Our School and Libraries

Our School and Libraries. . Upper Arlington Schools: A Tradition of Excellence , New homeowners brought school-age children to the community. In 1917, a dozen pupils in grades 1-3 joined teacher, Mary Boyer, in the basement of King Thompson's home for lessons, while older children attended Grandview schools. In the spring of 1918 residents of the newly incorporated village of Upper Arlington, believing their children deserved the highest quality education, successfully petitioned the county board of education to form a school district. That October, 4 teachers and 52 students began the school year in a four-room, temporary building at Tremont Road and Arlington Avenue, near Miller Park. Reportedly constructed from remnants of Camp Willis, it was known as the Barracks School., The next summer, that building was rolled on logs to the corner of Waltham and Devon roads and expanded. This Waltham Road School (classroom pictured at bottom) was still a temporary building, and the city of Columbus threatened to take control of the district., The district's first permanent school building (pictured right,) now known as Jones Middle School, opened in 1924. J.W. Jones was hired as the principal and the district's first full time superintendent., As it enters its second century, Upper Arlington Schools is a growing district with 9 school buildings, approximately 6400 students and rising, and a staff of approximately 870. Drawing inspiration from our tradition of excellence, the district is committed to its mission to challenge and support its students every step of the way, and its vision of uniquely accomplished students prepared to serve, lead and succeed., Upper Arlington Public Library System , In 1942, Upper Arlington was home to approximately 5000 residents who had to travel to the Grandview Heights or Columbus libraries. The building once used as an office for the Upper Arlington Company, a streetcar shelter and voting location, became the first library under management of the Grandview Heights Public Library. Miller Park Library (pictured top right), was 468 square feet and held 600 books., In the early 1950s, two more libraries opened- one at Lane Avenue Shopping Center and one at Fremont Center. In 1959, Tremont Library (pictured middle right), the largest branch, was built at Tremont and Northam roads, in place of the Tremont Center facility. The Miller Park Library tripled in size in 1962. By this time, circulation at the Upper Arlington branches surpassed their parent library yet they were controlled by the Grandview Library Board., In 1967, Mayor John Dunkel spearheaded an effort to challenge a law prohibiting new library systems in Ohio. Thanks to his perseverance, the Ohio General Assembly passed HB 494 in 1967, allowing Upper Arlington to independently establish and govern its own library system., In 1975, the Lane Road Library replaced the space on Lane Avenue. In 1987, Tremont Library doubled its space, and in 2007, the Miller Park Library was also expanded., Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, the Upper Arlington Library System is considered a community jewel providing opportunities for lifelong learning and fellowship.