Sunnymead, or Sunnywood?

It was my great pleasure to attend Sunnymead School's 50th Anniversary Celebration Open House last month. One of the highlights of the day was viewing the artwork created by the current kindergarten through fourth graders especially for the anniversary depicting events in history and popular culture from the 60s to the 00s!

28 May 1958 Courier News

The most educational aspect of the day for me was getting a chance to meet the VIPs - Sunnymead School alumni from the past decades - some even from that first class in 1959. As the former students walked the hallways looking to find themselves in their old class pictures, I had the chance to join in a few conversations.

More than a few alumni remarked on how much the area had changed since they were kids. But not in the way you might expect. I was told how the area around the school, which is now almost completely wooded in all directions used to be mostly open fields. You could walk out the front door of the school and run all the way to Manville without ever dodging so much as a sapling.

Could this be true? We're talking about almost 300 acres here. Take a look at the current satellite view of the area. Sunnymead School is right in the center.


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Here is the same view taken in 1963.

Perhaps Hillsborough should consider changing the name of the school to Sunnywood!