Harris School

Harris School. Built: 1888 - Moved: 1991. , Who Was Harris? , William Harris and his wife, 'Mamie,' raised their 6 children in the rural Lealman area of the Pinellas Peninsula in the early 1900s. William, better known as 'Uncle Bill, farmed citrus and later worked in real estate and banking. This civic-minded businessman also served as a school trustee for 14 years and a Pinellas County Commissioner from 1927 until his death in 1940. , A Truly Classic School , The structure you see today is a reconstruction of the original 1912 school building. For a touch of formality simple school design included a portico - a porch with pillars - hinting at the Colonial Revival style. As class enrollment grew, they 'modernized' the school with flush toilets, a workroom and a larger blackboard. A windmill, used to pump water, stood at the back of the original school building in its rural setting. , Continued Growth and Changes , After World War I, the Florida land boom brought many new residents to the area. Parents complained when nearly 40 students squeezed into the overcrowded classroom. A larger school replaced the one room school in 1923. This was about the same time that major road improvements were made in Pinellas County. , A Motivated Man , The Harris family lived in Lealman, a relatively isolated place that did not have a nearby school or good roads. Either Uncle Bill or Mamie traveled by buggy almost 4 miles along dusty roads and paths to take their children to the nearest school. Growing weary of the long trek, they decided to donate the land and money for the construction of a one room schoolhouse. Their children, along with about a dozen others living on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, could now attend school nearby. The presence of a school in the area appealed to new settlers, which surely didn't hurt the many businesses of the industrious Harris. , Tidbits from Time , What's in a Name? , The Lealman community is named after William Harris' grandfather, Elza Beasley Lealman. , Pig Clubs , School Superintendent Dixie Hollins started 'Pig Clubs' at schools in the mid 1910s. This taught students, including the Harris children, how to care for farm animals. The extra activities kept the children busy and focused during the lazy summer months. , A Celebration , In 1987 the Pinellas County School Board and the Board of County Commissioners celebrated the County's 75th anniversary with the reconstruction of the Harris School at Heritage Village. , School Sweets , Students in Pinellas, such as those at Bay View School, kept jars of sugar cane syrup with their names on them in the closet. They dipped bread, biscuits and sweet potatoes into the syrup as part of lunch.