jennifer
Schatz’ Leadership Students found out about the history of the school.
“In 1915 teachers had to scrub the floor once a week and could wear no
bright colors,” she said. Later she noted that teachers weren’t allowed
to be married, they had to wear two petticoats and couldn’t be out
after 8 p.m.
They were all women teachers. Men teachers didn’t arrive until the
1970s.
The students discovered that in 1961 and 1962, South School served as
Greenville’s neighborhood K-8 building. There was no junior high
school. In 1987 South became a K-6 neighborhood school. Today, the
building houses the District’s 398 fifth and sixth graders with a staff
of 50.
Schaar told them that currently Greenville is planning a levy that, if
passed, will add a new chapter to the building’s life. She added that
she hoped it would be supported by Greenville’s citizens.
“South School has provided much to Greenville,” she said. “It is good
that we have this opportunity to share some of the memories of the
building and all it has given to the community.”
Shortly after that, she turned the megaphone over to the students to
read off the things they’d found in their research. They included…
“Did you know that there were only seven teachers here in 1912? The
principal even taught fifth and sixth grades…”
“In 1924 the building was 12 years old. The basement was only used for
the furnace and coal…”
“In the 1920’s there were no buses, so children walked to school and
went home for lunch because there was no cafeteria…”
“In 1949 the new first floor building was added for $254,000, as
compared to the main first building that only cost $25,000…”
When they were finished the students launched their balloons. Each one
had a sticker on it that said: “South Middle School, Greenville, Ohio
101 Birthday Celebration.”
Schaar said that Schatz’ Leadership Students, consisting of fifth and
sixth graders, have been active in putting together special events for
the student population. They decorate the school for the seasons, were
involved in the Ohio Achievement Assessment, put on Pep Rallies for the
school and set up the school’s birthday celebration.
The students are: Kylie Beam, Travis Boggs, Jada Garland, Adam Godown,
Serenity Lear, Tess McClure, Phillip Roberts, Ashlyn Smith, Lucas Smith
and Chase Waddle.
Published courtesy
of the Early Bird
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Greenville
South fifth and sixth graders went to the playground at 7:45 a.m. for a
“balloon release”
commemorating the birthday of Greenville’s oldest school building.
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