maercker school (south greggs school)
James Mason's older brothers attended South Greggs School near the Fairview Farm beginning in 1900, with James and David starting when they were old enough. James shared his recollections of these years in a 1977 interview with former Maercker (pronounced 'marker') School Principal Fred Mundinger, which is included in his booklet The History of Maercker School.
history
Excerpts from Fred Mundinger's The History of Maercker School:
"The Chicago Fire, the intense glow of which would be seen from the school in 1871, resulted in the construction of the Excelsior Pressed Brick Company. The company, eager to satiate the demand for non-flammable materials for the rebuilding of Chicago, sprawled along 78 acres east of Cass Avenue from 55th Street to the tracks. The owner, William L. Gregg, built a brick home on Cass Avenue just south of the present Holy Trinity Church. (The building has since been moved to Richmond Street and is now the home of the Gregg House Museum.) The powerful, but short-lived impact of the brick business resulted in renaming the town 'Greggs'. This was considered by some to be an improvement over the previous name of 'Bushville'. What is now Cass Avenue was then called 'Greggs Road', and Maercker School was then known as 'South Greggs School.'"
"In 1921, 'Greggs' officially became incorporated as 'Westmont.'"
"In 1925, the newly formed Parent-Teacher Association decided (after 68 years) that the school needed an official name. At an evening meeting it was resolved that it would be named after 'Grandma Maercker' because of all the volunteer work she had done."
"The Chicago Fire, the intense glow of which would be seen from the school in 1871, resulted in the construction of the Excelsior Pressed Brick Company. The company, eager to satiate the demand for non-flammable materials for the rebuilding of Chicago, sprawled along 78 acres east of Cass Avenue from 55th Street to the tracks. The owner, William L. Gregg, built a brick home on Cass Avenue just south of the present Holy Trinity Church. (The building has since been moved to Richmond Street and is now the home of the Gregg House Museum.) The powerful, but short-lived impact of the brick business resulted in renaming the town 'Greggs'. This was considered by some to be an improvement over the previous name of 'Bushville'. What is now Cass Avenue was then called 'Greggs Road', and Maercker School was then known as 'South Greggs School.'"
"In 1921, 'Greggs' officially became incorporated as 'Westmont.'"
"In 1925, the newly formed Parent-Teacher Association decided (after 68 years) that the school needed an official name. At an evening meeting it was resolved that it would be named after 'Grandma Maercker' because of all the volunteer work she had done."