School Centennial

Edison Intermediate Middle School celebrates its 100-year anniversary

There’s a new centenarian in town.

Originally built in 1911 and opened in fall 1912, Edison Intermediate Middle School in Grandview Heights is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in style.

“Grandview was experiencing phenomenal growth and development that was taking place at that time,” says local historian Tom DeMaria. “The city was being served by a four-classroom school house.”

After Grandview Heights was incorporated as a village in 1906, it experienced exponential growth, leading to the need for a significantly larger school, DeMaira explains.

“It was originally called the Grandview Public School, and in 1930, an additional elementary school was added on to the west side, which was when they renamed it Edison,” DeMaria says.

The original school, with its eight rooms, served as an elementary school for grades one through eight.

“There was a 350-seat auditorium that showed Paramount News reels to the community. There was no TV, no computers – entertainment focused on plays,” says DeMaria. Now, “the old auditorium was reconfigured and sectioned off, then renovated and now serves as a library for the school.”

Originally only serving 200 students, Edison now houses 420 students, building principal Bob Baeslack says. This was made possible by the four different additions to the school throughout its 100-year existence.

Edison marked 100 years in October 2011 with a special meeting held at the school, at which the Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Historical Society presented a program on the school’s history.

“It had pictures, the history of principals, and even community members who attended the school were there and gave testimonials,” Baeslack says.

Carly Kohake is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@pubgroupltd.com.

Vickie Jean Murphy