Major Eventful Years in the History of Grove City and the Park Street School, 1911-1964 - Part 3

(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.)In 1921 Grove City established its water system, through the efforts of Dr. Frank C. Wright, who sought to eliminate typhoid fever and other food and waterborne diseases caused by polluted wells.In 1922, the third section, similar to the second section, was added to the northeast corner of the first and second sections of the Park Street Elementary School, completing the present building as we know it today. Water and inside modern toilets were installed for the first time in 1922. The whole building was modernized. All six “pot-bellied” individual heating stoves were removed. A central steam heating plant was installed in the partial basement for all eight rooms. The building was also wired for electric lights during the modernization program at this time. However, the flocks of pigeons on the roof continued their welcoming habits indiscriminately and without perceptible emotion. A contractor by the name of Swickard from New Albany, Ohio was awarded the contract to build the third section, and modernize the whole school at the same time.On January 4, 1926, Dr. J.C. Sommer became president of the Jackson Township Board of Education. This was the first year Dr. Sommer had been elected to the board. He was president each year of the sixteen consecutive years he was elected to the board except the last. He served until January 1942. Dr. Sommer also served on the Franklin County Board of Education for 16 years.On September 8th, 1926, the following resolution was unanimously adopted by the board:  “Resolved: That all school pupils be prohibited from playing pool during school hours.”On January 13, 1930: “ The vaccination against smallpox was discussed and the following resolution was adopted... Be it resolved that due to the widespread epidemic of smallpox in Ohio, that the Jackson Township Board of Education require of all pupils, teachers, bus drivers, janitors, cooks, etc., or any other person connected with the schools, the presentation of a certificate of successful vaccination against smallpox...,” excerpt from board minutes.On August 1, 1930, the board adopted a resolution to place before the voters a three-mill Levy in excess of the 15-mill limitation for the purpose of meeting current expenses of the school for the five years, 1930-1934. This was defeated in the subsequent election.The fall of 1930 brought us 28 classrooms and 23 instructors in the entire school system (in the town alone), with approximately 800 registered. We had progressed from the germ-catching tin cups chained to the pump to the modern sanitary drinking fountains and up-to-date fireproof buildings devised by the state code.(The continuation of this story in the next blog entry.)