Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools history

Henry Church, Jr., born in Chagrin Falls in 1836, was a blacksmith in the village and a gifted artist.

Presently Dave is a pilot with the United States Navy. • The first mayor of Chagrin Falls was John Bullard in the 1840’s.

1844, is a residential community located in Cuyahoga County at the "High Falls" of the Chagrin River; it occupies approx.

The graduating class from the high school had 32. • Crane’s Canary Cottage Restaurant, presently Gamekeepers Tavern and The Inn of Chagrin Falls, was built by C. A. Crane, the man who invented the “Life Saver” candy. It was created in 1845 when it was formed out of parts of Solon and Orange Townships, Cuyahoga County and Russell Township in Geauga County.

7, 1849, South Russell received 10 votes, while Hiram received 17 votes.

Arhibald Williard – the painter of ‘The Spirit of ‘76’ resided in the farm purchased by Isaac Rarick in 1850.

1858 – The Ashbury Seminary was closed and purchased by the board of education.

If found not enforcing these rules, a teacher could be dismissed. • In 1859 the board of education voted to pay male grammar school teachers $7.00 per week and female teachers $5.00 per week.

Mario Gerhardt • remains as varsity soccer coach at Chagrin Falls High School. • Chagrin Hardware is located in a building where there has been a hardware store since 1867.

The victor, in 1874, was Tom Bright of Chagrin Falls with a time of 2:38.5.

A year later Pearl Street took the name W. Washington Street. • In 1876, the Village created a Board of Police, which consisted of seven policemen.

A narrow-gauge railroad from Chagrin Falls to SOLON was built in 1877 as a branch of the Painesville, Canton & Bridgeport Railroad.

Hugh Christian was the first person to receive a Chagrin Falls High School diploma in 1879.

Later the river was called Shaguin to memorialize Sieur de Saguin, a French trader in the area. • In 1881 the cost per pupil to run the Chagrin Falls Union Schools was $9.30.

• The first meeting of the CFAA was on April 11, 1890.

A 750 seat auditorium and additional class rooms were built in 1892.

The Cleveland & Chagrin Falls Electric Railway Co. operated in the village beginning in 1896, and eventually extended to Hiram and Garrettsville.

The high school had a 60-minute class period encompassing a 7-period day from 8:05 to 3:45. • In 1898 the tax rate in Chagrin Falls Village, including the school tax, was $3.30 per $100.00.

1907 – the Chagrin falls Schools were granted a charter from the State Department of Education entitled, “First Grade High School” meaning a four-year high school.

The last meeting held June 28, 1910, resulted in the election of the following officers: Pres., Harry Stroud; Vice Pres., Madaline Harris; Cor.

1913 – A grandstand is built at the Cuyahoga County fairgrounds on East Washington Street, the home of the present Harris Stadium.

1914 – A brick high school building was built facing east Washington Street

Since many surrounding schools were three-year high schools, many students from surrounding school districts paid tuition to do “post-graduate” work at Chagrin Falls High School. • The worldwide flu epidemic in 1918 closed Chagrin Schools for several weeks.

The spring track meet occurred up at the fairgrounds and only included the boys. • The Weisenberger’s Orchestra played several P.T.A. sponsored dances in the 1920s.

C. A. Crane was also the father of Hart Crane, the famous American poet. • The first of many future developments in South Russell was Paw Paw Lake in 1921.

Early settlers at what is now the corner of Chillicothe and Bell Roads were three brothers, A.L., Benjamin and Myron Soule. • The first Chagrin Falls High School newspaper was published November 29, 1922.

1923 – Alterations are made to the Philomethian Street School including a gymnasium.

The team went on to be CVC champs and easily outdistanced eight other schools in the Chagrin Invitational that season. • In 1925 Front Street was renamed Bell Street.

Gurney began teaching mathematics and physical education at Chagrin Falls in 1926.

However, it no longer exists as the new 7th and 8th grade school is being built at that location. • The first teacher hired to teach art in the Chagrin Falls Schools was Grace Cook in 1927. • Chagrin Falls’ reputation as an art center had an early beginning.

Admission was 50 cents for adults and 35 cents for children. • In the summer of 1929, Coach Gurney attended a coaching school held at Wittenberg College.

They presented six plays in their first year of existence. • Geauga Lake held dog races at its Bainbridge race track in the 1930’s.

Coach Gurney was in attendance with the players and their parents. • The school year opened nearly a month late in 1933 due to the Great Depression.

He became principal in 1935, replacing Lewis Sands.

1937 – The Chagrin falls Schools become the Chagrin falls Exempted Village Schools, “exempt” from county control.

Since that date, the Assembly Hall (located in the old Philomethian Street School, torn down in 1940) has seemed the most desirable place for the receptions.

1945 – The first night football game was held at the high school football field.

The wood cafeteria and home economics building was sold for scrap in 1946.

The public voted in favor of a bond issue in 1955 to finance construction.

The 1956 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow winner from Chagrin was Cynthia Arnold Stuckey ’56.

1957 – The Lewis Sands Elementary School was built

1959 – The current High School was built.

The class of 1960 was the first to graduate from here.

The historic building still remains as the Chagrin • Falls Village Hall. • The steps to the bottom of the natural falls were built by the Jaycees in 1963.

The current library and the industrial arts wing were added to the high school in 1965.

Gurney Elementary school was constructed in 1966.

The Sassy Cat) began in 1967 behind the Village Exchange under the direction of Marguerite Kelly.

The name lasted one season. • The “little red schoolhouse” at Lewis Sands School was connected with the original Lewis Sands building in 1971.

• CAA wrestling began during the 1972 – 73 school year for boys in grades 5 – 8.

1983 – Gurney School was closed due to declining enrollment.

The building had a pool table, vending machines, radio and television. • Glenn Wyville’s 350th victory as head basketball coach was an 84 – 60 victory over Wickliffe during the 1987 – 88 season.

He was principal from 1935 to 1966 when he retired after 40 years of dedicated service to the school system.The school originally housed 1st-4th grade students from South Russell. It was reopened in 1988 and major renovations were made to the school.

In 1989, the United States 422 freeway opened between Solon and Bainbridge Twp., diverting traffic away from downtown Chagrin Falls.

During that period, they donated nearly $400,000 to area non-profit organizations. • Bob Dahl ’87 was a 3rd round pick (72nd overall) out of Notre Dame by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1991.

1993 – Computer modifications were done in all Chagrin Falls school buildings.

In an agreement reached in July of 1998, the village agreed to pay $850,000 for the land, a sum significantly lower than the $1.4 million value set by the developer's own appraiser.

In 1999, the former Chagrin Falls Middle School was renovated and renamed Chagrin Falls Intermediate School, containing grades 4-6.

Aaron R. “A.R.” Chance was shot during a robbery of the First National Bank of Chagrin Falls on June 19, 2004.

From the September 22, 2005 issue of the Geauga County Maple Leaf newspaper: “A house on Bell Road in South Russell that was part of the Underground Railroad was also the home to one of America’s most famous painters.

The all-volunteer, non-profit consignment shop closed in 2006.

In 2007 a new organization, Chagrin Foundation for Arts and Culture (later renamed Chagrin Arts), initiated a partnership with New York’s Chautauqua Institution to bring renowned speakers to town and undertook other plans to make Chagrin Falls a cultural tourism destination.

In May 2017, a combined bond and operating levy of 8.9 mills passed with 66 percent voter approval.