In 1948, the United States of America was in a new, post-World War II era. In Utah County, the Geneva Steel Plant, built during the war, was drawing industrial workers and their families to what had been a largely agrarian area.

In Orem, a new elementary school, Geneva Elementary at 665 W. 400 North, was built at a cost of $400,000.

"I think some of the additions have cost more than that," said principal Michael Parkes, reflecting on the school's history. "I think [the school district] got their money's worth with Geneva Elementary School."

A 60th birthday celebration for Geneva Elementary is planned for Oct.13. Parkes said there will be an assembly during the school day for students, and an open house that evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the school. Current and former students, teachers, administrators and other interested parties are invited to attend. Parkes also wants members of the public to feel free to contact the school with their stories and memories of Geneva.

"It may be a little hard for [the students today] to relate, but it is a milestone, and they may look back and say, 'I remember when my school turned 60 years old,' " Parkes said.

The open house event will begin with a short program that will include a video, Parkes said.

"We will also recognize the people we can find who attended that first year. There will be displays and scrapbooks, and a self-guided tour that will show the changes and additions to the building throughout the years. We hope people will bring their kids and grandkids, and say, 'This was my classroom.' "

Some 632 students in grades 1 through 6 were enrolled the first day of school, Sept. 7, 1949, according to a history written by Thorit C. Hebertson, who served as Geneva's first principal.

One of those students was Bonnie Petty Vernon, who, along with her husband, Lynn, still lives in the area. All six of the Vernons' children and six of their 15 grandchildren have attended pre-school or grade school at Geneva, with more likely to follow in the future.

"I remember walking down those long halls and thinking, 'Oh, my goodness,' " said Vernon, who was in fifth grade that first year. "I was used to the old Sharon Elementary School [located where Der Weinerschnitzel is now on State Street]. But it doesn't seem so big now as it did then."

Vernon also remembers writing notes in class to be placed in the new school's cornerstone and having the library serve as her sixth-grade classroom, as a growing Geneva quickly ran out of space.

Geneva Elementary has seen a great deal of history in its day, and that will be reflected in a timeline display at the open house that will highlight the various decades since 1948.

Eagle Scout candidate Izak Erekson, 15, a former Geneva student, directed a recent project to restore more than 20 of the school's scrapbooks.

"We had a teachers' night where a lot of teachers came and we took apart the old scrapbooks that were falling apart, and put them back together on acid-free paper," Erekson said. Scouts from his troop came to work on the project a couple of other nights, he said. The refurbished scrapbooks were then scanned to make digital copies.

The PTA also helped restore scrapbooks, Parkes said.

Hebertson's history states that the first students at Geneva were drawn from north Orem, Vivian Park on the east, Morningside Heights on the south and the shores of Utah Lake on the west.

Principals following Hebertson were Richard W. Robins, Penrod Glazier, Paul Buchanan, LaVor Madsen, Larry Beveridge, James Gray, Wayne Crabb, Aleen Ure, Annette Verhall, Dan Adams, Janette Strong and Parkes.