DEARBORN — DuVall Elementary School is inviting all current and former students, families and staff to return to visit the school for its 100th anniversary.

To prepare for the event, the school is collecting photos, memories and memorabilia to help display the school’s history and to share at the event. The DuVall PTA is also fundraising to offset the cost of the event.

Those with photos or items to share can drop them off at the school or scan and submit photos to the principal, Mary Timpf, at timpfm@dearbornschools.org. Any photos taken to the school will be scanned and returned to the owner.

Donations can be mailed to the DuVall PTA, care of DuVall School at 22561 Beech, Dearborn, Michigan 48124. Checks should have a note that the donation is for the celebration. Money can also be sent via Venmo @duvallpta with a description “100 year celebration donation.”

While details are not finalized yet, the event is scheduled for May 6 and the plan is to have the building and all the classrooms open in the evening for people to visit. Each of the 10 classrooms is researching one decade from the school’s history and hopes to display that information during the celebration. 

Ford vehicles from the last 100 years will also be displayed and food trucks and musical performances are being considered. Anyone on social media can visit the event’s Facebook page.

DuVall Elementary was originally known as Southwestern School and Leo DuVall was the school’s first principal, who retired in 1959 after 31 years. A year before his retirement, the PTA asked the Board of Education to rename the school in DuVall’s honor.