The Vedder Research Library

This simple brochure marks one of the key events of 20th century Greenville. A national need for improved educational opportunities and Greenville’s burgeoning student population had raised calls for a centralized school district in the 1920s. A positive district vote in 1930 led to construction, with an opening set for the 1932-1933 school year. Today, that building is the Scott M. Ellis Elementary building. The front and inside panels are reproduced; the back panel contained the words of America and The Star Spangled Banner. (See November)

Scott M Ellis Elementary School

A growing GCS student population led to an approved proposition of a new Jr-Sr High School on property to the rear of the then GCS K-12 building that fronted State Route 32. This new site had been the Rundell orchard. On June 8, 1967, school officials and students, community members, and company reps gathered in the traditional ground-breaking ceremony. Captured during a moment of speech making, from left: Walter Ingalls, School Board President (with shovel); face front; Paige Ingalls (Gr. 7); Mary Lou Norton (Gr 9); face; two bits of head, then a dark hair with an eye; Carolyn Dedie (Gr. 7); Jeff Tyrrell (Gr 9); Chris Maxwell?; Stanley Ingalls (father of Walter, on first GCS Bd of Ed); Jeff Haverly (Gr 9); Reverend Richard Clark (Episcopal Church); Robert Mirabelli (Gr 9); girl in dress; Steve Chatterton?; Rev Duncan MacKenzie (Methodist Church); Regina Cassin?; Margaret Hulick.

The “duck-taking-flight” outline of the Greenville Central School District took initial shape ninety years ago. Early 20th century educational policy and reform recognized the need for the maze of one room school houses to better serve and be served for the changing economy and culture. A vote in 1930 approved the formation and centralization of the new Greenville Central Rural School, with twenty-two local school houses joining the Greenville Free Academy. Currently, the school district represents over forty original, smaller school districts from the Towns of Greenville, Rensselaerville, Westerlo, New Baltimore, Coxsackie, Cairo, Durham, Berne, Coeymans, New Scotland, and Conesville. One of the most recent additions was that of the Potter Hollow district, contributing the “head” of the “duck,” looking “leftward.” Although not part of the official district area, many Durham area students were given the choice of attending Greenville or Cairo until the early 1970s.