The Vedder Research Library

Greenville Free Academy, pre-1906

About fifteen schoolhouses dotted the Greenville map throughout the 1800’s and early 1900’s. With the centralization movement of the 1920’s and 1930’s, many of these structures were converted to other uses. This one in Surprise, on the corner of Willowbrook Drive and Willowbrook Road, is the residence of former Surprise postmaster Gordon and Dorothy Blenis, who have owned it since 1938.

The classes of 1916 at the Freehold school pose. Their teacher (not shown) was Ethel Cozine. Shown are: front row – Ruth Hunt, Curtis Lacey, Beulah Sutton, Dorothy Story, Rudolph Delamater, Charley Garrison, Alice Hunt, Chester Phinney, Herman Story; back row – Floyd Simpkins, Jesse Hallock, Marion Beers, Ruth Youmans, Myrtle Hood (behind Ruth Youmans), Leonard Buell (bent over and out of sight), Ophelia Buell, Rose Palmer, Harry Gibbons, Mary Phinney, Searles Seabridge. Their one room schoolhouse is now the Freehold fire station. Boys’ fascination with guns is shown by the toy guns in the hands of Rudolph, Charlie and Chester.

In 1906, the students of District #1, Norton Hill pose for this picture. Bottom: Raymond Ingalls, Frank Hallenbeck, Clarence Ingalls, Stanley Ingalls, Niles VanAuken, Ray Hunt, Burdette Bear, Robert Francis, Perry Stevens; 2nd: Grace VerPlanck, Helen Hallenbeck (behind Grace), Gladys Simpson, Cora Stanton, Hattie Gifford, Bertie Farley, Elgirtha Ingalls, Ruth Ingalls, Helen Tripp, Harold Bell, Lois Tripp, Jane? Francis; 3rd: Earl VanAuken, Merritt Francis, William Hall – teacher, Grace Bell (front of teacher), Clara Tryon, Agnes Baker, Eleanor Goff (front of Baker), Phyllis Simpson, Bertha Davis, Floyd Tryon, Lloyd Tryon, John Searles; 5th (back row of five girls): Mildred Hallenbeck, Vera Gardner, Carrie Ingalls, Bertha Ingalls, Edna Davis; top Mrs. Wm. Hull, Minnie Davis; right rear: Truant Officer Joseph Alverson.