APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – There’s not enough room on the birthday cake for Appleton’s Columbus Elementary School, which is celebrating 125 years on Saturday.
While many other area schools and buildings from the late 1800s have been either torn down or repurposed, Columbus School still stands the test of time.
The school first opened its doors to students in 1894, but those walking the halls today will be hard pressed to find much wear and tear.
“It is built so solid,” explains Joel Cannon, who has been the principal at Columbus Elementary for the past four years. “The wood floors, the strong structure with the brick and the style.”
In terms of enrollment, the school is on the smaller side of the spectrum, with only approximately 150 students.
But according to Cannon, that small, niche community, has fostered some really cool multi-generational stories thru the school’s history.
“It certainly wouldn’t surprise me if we’ve had four-generations come through our halls,” he explains.
In fact, students often return to visit the school after they graduate.
Sometimes, incorporating it into a return visit home.
“We had a visitor come in from California, had a family event in Minnesota, some family over here, and just wanted to walk thru the halls for a couple of minutes,” says Cannon. “He was a student here in the 1980s.”
To celebrate 125 years, the school is hosting a free community celebration on Saturday, June 1, from noon until 3 p.m.
Those in attendance will be able to listen to the chime of Columbus School’s original 125-year-old school bell, enjoy free live music, and watch a special Puppet Parade.
Additionally, current students are creating a time capsule.
Inside they will be placing popular items from 2019.
“You know some things like slime, Pokemon cards, some pictures, hoverboards,” explains Cannon.
The goal is for the unearthing of that time capsule to be the entertainment at a future anniversary celebration.
“We’ll be placing those in a time capsule to be opened up at the 150th anniversary,” he says.
The location of the celebration is at Columbus Elementary School & Grounds at 930 N. Oneida Street in Appleton.
