Welcome to Rotary!
The Rotary Club of Greenfield, Ohio meets at 11:30 a.m. each Thursday at the Catch 22 Sports Pub located at 250 Jefferson St., Greenfield, Ohio. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Zoom option is also available to members and guests.
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Superintendents Tim Dettwiller of Fairfield Local Schools and Quincey Gray of Greenfield Exempted Village Schools met with Greenfield Rotarians on Nov. 19, 2020 to discuss the Highland County Business Advisory Council.
Superintendents Dettwiller, Gray tell Rotarians about Hi-Co Business Advisory Council
Local Superintendents Tim Dettwiller (Fairlfield Local Schools) and Quincey Gray (Greenfield Exempted Village Schools) presented an interesting program to Greenfield Rotarians on Nov. 19 about their mutual efforts to help local students make connections that can help them choose fulfilling careers in line with their interests and abilities. Dettwiller and Gray are active members in the Southern Ohio Education Service Center (ESC), which helps test students to determine their skills and partners with area employers to allow students to job shadow or intern with those businesses and learn first-hand how companies operate. The educators explained that school systems are moving away from the old DE/OWE model where students worked part-time for a single employer to a model that allows more exploration of the work environment. A key component of the ESC program is involvement of local employers willing to take on a student for a time in the hope of a long-term payoff. Students are assessed as to their interests, future plans, and abilities in an effort to create hope for a fulfilling career in business or industry where opportunities exist, resulting in “win-win” relationships for employers and employees. Students involved in the program can be paid for their internship time as long as they meet certain requirements. Employers benefit because the state’s Jobs Ohio program will pay the interns for their time, and those internships could bear fruit in the form of long-term commitments which would help both the interns and the companies bringing them on as employees. The program extends beyond Highland County, with the following school districts currently participating: Adams County Ohio Valley LSD, Bright Local, Fairfield Local, Greenfield EVSD, Lynchburg-Clay LSD as well as the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center. Superintendents Dettwiller and Gray encourage local business representatives to contact them if they would like to know more about the Highland County Business Advisory Council. Rotary appreciation dinner cancelled due to coronavirus concerns
The Greenfield Rotary Club has decided to cancel its appreciation dinner in the interest of safety, citing the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Highland County and surrounding areas. Originally the event had been scheduled for Nov. 12 as a way of saying thanks to print buyers, artists, organizations and individuals who have contributed to the success of the club during the past year. “Under the circumstances, and after consulting with medical professionals about the current surge in cases, we felt cancelling the event was the prudent thing to do,” said Greenfield Rotary President Ron Coffey. The club had a very successful auction in September utilizing technology and social distancing to raise operating funds for the coming year. At the time, coronavirus numbers were low in Highland County and the appreciation dinner was scheduled soon afterwards. “Despite the cancellation of the dinner, we are deeply grateful to artist Tammy Wells for creating the limited edition prints that were sold at the auction, and to each and every print buyer,” the club president said. “Many others help the club in various ways throughout the year, sponsoring events at the Greene Countrie Towne Festival and lending a helping hand when needed,” Coffey said. “We want to express our thanks in a tangible way and hope that we can resume our traditional appreciation dinner in the coming year.” Earlier this year, concerns about the virus resulted in the cancellation of the Rotary’s Greene Countrie Towne Festival and disrupted the operations of many organizations and businesses. “Despite the pandemic, the Greenfield Rotary Club remains active in the life of the Greenfield community, as well as participating in Rotary International projects that benefit people around the world,” Coffey said. 
McClain High School Principal Matt Shelton (standing) meets with Greenfield Rotarians on Oct. 1.
MHS Principal Shelton is Rotary guest speaker
McClain High School Principal Matt Shelton was the guest speaker at Greenfield Rotary’s Oct. 1 meeting and discussed school operations during the coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately the year has gotten off to a smooth start both academically and athletically. Mr. Shelton answered questions from Rotarians and is himself an MHS graduate. Rotary thanks Greenfield Superintendent of Schools Quincey Gray for arranging the program. C.R. Patterson & Sons made automotive history in Greenfield
By Ron Coffey The first African-American automaker created cars, trucks and buses in Greenfield, Ohio and the family has a special place in automotive history, Greenfield Rotarians were told at a program Sept. 24, 2020. Tom Smith, owner of Smitty’s Auto Sales and a longtime collector of information about C.R. Patterson & Sons, shared some memorabilia about the trailblazing automakers and told their story to Rotarians. It started with the arrival of Charles R. Patterson, the son of former Virginia slaves, who came to Greenfield in the mid-1800s and put down roots in the “Greene Countrie Towne.” Patterson was a skilled blacksmith and soon became a successful businessman using his talents to create carriages that were drawn by horses. One of Patterson’s sons, Frederick Douglass Patterson, was born in 1871 and became the first African-American graduate of the Greenfield schools and one of the first of his race to attend Ohio State University, where he played on the football team. Patterson distinguished himself academically and as a leader, being elected president of his class in 1893. Fred also was involved in the Horton Literary Society and the student newspaper, the Lantern. When C.R. Patterson died in 1910, Fred assumed leadership of the company and dreamed of building motorcars to adapt to changing times. Black and white employees worked together to make the dream come true. Around 1915 or 1916, the first Patterson-Greenfield cars appeared, with an asking price of about $850. The Patterson cars earned an excellent reputation for their craftsmanship and reliability and compared favorably to the Ford Model T, but at the same time various world events worked against small, independent automakers. In Detroit, Henry Ford’s concept of mass production had already been launched, and the Ford Motor Company had produced more than a million Model T automobiles. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler had already become the “Big Three.” The winds of war were blowing, and on April 6, 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic profoundly affected life and business in America and around the world. Still, the Pattersons were resilient. After producing approximately 150 Patterson-Greenfield automobiles and realizing that his company was unable to compete with mass production, Fred Patterson charted a new course for C.R. Patterson & Sons. In 1920 he changed the name of the company to Greenfield Bus Body Company, focusing on smaller production and meeting the needs of customers. The company began making buses for school districts, hearses, trucks and other specialized vehicles. The charismatic and energetic Fred Patterson attended school board meetings and met with other customers, convincing them of the quality and reliability of the vehicles made in Greenfield. As a result of these business relationships Patterson school buses were sold locally, in cities such as Cincinnati and Detroit, and shipped to customers as far away as Haiti. The Patterson firm established a successful niche for itself until the advent of the stock market crash of 1929 and the coming of the Great Depression. As the Depression deepened, Fred Patterson continued to lead the company while making sales calls at school districts in the region. According to news reports, Fred suffered a stroke while addressing the Board of Education in Powell, Ohio on January 20, 1932. He passed away four days later. In the wake of Fred Patterson’s death, and unable to secure necessary capital, the company left Greenfield in 1939 and moved to Gallia County in a last-ditch effort to continue. Unfortunately, Postell Patterson, who succeeded his father Fred as head of the company, soon made the difficult decision to cease operations. While some Patterson carriages remain to this day in excellent condition, thus far no one has been able to find a Patterson motor vehicle stored in some forgotten barn or junkyard. Perhaps this is because at the time the Patterson vehicles were made, parts were often re-used or repurposed. The Pattersons often placed their bus bodies on a chassis from Ford or GM, and some of the Greenfield components were made of wood or other perishable materials. Some years ago there was excitement when it was reported that a Patterson car had been found. Upon further examination, it was determined that another car called a Paterson (with one “t”) was manufactured in Michigan by a different company than the Greenfield firm. Greenfield’s Tom Smith has a Patterson carriage, the roof of a school bus (made of wood) and some other components, but alas, no Patterson motor vehicle has been found as of this writing. Tom has even driven around Gallia County in search of Pattersons there. What remains is still impressive. Photos of Patterson cars and buses, advertisements of the products, and stories from former employees validate the legacy of the Patterson family. Several books about the Pattersons have been written, and folks in Greenfield would love to have a museum telling the story of this family. It’s a compelling story about building a better life by meeting a need. The story of the Pattersons and the cars, trucks and buses they built offers a unique perspective on entrepreneurship, race relations and opportunities for dreamers in a small Appalachian community. The Pattersons were highly respected in Greenfield and area, and as an African-American family they have a unique place in the history of automotive manufacturing. Greenfield Rotary 2020 auction
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