Back to School: Continuing the Family Legacy

It’s that time of year again! Back-to-school season is upon us in the U.S. as children get ready to start the new school year. Do you have little ones in your family about to start their first day of school?

As you are researching your family history, you may find a tradition of relatives, generation after generation, attending the same schools.

In many cases, family’s that share deep roots within a community and have stayed relatively nearby each other will often find generations of children attending the same schools year after year. In a recent article, the Jefferson School in Cloverdale, California announced that this year they will welcome the fourth generation of the same family as a student into its walls. When 5-year old Coby Haug begins kindergarten, he will be following in the footsteps of his great grandfather, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins who have started off their early education at the very same school. He is just one of the many multi-generational students in the area.

Cases like Coby’s are common for families who have remained in the same neighborhood for generations. While researching your family history, pay close attention to the locations of your relatives. If you find that they stayed in the same area for many years, look into the school records of the area. Chances are, you may find a similar pattern. You never know what new information school records may bring to your genealogy research.

George W.H. Bush

Traditions of attending the same schools for generations may also reach beyond local schools. Many families may carry a legacy at institutions of higher learning. The Bush family, one of the most prominent political families in the U.S., has established a long legacy of sending their own to matriculate at Yale University. James Smith Bush entered Yale University in 1841, the first of what would become a long family tradition. His grandson, Prescott Sheldon Bush, great-grandsons, George H.W. Bush, Prescott Sheldon Bush Jr. and William H. T. Bush, great great-grandson, George W. Bush, and third great granddaughter Barbara are all Yale alumni.

Do you share the same family tradition? Do multiple generations of your family attend the same schools? Share your stories with us in the comments below!