After a year, he again embarked in the match business, being more successful the second time with the assistance of his son, Ohio Columbus Barber. By 1862 O. C. assumed the management of his father's business, which in 1868 was incorporated as the Barber Match Co.

The company grew rapidly during the 1870s. Strike-anywhere matches, as they were called, came into general use throughout the nation. When George Barber died in 1879, the fledgling business he had started was making one-fifth of all the matches manufactured in the United States. His son, O. C. Barber, founded Barberton and became known as the "Match King of America."

Dr. Barrett served as a member of the Akron Board of Education from 1952 to 1972.

After the war, the state of Massachusetts awarded its Revolutionary soldiers grants of bounty lands in the West. Bettes, however, did not take advantage of this land grant award in Ohio until some 30 years later.

In 1820 Bettes, at the age of 63, moved with 20 members of his household to Ohio. The journey by covered wagon took the Bettes clan six weeks. Betts and his brother Mills ultimately settled in the area now known as Bettes Corners.

McBrayer's daughter had attended a portable building on the site of the present building before she died. After the new building was completed, the townspeople offered to name the new school McBrayer because of his untiring efforts in making it a reality. McBrayer, however, asked that the school be named instead in memory of his little girl, Betty Jane.

Case was active in other community organizations. She served as president of the YWCA, Summit County Federation of Women's Clubs, and Akron Council of Home and School League (the latter was the forerunner of the present Akron Council of Parent-Teacher Associations). She was also a member of the City Recreation Commission.

Crouse was also a trustee of Buchtel College, a county commissioner, and member and president of both the Akron Board of Education and City Council.

In 1885 he was elected to the Ohio Senate and in 1886 to the U. S. Congress. His service won for him a high reputation of integrity and intelligence for it was often said that "George Crouse's word is as good as his bond."

It could well be that the playground which now contains swings once was a hunting ground for Erie braves.

During his superintendency, the Akron Public Schools system built 10 schools in 10 years to house the children of the post-war baby boom. In 1964 school enrollment peaked at 59,070 students. Toward the end of his tenure, the Akron schools launched specialized programs for pupils from economically disadvantaged homes as state and federal funds became available. Akron was one of the first school systems to submit and secure grants for disadvantaged pupil programs.

In 1966 Essex left Akron to become Ohio's superintendent of instruction, a position he held until his retirement in 1977.

This area can trace its "school" to the 1920s. The "new, modern building" constructed in 1929 contains, in its cornerstone, the names of the children and teachers of the school and a history of Portage Township.

Under the Imagine Akron Community Learning Centers construction program, the new Judith A. Resnik Community Learning Center (renamed for astronaut and former Firestone High School graduate Judith A. Resnik) was constructed at 65 Meadowcroft Drive. Groundbreaking took place on November 12, 2005; the ribbon-cutting ceremony was December 16, 2006; and the school opened to students on December 18, 2006.

It was the wish of Harvey S. Firestone, founder of the company, to provide an area which would meet the spiritual, educational and recreational needs of the plant workers. In 1917 one year after the area had been annexed to the city of Akron, he deeded land to the Board of Education for a school – Firestone Park.

Throughout his life, Firestone enjoyed visiting the school and donating many items to it.

He organized annual music festivals and formed glee clubs and choruses in each high school. Later, he became supervisor of music, coordinating the work of a staff of itinerant music teachers.

Glover retired as head of the music department of Akron Public Schools in 1921 after 49 years of service with the school system. He was succeeded by his daughter, Nellie Glover.

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