Eberhard ‘Ed’ Volmar

Ed Volmar moved to the Town of Greenville when he was just thirteen years old. Almost sixty-five years later, he exemplifies what it is to live a worthy and productive life as an involved and contributing citizen of Greenville.

Moving from Naumburg, Germany, and then Waterbury, CT, the Volmar family bought a farm in 1961 on Hillcrest Rd in the eastern Town of Greenville. Ed, with wife Eileen, still resides there. Starting GCS as an eighth grade student, Ed graduated with the GCS Class of 1966. After undergraduate work in education was completed at New Paltz, a teaching opening appeared at GCS which he accepted. Years later he earned 60 credits of graduate work in counseling education. Ed remained at GCS teaching English for almost thirty years before retiring in 1999.

Ed was often seen as a tough, fair, kind, and humorous educator. He would challenge those students doing just good enough work, urging them to complete good work. A former student noted that “Mr. Volmar challenged him to go beyond his comfort zone and to realize what he was capable of.” That attitude proved to be a benchmark that every student faced.

Many students realized, either at the time or years later, that education in Ed’s class went way beyond that English class. Succeeding in his class lent itself to the honing of one’s life skills. A multitude of students have learned these lessons in their own way.

When the local history group recognized the GCS teaching staff in its 2020 calendar, the call went out to nominate favorite teachers during the then ninety years of GCS history. Ed was one of the four “Icons,” the four teachers who clearly shone the brightest in the final tally.

The theme of connections was paramount in Ed’s teaching. Either through his own leadership or by the active participation of students, Ed was involved with:

·       Project Adventure programming with students

·       Mentoring Program

·       Field Trips to local colleges/universities: Columbia Greene Community College, SUNY Cobleskill, Russell Sage, SUNY Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

·       Field Trips to see plays on Broadway

·       Bike and toy donations

·       Christmas gift deliveries

·       Helped students with hands-on projects: benches for the playground, birdhouses, toolboxes

·       Career Day - 9 or 10 years for Scott M. Ellis 5th graders

·       Architecture/Model House (with Gina Blenis)

·       Transition to middle school/connections

·       Walking field trips around Greenville (cemetery, All Arts Matter, Greenville Library Art Gallery, local businesses, quilting club and miniature club)

·       Photographic Tour of Scott M. Ellis Elementary

·       Teacher’s Assistant for the Growth Center and Banana Splits at Scott M. Ellis Elementary School which then morphed into being a Mentor 

·       History of Greenville photo binder

·       Worked with Tim Albright on documentary of previous GCSD graduates and video clips from the 75th anniversary of school district

·       Connecting GNH to GCS HS Technology programs

·       Judged various FFA contests and selection of officers

·       Organized two exchange trips to Berlin, Germany for GCS students. The German partners also came to Greenville

·       Accompanied a group of college professors to Moscow for an international conference on multiculturalism 

·       Resurrected the High School Newspaper at the urging of his students

·       Ed’s retirement in 1999 could easily have seen him fade into the golden glow of senior citizenship and to watch the rest of the world from afar.

But, not to be. One retirement project that could easily be a life highlight became a mission – leading the restoration of the Potter Hollow School House (School 19) and involving the GCS Fourth Grade connection. As a trustee of the Greenville Educational Foundation, Ed has coordinated:

·       the volunteering of dozens of community members who contribute time, resources, and knowledge

·       Restoration - patio, sills, floor, windows, painting, landscaping, roof

·       Field trips- 4th grade annual field trip to Potter Hollow that demonstrated the one-room schoolhouse experience, tin-smithing, architecture, an area music band.

·       Community connections (approx. 50) - Cornell, GCSD, neighbors, local businesses, previous students from Potter Hollow

·       Donations and volunteers (recruitment and coordination)

·       Building an outhouse by School 19 with help from technology teacher, Jon Kerner, and his students

·       Support from the Greenville Educational Foundation (GEF)

·       Coordinated with teacher, Tim Albright, and the Video Club to record various activities at School 19 in Potter Hollow 

·       Other retirement activities related the school:

·       Tours of Scott M. Ellis- class reunions

·       Tours of GCS district for various teachers

·       Networking with businesses - school to work

·       Exposure to community demographics

·       GCS’ 75th anniversary interviews

·       Worked with GCS District staff and Potter Hollow resident, Linda Mormile, to have a section of the website highlight  images and historical activities from School 19

In 1990, Ed was recognized by the Golub Foundation for excellence in teaching. And in 2019, the Capital Area School Development Association awarded Eberhard Volmar its prestigious Friend of Education Award.

And the Greenville Local History Group showcases, in this 2026 Calendar Recognition, the esteem and value we hold for the efforts, involvement, commitment, and contribution, way above the ordinary, that Ed Volmar has given to Greenville