Samsula, then Briggsville, had an elementary school dating back to 1893. In 1912, the school (at that point in time a one-room schoolhouse) was moved to the current location on Samsula Drive. In 1928, a larger building was constructed, portions of which are still in use today. As described in The Odyssey of an American School System,

“In 1912, a second Briggsville School, located on eight acres on what is now 248 Samsula Drive, opened its doors. The school was a one-room woord structures, 35 feet by 25 feet. One teacher, possibly Lillian Geiger, served grades one through eight. Two or three rooms were later added to the original structure. . . Students who didn’t walk to school were transported by horse and wagon.” (Langlotz, Patricia Callan. The Odyssey of an American School System: Volusia County Schools—1854 to 2000. DeLand: Pride Enterprises, 2000. Print.)

This exhibit features some articles and artifacts that tell more of the story of Samsula School’s history.

SAMSULA WILL HAVE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING SOON

Issue of Bonds Voted by Taxpayers Sold by the Board

BRING GOOD PRICE
That the Samsula school district will have a handsome, adequate public school structure by the time for the opening of the new school year in the fall is indicated by the sale of the $30,000 bond issue voted by the taxpayers of that district some time ago. The bonds were sold to Brown, Crummer & Co., of Wichita, Kansas, for the sum of $29,775 plus accrued interest, at the regular meeting of the county school board.
There were three bids for the bonds opened by the school board, these bids ranging from $28,202.50 to the offer of the succesful bidder.
Now that the bonds have been sold at a good price, steps will be taken immediately to ask for bids on the construction of the proposed new school building for the Samsula district and there is every indication that the structure will be completed and ready for occupancy by the beginning of the next school year.

Source: Archive collection, New Smyrna Historical Society.

LOCATION FOR SAMSULA SCHOOL IS NOW DECIDED

Modern Building Is to Occupy Same Site as Old Structure.
With the announcement that the Volusia county school board has decided definitely the location of the new school building for Samsula, which will be on the present site, at their meeting Wednesday, word was received that the people of that section, led by the Parent-Teacher association, are planning a big celebration and social meeting to celebrate the final decision of the board after the controversy over the location of the building, which has lasted for some time.
Plans for the new schoolhouse, which will be a one story building, costing $30,000 complete, and containing six classrooms and an auditorium, already have been accepted by the county board, and it is expected that work will start on it within two weeks, unless there is some delay in the contracting arrangements.
The present building will be moved some distance to the rear of its present location, and will be used for a community gathering place, and as a meeting house for the Parent-Teacher association and other civic bodies.
The proposed school house will occupy the center of the lot, near the highway, so as to afford plenty of room for a playground at the rear of the building.
The controversy about the location of the school headquarters has been a hard fought one in this section, some withing for the site to be on the DeLand road and others asking that it be placed where the present building now stands. The matter finally was left up to the school board, and they rendered their decision Wednesday.

Source: Archive collection, New Smyrna Historical Society.