The Development of Grove City and the Schools - Part 5

(The following was written by Faye and Harold Morland, and is reprinted from “The Epoch of the Park Street School 1853-1964 and Grove City, Ohio”.  Any opinions made in the article are from the author.)Until 1886 the Board of Education consisted of three members. It was then increased to six. Among the names of earlier members we find: Dr. Bulen, R. Higgy, William Nichols, Ignatz Miller, Elias White, Jonathan Gantz, George Weygandt, Daniel Smith and Nelson Grant. Later:  W.R. Mench, W.H. Barbee, Aaron Neiswander, Ezra Neiswander, R.D. Grant and Dr. Hoover. In the early 1900’s members were: John Baumgartner, J.E. Stump, Dr. Nesley, Dr. Geissinger, D.D. Dupree, L.P. Graul and Fred Hensel.Grove City was replatted in 1886 showing expanded boundaries, mainly West of Broadway. The replat was recorded that year in the Franklin County Court House.In 1886 the school was crowded. The following year the voters turned down a bond issue, saying the taxes would be ruinous. However, in 1888 the voters passed a bond issue to build a four-room brick school house. They argued first over a three or four room building. The four room backers won.Before putting up this third school building, the Board of Education of Grove City Special School District procured, after considerable negotiation, the title to Lot No. 32 (easterly of the two school lots) from the Jackson Township Board of Education. The title was then clear to both lots and vested in the Grove City Special School District. Building proceeded in 1888 on both lots.That year the first or front section of three sections of the present grade school was erected from brick made in the Grove City Brick Yard operated by A.G. Grant. William Sibray and his son, J,E. Sibray, were awarded the contract for the brick masonry. The first section had four rooms, two up and two down.  The two lower rooms were used until 1890. The teachers were Supt. L.T. Fisher and Gertrude Mench. In 1890 A..C. Fries joined the school's staff. A third room was opened for his class.Supt L.P. FIsher began to develop a high school. Four years later a fourth teacher, Miss Jesse Snouffer, was added to the teaching staff and the work in the fourth, the upper west room, became more distinctly one for a high school curriculum.Some of the teachers, other than those already mentioned, proceeding 1895, were: A.L. Nichols, George Smith, S.E. Johnston, Eva McGiven, Olga Brush and Bertha Lynch.(The continuation of this story in the next blog entry.)