School buildings are gone but certainly not forgotten

Allen Central, Genoa Schools
It’s hard enough for school districts to get bond issues passed with a 50 percent-plus majority for new construction today.

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Allen Central

When the bond issue was up for construction of Allen Central School, it required a 65 percent majority from Allen Township voters to pass, says a Toledo News-Bee article.

Allen Central was built in 1942 with an addition to the building in 1955. In 1958, Allen and Clay Townships consolidated and Allen Central became part of the Genoa Area Local School District.

Allen Township Schools was previously a separate district consolidating students from Williston, Clay Center, and Curtice. Allen Central consolidated into Genoa Area Schools in 1959, but the Allen Central building was always used for elementary and junior high grades with high school students attending Genoa High even before 1959.

In the early 1940s, the Allen Township school board first proposed a $150,000 bond issue for construction because several one-room school houses had been condemned. The board procured an option on the 10-acre tract of land at Overmyer and Clay Center roads.

The state building inspectors had condemned five former brick, one-room school buildings which had been in use for a half century. A.O. Dehn, county superintendent of schools, is quoted by area newspapers as saying Allen Township was the last remaining school district in Ottawa County having one-room rural schools.

The proposed new building had 10 classrooms, an auditorium, gymnasium, manual training and science rooms, and other “modern facilities,” stated the newspaper story.

The Toledo News-Bee article further stated, “Bond issues during the last several years have been defeated in the township due to a dispute between almost evenly divided factions on whether there should be one building in the center of the township, or one each of the three towns, Williston, Curtice, and Clay Center.”

After the special election approved construction, Clay Center kept its own elementary for grades K-5 in the Allen Central building’s early years. That was announced prior to the special election with the hope it would increase support for the new bond issue because Clay Center was the largest precinct in the township.

The Allen Township school made state wide news soon after its construction when a bus driven by Earl Hartman of Williston failed to come through snow drifts at 7 a.m. Students, who did not have information to its whereabouts, waited at R.C. Witt’s general store more than an hour before returning to their homes, said a News-Bee news report.

“Orville Overhouse, also of Williston and driver of the second Allen Township bus, arrived here (at Clay Center) in his search for the missing machine. Overhouse said that Hartman had already started out on his run when he called at the garage for his own bus.”

Prior to its closing, the building housed 327 students in grades 3-5. The building was demolished in June and the 12 acres of land is being turned over to the Allen Township trustees.

Allen Central and Brunner elementary schools closed because a new K-5 building opened this fall.

Brunner Elementary, Genoa Schools
The first school in the area was a log building built in 1841 at Holt’s Corners. The Camper building was erected in 1911 and served all grades of the district. The new high school on Fourth Street was built at the Uthoff site on Fourth Street in 1926, which at the time served grades 9-12.

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Brunner Elementary

Due to overcrowded conditions at the Genoa public school building, the John Brunner Building was erected in 1956 to house fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.

At this time, Allen Township Schools merged with Genoa and the junior high students went to Allen Township School. In 1963, expansion of the Brunner building was scheduled, with additions completed in 1967 and 1999.

In 1999, the district sent its K-3 students to Brunner Elementary and grades 3-5 to Allen Central to get all the teachers for each class into one building so they could consolidate their efforts and concentrate on state wide testing.

Before its closing, the building housed 295 students in grades K-2. The school district has a prospective buyer for the building.

The Brunner property is split into two plots. One plot includes the building and the playground, the other includes an easement (west end) to the Village of Genoa and ball diamonds. It was the intent of the school board to sell this L-shaped plot of seven-plus acres of land to the Village of Genoa.

In 1964, that building became the junior high and in 1986 was dedicated as the John C. Roberts Building because a new high school was constructed at Genoa-Clay Center Road the year prior. In 1996, the sixth grade was added at the Roberts Middle School building, creating a grades 6-8 middle school.

On May 15, 2000, ground was broken for the new middle school at 2950 N. Genoa-Clay Center Road, adjoining the high school.

Webster, Eastwood Schools
Prior to Webster School, the township’s district schoolhouses were two miles apart. There were nine originally.

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Webster

There was the East Settlement School at the corner of August Busdecker’s farm, the Scotch Ridge School, the Ickes School at the corner of the River Road and the Shanks Road, the Webster School near Webster Church, the Browntown School on Devil’s Hole Road, the Stewart School at the corner of Dunbridge Road and then-U.S. Route 23 (now State Route 199), the Walker School on Walker Road, the Hebler School on Hebler Road, and the Hagar School at the corner of Devil’s Hole and Martin roads.

One of the first steps into consolidating into the new Webster K-12 building was the abandonment of the Ickes School. Some of the pupils went to Bert Zimmerman School, other came to Scotch Ridge School. Shortly before the completion of the new building in 1927 the East Settlement School closed.

“These old school buildings which our parents knew were repainted when there was  a great need for repairs, otherwise little was done to make them beautiful places,” said a history of the district published in the first school yearbook.

“Teachers were often poorly prepared — very few even knowing the meaning of a ‘degree,’ the history continued. As many plans of teaching were used as there were teachers; thus only a small percentage of pupils had an incentive to strive for a higher education.

“There has been no greater influence upon the progress of our American rural homes than that effect of our consolidated school. Also, with the coming of the machine age, much of the rural population migrated to the cities and fewer large farms developed in place of the many small farms. Thus the consolidated school became a necessity.”

The newly constructed Webster High School’s first graduating class was in 1928. The building served as a K-12 until 1958, the final graduating class. From 1958-59 until the building’s closing last year, the building became a K-6 elementary consolidating with Troy-Luckey and Pemberville (Freedom Township) into the Eastwood Local School District. Eastwood has maintained the classes are suspended in the building for now.

Before the addition of a new gymnasium in 1937, the school used the former Scotch Ridge School as its venue for basketball games and other indoor activities. The combined gymnasium and auditorium were added in 1937, which forced the delay of school that fall because of construction.

The 1938 school yearbook, “The Web,” stated about the new gymnasium/auditorium in the graduating class’ salutatory, “Of the 11 classes (including the present class) which have graduated from the Webster School, we feel that the class of 1938 is the most highly privileged of all. We have had, during the past year, the conveniences provided by the remodelled school building. We receive you tonight in your own new, beautifully furnished auditorium, which has added so much to our enjoyment and advantages of school life during our senior year.”

In 1942, the Webster High School basketball team reached the Class B (small school) state tournament. The Scots were Wood County’s undefeated Eastern League champions and won district and regional titles on a stage at Fremont Ross. Webster averaged 48.6 points and gave up 26 points per game.

They closed the regular season undefeated in 16 games, and the only other loss was to Lake (30-22) in the semifinals of the 21-team Wood County tournament, with the top four teams advancing to the district. Harold Anderson, a former Waite and Bowling Green State University coach, was the tournament manager.

At the Fremont district/regional, Webster defeated Clyde, 50-21, Norwalk St. Paul, 44-26, Elmore, 43-34, and neighborhood rival Troy-Luckey, 49-21, to advance.

The state tournament was usually held at the Columbus Fairgrounds Coliseum, but Class B in 1942 was moved to Wittenberg University in Springfield.

At that time, the state tournament included 16 teams, and the Scots promptly defeated Fairport Harbor 40-31. In the quarterfinal, eventual state champion Somerset of Perry County ended Webster’s record-setting season at 24-2 with a 37-24 victory. Webster scored first, but Somerset ran off 10 straight points and had an 18-12 lead at halftime.

East Side Central, Toledo Public Schools
East Toledo residents today may think the East Side Central elementary building was the original, but actually the original building was built on the same spot in 1895. The building, now closed, that stands there now was built in 1960.

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East Side Central

The 64,410 square foot newer building served 555 students prior to its closing. The original building was named “East Side Central” to represent the east side version’s of Central High School, which was a public school located downtown where the main Toledo-Lucas Public Library is located now.

The 1895 building was built at Navarre Avenue and Berry Street, costing $44,000. Many East Side Central graduates became prominent citizens, including Toledo Mayor William T. Jackson, Constance Winchester, Dr. Horace Beckwith, Dr. Harley Park, singer John Ehrle, businessman Frank Forster, Paul Coney, Harvey Wachter, photographer Henry Mensing, and professional baseball player Fred Merkle. By 1928, there were already 62 East Side Central graduates teaching in the Toledo schools.

Cornelia Harpster Palmer, a graduate who returned to teach fourth grade at East Side Central, has written about her early memories of the school. When she started school in 1908, there were two years of kindergarten with 5-year-olds in the morning and 4-year-olds in the afternoon. Lower grades were on the first floor, upper grades on the second floor.

A combination gymnasium/auditorium was erected after its original construction. The school’s PTA requested a new auditorium in 1924 and the same request was made again in 1927 and 1928. However, in 1929 the Depression arrived, so the school did not get it until it celebrated its 40th year in 1935. The graduating class of 1937 was the first to use the auditorium.

In the early part of 1940, the Board of Education passed legislation to change the name of East Side Central to Harvey A. Jones School for a former principal, but the PTA was against the change, so it was not made.

The year 1942 saw the threatened closing to the school and petitions were sent asking to keep it open.

In 1942, eight rooms in the west wing were razed and junior high grades went to other schools. At the end of World War II, the school had only four grades and the PTA petitioned for police to guard crossings.

In 1956, a prefabricated six-room addition was constructed. The building also had basement classrooms and basement lavatories along with a fire tower with a narrow, winding staircase.

In 1956-57, new playground items were added and the fifth and sixth grades returned.

The original 1895 building was of wooden construction within, with a wide middle hall, narrow wooden stairs, and wooden wainscoting. The third floor was later deemed useless because it constituted a public danger because of an open stairway that led up to it. Before the entire building’s razing, it was determined there were leaks in the walls which were prohibitive financially to repair.

In 1958, the PTA had 484 members. In 1959, the PTA helped secure passage of a bond issue to build the newer school, donating time and money to the campaign. The building was dedicated on November 8, 1961. The building is constructed of variegated tan brick. Its cost, including site, furniture and equipment, was $1,115,940. Construction was made possible by voter approval of a $20 million bond issue in November 1959 that included other buildings. East Side Central was one of the first buildings completed under a building program undertaken at that time.

The new two-story building, which still stands, has 28-rooms. The building originally housed fourth through eighth grades and consisted of 24 classrooms, one kindergarten, one community room, one home economics room, one industrial arts room, and a combination auditorium-gymnasium.

In the 1960s, the school had Children’s Theater, sent its safety patrol to Washington D.C., had book fairs, and musicals, including “The Magic Tape” and “This ‘n That.” The PTA also established a scholarship fund.

In the 1970s, the PTA led the city in points with a superior rating at the annual PTA banquet. The PTA gave life memberships to four members, Howard Enderlin, Robert Fulwider, Donald Carr, and Walter Martin.

In the 1994-95 school year there were 25 full time regular teachers, four special education teachers, and two administrators.

Wynn Elementary, Oregon City Schools
More than 400 people attended a Farewell Open House May 22 at Wynn Elementary School, reminiscing over memorabilia that included a display of past school t-shirts, photos and more.

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Wynn Elementary

On June 1, at Wynn’s 85th and final Awards Program, the school itself received a verbal award for its caring, dedicated and effective service to the youngsters, parents and members of the Lakeshore Area Community.

Wynn’s rich tradition began in 1924 when voters passed a $300,000 bond issue and also cast ballots to choose a site for a new school.

Named for Thomas Wynn, who came to Oregon from Pennsylvania in 1851, the school opened in February 1926. It boasted eight classrooms, a combined auditorium/gym, home economics and industrial arts rooms with a small office at the head of the northeast stairway. On April 15, 1930, bids were accepted for the first addition to Wynn at a cost of about $24,300.

Historical highlights include:
• In the early 1930s, a new “Mother’s Club” was formed to help the deserving needy, and also study “methods of handling children at home as well as at school to bring about a closer connection between home and school, and studying the physical as well as moral side of the child to be better mothers and have better homes for children.”

Wynn’s P.T.A. and Mother’s Club were very strong throughout the years, providing invaluable help to the school students and the community at large.

• June 1935: The board of education dispensed with the services of married women as teachers and voted not to employ any married women as teachers in the future.

• Nov. 1955: Bond issue passed providing money for an addition to Wynn along with remodeling that would cost $342,052.

• April 1975: A flood hit the South Shore area and Wynn School was used as an emergency shelter for nearly 100 people displaced by the waters.

• Sept. 1986: Wynn students began the school year at Clay Elementary while remodeling was completed. A mascot was chosen – the Wynn Bay Buccaneers. The school reopened in March 17, 1987.

• 2005: Plans for remodeling and a new addition to Wynn were begun. The new addition would be dedicated in 2007.

Wynn traditions  
For the more than 5,500 attendees, Wynn was more than just a school. Former Wynn Principal Don Charlton offered these final thoughts, “Remember the lesson of ‘caring,’ which was and is the heart of Wynn; second is the concept of ‘Wynn Pride’ or doing things the right way; and finally, ‘Once a Wynner, always a Wynner.’”

In addition to traditions of helping others and volunteerism, Wynn had a tradition of presenting two awards in memory of students killed in auto accidents – the Connie Rodriguez award and the Arturo Lopez award. Arrangements have been made for the awards to continue.

For this school year, the staff and students have been relocated to Jerusalem Elementary School, where there is ample space and facilities to accommodate the student enrollment.

The Wynn building, renamed the “Wynn Center,” is now a multi-functional facility that will provide space for a number of district programs and operations.

The basement area houses the district’s Pre-School Program. The first floor will provide office and storage space for part of the district’s curriculum department, and office space for the Northwest Ohio Computer Association (NWOCA), which provides technology support for numerous school districts throughout NW Ohio. The district entered into a lease agreement with NWOCA, and in exchange for providing the office space, the Oregon Schools will receive a full-time computer technician to assist in technology support.

The Oregon Career and Technology Center, the district’s Adult Education Program, has been relocated from a rented facility at the corner of Seaman and Wheeling roads to the second floor of the Wynn Center. “They will be reimbursing the district rent that will help offset utility and other expenses necessary to run the building,” Superintendent Michael Zalar said.

Oregon Schools Alternative Program (OSAP), which consists of two teachers and approximately 15 students with severe behavioral conditions, is housed on the third floor. Previously, the district rented space in the Shuer Center from the Lucas County Educational Service Center for the program.

Finally, the East Toledo Biddy Wrestling Program is leasing the former library/media center for its youth wrestling program.

Lark Elementary, Northwood
It was a bittersweet moment when the school bell rang at for the last time at Northwood’s Lark Elementary School Friday, May 27.

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Lark Elementary

According to historical accounts gathered by fourth-grade students of Jean Fishack in 1963, 1964 and 1965, area students got their first lessons from Nellie Mossler in a log cabin built in 1846 on East Broadway known as the Mossler School. In 1875, Frank Vienna built a one-room brick school building at the corner of Wales and Oregon roads. Area children could attend for a fee of $4 a month and they furnished their own books.

At the turn of the century, the community was growing and residents felt there was a need for a new school in the west end of what was then called Ross Township. Christ Lark started the movement for a new school and in 1901, District School #2 was erected on a fourth-acre of ground at the corner of Andrus Road and Stroehlein Avenue, on land donated by Joseph Tracy, who owned a large brick factory across Florence Avenue north of the school.

In 1920, Christ Lark and his son George successfully lobbied for an addition to the two-room building. Subsequently, two rooms and a basement were added and the school’s name was changed in his honor.

In 1928, a portable unit was added to the back of the school due to overcrowding. Lark School continued to grow and construction began in 1956 on a new K-6 school on 14 acres of land purchased from Frank Chamberlin, located across from the old building. Overcrowding became a problem again, and in 1964, a new wing was added.

Over the years, the school was a vital part of the community, serving as home for scouting and other groups. Through the active Mothers Club, mothers gave generously of their time to further school interests.

In June 2010, the board of education approved closing the building at the end of the 2010-11 school year as part of a cost-savings plan. During the last year the school was open, approximately 160 children preschool, kindergarten and first grade began their journey of learning at Lark.

Northwood Superintendent Greg Clark is credited for reaching out to potential users soon after the decision was made to close the building. In June, the district entered into an agreement with the City of Northwood for the city to purchase the Lark Building at a price of $10.

Plans call for the 13.62-acre property to be surveyed and split; the city will keep just over nine acres, including baseball fields and other green space behind the school and the remainder of the property, including the school building and the parking lot, which will be transferred to the Wood County Health Department for the same price the city paid to the district – $10. The city approved the transfer Aug. 25 and the details are currently being finalized.

The intent is for the old school to house satellite services for the health department and other health-related county agencies.

“This is a very positive outcome for our community and I am pleased that the building, which has been serving our community as a school, will be able to continue to serve our community in a different, but important capacity that will improve the quality of life for our citizens,” Clark said.

Rocky Ridge Elementary, Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools

Over its 95-year history, Rocky Ridge Elementary has provided the first school experience for more than 2,000 local students.  

Until the village’s incorporation in 1881, the town’s children went to rural schools. On April 19, 1881, Abraham Bell gave land to the Board of Education in Rocky Ridge on West Third Street – the location of the school until the current building was opened.

According to L.J. “Jack” Schiller, whose father Harmon was on the school board, the original school had become a fire hazard in the 1910’s, and pressure was on for a new building. After some debate about where the school should be located, construction bids were received in March 1915 and work began soon after.

While the construction was going on, classes were held in the Town Hall. (The old school house was moved and later converted to a corn crib by Ralph Seeger, who lived at the corner of Rocky Ridge and Kolb Roads just past the southern boundary of the village.)

The new school’s opening was reported as follows in the Sept. 16, 1916 issue of The Ottawa County Exponent: “The Rocky Ridge Schools opened in the new building on Monday with a very large attendance. The new building is a beauty and a decided improvement over the old one, which has been abandoned. The new structure cost about $20,000. Among its features are a full equipment and laboratory for teaching science and a library containing some 1,200 volumes. The building contains seven rooms and has seating capacity for something over 250 scholars.”

At that time there were three school districts in Benton Township – Rocky Ridge Special, Graytown Special and Benton Local. Rocky Ridge Special consisted of 11 grades until the upper three (9-11) were phased out in 1927. Consolidation forced many of the one and two-room schools to join either Rocky Ridge or Graytown Special.

Rocky Ridge School had its own board until 1927, at which time it became part of the Benton Township School District.  In 1935, Rocky Ridge Special was forced to dissolve and became part of Benton Local.  

Another consolidation occurred in 1967 when Rocky Ridge School along with Graytown School and Carroll School merged with the Salem-Oak Harbor School District to form the Benton-Carroll-Salem School District that we know today.

Historical highlights:
• The first school bus –  a Model T with a chain drive and magneto lights – began taking children from the country to school in Rocky Ridge in 1925. The Ford dealer had to extend its chassis and build a new body to fit the district’s student number needs. One of the first bus drivers was Art Schiller, who was paid $35 per month for his services.

• There were no electric lights in the classrooms until 1934.

• The 1940s brought many more changes to the school – a kitchen was made out of the science lab on the second floor, and students were served lunches and returned to their rooms to eat. The first art teacher started in 1940 and 1949 saw the arrival of the first music teacher. Perhaps the biggest change in this decade was the hiring of married women as teachers.

• A new addition was completed in 1956 housing a gymnasium, locker rooms, a stage and a library.

• From the fall of 1967 until the end of the school year in 1975, the building was used exclusively for the district’s seventh-grade classes. That fall, the school was converted to a grade 1-5 facility along with the other elementary buildings in the district. This coincided with the opening of the new high school in Oak Harbor.

• In April 1988, another addition was opened, which included new kindergarten and first-grade classrooms, a library, a media center, offices, nurse’s clinic, teacher’s workroom and a custodial room. Many renovations were also made.

According to Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools Superintendent Diane Kershaw, the school board is moving toward selling the Rocky Ridge building, which is currently vacant.

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