Community support fuels Hopedale Schoolhouse project

The newly renovated Schoolhouse Venue at 420 Normal St. in Hopedale, beside the village building, will host an open house Feb. 28 from 1-4 p.m., inviting residents to see how a former school outbuilding has been transformed into a community gathering space.

The venue occupies one of two remaining classroom buildings left standing after the former Harrison Hills school was demolished. Each structure once housed two classrooms.

Vickie Coffland, a Hopedale graduate and lifelong resident, said the idea came to her as she drove past the vacant buildings on her way to visit her parents.

“They were just sitting there,” Coffland said. “I thought somebody needs to take care of those buildings before they get run down.”

Coffland approached village council in March 2025 with a proposal to turn one side into a social venue and the other into a museum highlighting Hopedale’s history.

“I said, what if we make one side a museum and one side a little social venue where you could have a party or a meeting?” she explained.

Council agreed to let her move forward.

Coffland secured a $5,000 grant from MPLX and another $2,500 through an Ohio grant program. She then turned to the community for support, posting on Facebook and reaching out to residents.

In total, she estimates roughly $19,000 was raised through donations.

Much of the funding came in small amounts — $100 here, $1,000 there — often given in memory or honor of family members. Coffland also sold nine tables for $125 each to help furnish the space and later sold individual chairs.

“People were just very kind and very helpful,” she said.

One resident donated an automated external defibrillator in memory of Lola Carman, a longtime community member who served with the local emergency squad and in several other roles.

Volunteer labor carried the project forward.

Coffland credited Kris Sloan, Dawn Carson, Kay Tipton, Carla Skinner and Mary Ligett with spending hours painting and preparing the space.

“It was all labor of love,” Coffland said. “Nobody got paid for this.”

Dawn Carson, a volunteer involved with the project, said the effort shows what can happen when a community rallies behind an idea.

“It just shows what this town can do when people decide they want something good for the community,” Carson said. “And it really didn’t cost the taxpayers any money.”

Coffland said preserving original elements was important. The chalkboards remain in place, and the original hardwood floors were professionally stripped and resealed. Some vandalism had to be covered, but the boards were repainted with chalkboard paint so they can still be used.

The venue now includes tables, chairs, a refrigerator, microwave, large coffee maker and a serving area. An air conditioning unit is planned.

“We really wanted to keep it feeling like the school,” Carson said. “That history is important to people here.”

The adjoining room will become a museum focused on Hopedale’s history, though it is not yet ready for public viewing. Local resident Don Jacobs preserved items from the school, including the school bell and athletic trophies, which will be displayed along with photographs and historical artifacts.

Hopedale High School’s final graduating class was in 1971, though elementary classes continued in the building for years afterward.

Coffland said she hopes the project becomes a catalyst for further improvements to the block, which once housed the high school, football field and other community spaces.

“I’m hoping and praying that it’s going to be a spark to continue in the community,” she said.

Residents interested in booking the space can currently contact Coffland through Facebook or call the village office at 740-937-2355.