The Occoquaon District High School was built in 1927 and they were known as THE INDIANS. High school sports included basketball, baseball, and soccer. The cheerleaders were called the Yell Squad. The county supplied the school buses and the students paid the gas. The first principal was ELIZABETH VAUGHN. Thirteen years later, she was followed by HERBERT SAUNDERS, (GFHS HOF - '16) who created and coached the school's first football team. The new Gar-Field High School on Smoketown Road was built in 1953. Herb Saunders and his high school students moved to the new school on December 7, 1953. (see below).
The name Gar-Field originates from the local landowners, Mr. Grover Manderfield a local businessman and Mr. Gilmer Garber a local farmer, donated twenty acres of land adjacent to Highway One for use as a high school. The hyphenated name is derived from “Gar” for Mr. Garber and “Field” for Mr. Manderfield. In the mid 1960’s, the Gar-Field facilities on Route 1 were again overcrowded. A new Gar-Field High School was erected in it’s present location. This building was opened in the fall of 1972. Mr. Sam Cox was the principal and presided at the opening. Today, the original Gar-Field facility is the A.J. Ferlazzo Administrative County Office Building.
https://www.insidenova.com/news/local/occoquan/history-in-a-love-story/article_cb72e808-c554-11e2-829c-0019bb2963f4.html
The name Gar-Field originates from the local landowners, Mr. Grover Manderfield a local businessman and Mr. Gilmer Garber a local farmer, donated twenty acres of land adjacent to Highway One for use as a high school. The hyphenated name is derived from “Gar” for Mr. Garber and “Field” for Mr. Manderfield. In the mid 1960’s, the Gar-Field facilities on Route 1 were again overcrowded. A new Gar-Field High School was erected in it’s present location. This building was opened in the fall of 1972. Mr. Sam Cox was the principal and presided at the opening. Today, the original Gar-Field facility is the A.J. Ferlazzo Administrative County Office Building.
https://www.insidenova.com/news/local/occoquan/history-in-a-love-story/article_cb72e808-c554-11e2-829c-0019bb2963f4.html
