Mount Vernon Community School

Side A: Pilgrim Elementary School, now East Pilgrim, was the community school for the Mount Vernon area and was a focal point for community activities. The Parent Teacher Association was active with members of the community and the school was used as a meeting place. The 1977 Ohio Supreme Court case of Penick v. The Columbus School Board ended the segregation of schools in Columbus. Students from Pilgrim were bussed to other schools in the district. Side B: Until the 1970s, Pilgrim Elementary school was different from today. Pilgrim had a smaller playground with a brick wall around it. The gym was used only for physical education classes and most students went home for lunch, while others ate lunch in the classrooms. Fifth grade students had the responsibility of collecting milk money from the kindergarten students. During lunch, the fifth graders would use a milk machine to deliver the milk to the kindergarten students.