For Glenna Malloy, A.J. Jolly School was more than a place to attend classes. It was a central part of her family’s history, filled with memories of freshly made cafeteria food and a close-knit community.
Malloy revisited those memories on Oct. 25, when generations of former students, teachers and staff reunited in Campbell County to open a time capsule that had been sealed inside the school’s cornerstone 100 years ago.
Malloy and her seven siblings attended A.J. Jolly. Her mother worked in the cafeteria for more than 15 years and one of her sisters later served as the school’s secretary.
Some of Malloy’s strongest memories involve the smell of freshly baked rolls drifting through the building and the school’s famous chocolate oatmeal treats, known as “Jolly Cookies.”
“They made real food,” Malloy said. “They made hot rolls that rose in the morning and they cooked them in the afternoon, and you could smell it everywhere.”
The reunion, held at The Stables at California Crossroads, gave alumni an opportunity to reconnect while getting their first glimpse at pieces of the school’s history that had been hidden for a century.
A.J. Jolly originally served students in grades one through 12 before eventually transitioning into an elementary and middle school and later into just an elementary school. The school was established after community members purchased land to consolidate two one-room schoolhouses into a single building serving kids throughout the rural area.
The time capsule was removed by property owner Butch Moyer. According to Malloy, who helped organize the event, the concrete structure weighed an estimated 450 to 480 pounds and required a forklift to move it onto a truck.
Inside the concrete was a copper box containing documents from the school’s earliest days.
Richard McCormick, an A.J. Jolly alumnus and member of the Campbell County Historical and Genealogical Society, helped examine the items.
Among the discoveries were newspapers, including what appeared to be editions of The Louisville Courier Journal and The Cincinnati Enquirer from April 1927. There were also land surveys, legal documents related to the school’s establishment, envelopes containing letters and notes, and what appeared to be a $1,000 bond from Newport National Bank.
Several envelopes were addressed to Edward E. Ball, who is believed to be the school’s first principal. A descendant of Ball was among those attending the reunion.
The capsule also contained three photographs, including two that appeared to show groups of schoolchildren.
Unfortunately, the school’s location near the Ohio River left it vulnerable to major floods, including the devastating 1937 flood, when water reached the building’s second floor.
McCormick said everything inside the copper box was wet, and many newspapers began falling apart when organizers attempted to unfold them.
“The newspapers all folded together are probably not savable,” McCormick said. “But there was other paperwork that we think we might be able to preserve once it dries out.”
The historical society hopes to preserve as many documents and photographs as possible before placing them on public display.
While the time capsule was the centerpiece of the gathering, the reunion also brought together former teachers, principals and students spanning generations.
Among the oldest attendees, Malloy said, was 96-year-old Joanne Moore, who attended A.J. Jolly when it still offered high school classes.
“It was just fun to see the people and see the community,” Malloy said.
For McCormick, who attended A.J. Jolly from kindergarten through fifth grade, one of the most memorable moments had nothing to do with the time capsule.
At the event venue, he spotted the school’s old playground merry-go-round, which Moyer had kept after the school closed in 2006.
McCormick gave it a small push and watched it spin, remembering the countless hours he and his classmates spent playing on it.
“I felt like I was back with all of my classmates again,” McCormick said. “That old merry-go-round still existing … really took my breath away for a second.”
The idea for the reunion came together almost by accident after Moyer mentioned the time capsule’s 100th anniversary during a casual conversation with former students, including Malloy.
A small committee helped bring the gathering together, while Moyer arranged to remove and transport the cornerstone. The reunion featured food trucks, refreshments and an opportunity for former students to reconnect.
“There was a lot of laughing, a lot of smiling, a lot of ‘hey, I remember you,’ or ‘who was your dad,’ or long time no see,” McCormick said.
Malloy said that Moyer hopes to eventually return the cornerstone to the former school property, possibly with copies of the original documents and new items for future generations to discover.
For McCormick, the gathering was a reminder of how much the school meant to the people who passed through its doors.
“This event brought back so many memories,” he said. “So many, some I had forgotten about.”
