Seminole Elementary School

• Land for the first schools was donated by the Charles Thevenet family.
• The first school was built in the 1890’s. In 1933 the log cabin which served as a school was built by Leon Campbell.
• Seminole Elementary School, the red brick structure on Park Boulevard west of Seminole Boulevard, was not the first Seminole school; there have been several others at various locations. The new school opened in the fall of 1915 with two teachers, Miss Emma Futch (also principal) and Miss Hazel Merchant.
• Emma Futch was teaching in Leesburg when she applied for a teaching job in Pinellas County. Here's the response she received by telegram from Education Superintendent Dixie Hollins (the one for whom Dixie Hollins High School is named). It is the original job offer for a salary of $196 per month.
• She was offered and accepted the job, and became the first principal of Seminole Elementary School, beginning with its initial year, 1915, Soon she was a bride. She married F. Leon Campbell, the widowed father of four young children who was also a member of one of the original 12 families of Seminole. She was a treasured teacher and principal for many years. Ask around at the Centennial; you'll likely meet some of their descendants.
• Back in the day, school teachers were not required to have college degrees. Somewhere about halfway through Emma's long career, the State ruled that teachers must have degrees. Emma enrolled at University of Florida, which was men-only at the time. Emma proudly graduated - before UF even went coed! She was very proud of that, and her family was proud of her.
• In May of 2015, Seminole Elementary celebrated its 100^th anniversary. The velvet curtain hung for many years in the original two room building. It is still utilized as a classroom in the school.