80 years of history await Franklin Twp. School visitors
While Franklin Township School may have only been sitting unused for the past five years, there is four score of memories built up in the school building that so faithfully served the community for many years before consolidation made it outdated.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, former students, community members and anyone wishing to step back in time is invited to attend Remembering Franklin Twp. School.
Visitors can take a walk through 80 years of memories from noon to 5 p.m., and according to Gail Miller, Moreland Community Historical Society member, there is a boatload of old memorabilia and some special events that should add to the festivities.
“It’s open to anyone, but former students and staff should have a lot of fun just getting together and reminiscing,” Miller said. “It’s been closed for five years already, but it’s hard to believe it’s been that long.”
The former school building will be open for tours from noon to 2 p.m., the school now the home of Willing Hearts School.
In addition, all of the MCHS buildings will be open to view, all of them displaying tons of Franklin Township School memorabilia.
“We invite everyone to come in and take a walk through 80 years of history that had a lot of meaning to a lot of people in the area,” Miller said.
One unique aspect will hopefully be the attendance of two women who attended the school in its inaugural year in 1938. The two women, in their 90s, will remain unnamed because visitors will have a chance to see them and try to figure out who they are.
Another addition is a tribute to former 1950-60s teacher Virgil Yoder, whom Miller said was always a person who kept his personal life to himself.
However, former principal Claudia Stuppi presented the MCHS with a great deal of memorabilia from the school, and among it was a lot of Yoder’s life.
Among the list was a Purple Heart and Bronze Star from his time in the service and many other interesting pieces of history that shed light on the longtime teacher.
“All of those years and none of us knew diddly-squat about any of this stuff,” Miller said. “It’s things like this that make these types of occasions so meaningful and memorable.”
Also among the memorabilia will be many old photos from throughout the decades and a display of some of the communities’ former one-room schoolhouses that played a key role in education throughout the decades.
Former FTS graduate John Schmid will return to his home stomping grounds to provide musical entertainment at 4 p.m., and the Triway High School band also will perform in the Moreland Church of God parking lot at 1 p.m.
There also will be a chicken barbecue in the lot prior to lunchtime.
Hoy Acres School will supply food for the event and will be open for anyone who would like to venture through the school.
All the MCHS buildings will be open during the day. Franklin Township School is located 1 mile east of Moreland, and there will be signs guiding visitors to the school.
