Chapman Hill Elementary School

Chapman Hill Elementary School was dedicated on February 15, 1987, with Dick Kemper as the principal. The dedication was celebrated with a music program, tours, and refreshments.

Chapman Hill was built because of the deteriorating condition of West Salem Elementary School. West Salem School had been built in 1911, the same year that Haley’s Comet appeared. Increasing enrollment, structural damage and the effects of time caused the school to be replaced with a bigger and more up-to-date building. Strange to say, the West Salem school was closed the same year Haley’s comet passed by in 1986!

Chapman Hill was built on the site of James Rolla Chapman’s ranch “Twin Oaks”. His ranch was one of the largest and best-equipped fruit and nut ranches in the Pacific Northwest. He practiced law and farming and was involved in the community.

Chapman Hill is divided into three different areas called “neighborhoods”. Each neighborhood has grades 1-5, with kindergarten in its own area. Forests, Mountains and Rivers are the names of the neighborhoods. Every neighborhood in Chapman Hill does their own community project. For the last five years, the Rivers have done things for the Union Gospel Mission. At Halloween time, the third graders make Halloween decorations for Union Gospel Mission and during Christmas, the entire neighborhood cuts, sews, and stuffs Christmas stockings that they then deliver to the families and children that are staying there. Each teacher chooses two students from each class to make the delivery.

Our school mascot is a Cheetah. In 1999/2000 we actually got a cheetah costume for our school! Every year we have a jog-a-thon fund raiser for our school. We go door to door collecting money for laps we run. The money is used to purchase new playground equipment, new books, computers, new games for the game cart, and other things. If you get 100 points or more you get a trophy! But everyone gets a ribbon for his or her work.

Once a month, each neighborhood has a special awards assembly to recognize students who have shown some of the life skills our school believes are important. These life skills include integrity, friendship, courage, problem solving, common sense, curiosity, and caring. Those lucky students receive an award with their teacher’s signature on it and the life skill for which they are being recognized.

As you can see, Chapman Hill is an important part of our community, blending the past with the present.

The information about Chapman Hill Elementary School was written by a Chapman Hill fifth grader.

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This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.