Ostrander and Scioto Township History

The following history of Scioto Township schools titled The Millcreek Garden Club presents The Arbor Day Program and Brief History of all Scioto Township Schools was printed on April 30, 1965. 

THE GARDEN CLUB CONTEST
by Mrs. Roy Swisher, President

One of the objectives of the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs is Civic Beautification.  This includes the planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers not only in the member's gardens, but also on school grounds, along highways, and in public or roadside paths.

Sears Roebuck Foundation offered prizes for the total of $1,500.00, for the best community project in Civic Beautification.  First prize in each region in the state association will be $50.00.  First prize entries in each region will be judged by the state committee.  First prize will be $350.00, with lesser amounts for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th prizes.  The Millcreek Garden Club decided to try for a prize.

About the same time, the Ostrander Business Men's Association decided to return the old school bell to the school grounds, and asked the garden club to plant some flowers.  So we decided to use this planting as our entry in the Sears contest.

While we were checking dates and the history of the school bell, we became interested in the history of the school system in Scioto Township.  We want to share this with you.  We are grateful to Mrs. George Pugh of Radnor for information about the one-room district schools, and to Mrs. Clara Benton, and to Mrs. Nina Duncan for the use of their copies of "Annals of the Past".  This booklet was prepared by the committee, Mrs. Hazel Olesenkamp, graduate of 1911, Miss Helen Felkner, graduate of 1915, and Mrs. Imogene Sherman, graduate of 1913.

Pictures in our booklet are copied from Annals of the Past.  Because the picture of the 1884 building are too dim for copying, Mrs. Virginia Felkner painted the first building in water-color and then it was photographed by the Gazette for us.

BRIEF HISTORY OF SCHOOLS IN SCIOTO TOWNSHIP
by Mrs. Harold Felkner, Vice President

The sturdy pioneers who sought religious freedom in New England believed education and religion go hand in hand.  Everywhere they settled, as soon as their cabins were built, a church and school soon followed, and so it was in Scioto Township.

In 1805 Richard Hoskins and family made their way from the New England states, through Pennsylvania to the Ohio River at Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh, Pa.  From there they traveled by boat down the Ohio River to Portsmouth and north n the Scioto River to Franklinton, now Columbus, Ohio.  They spent the winter there, followed the Scioto River north, by the way of the Sandusky Military Road, to take up their claim.  They settled near the north mouth of Bokes Creek in May of 1806.  In June of the same year Zachariah Stephens and family settled near by, and by fall there was a good size settlement, for those times.  About the same time, a grist mill was built in Millville, now Warrensburg.  Soon after, a school was erected in the Bokes Creek area, of log slabs from a mill along Bokes Creek, and a log house was built at Millville.  From 1810 to 1811, settlers made their way through the dense woods to the present village of Ostrander, and to a settlement called Edinburgh.  Here the first church was built in the present location of Fairview Cemetery.  Tradition tells us there was also a log schoolhouse here whose pupils were later transferred to a two room brick building along the railroad opposite of what is now Gray's Service Station in Ostrander.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS
by Mrs. William Winston

DISTRICT NO. 1  was Bokes Creek.  First classes were held in a shed used as a cow shed by Mr. McCune, and early settler.  Mrs. Niday was the first teacher.  The slab building came next, to be followed by the brick building, on State Route 37, presently occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ted Byus and family.

DISTRICT NO. 2 was Warrensburg.  The first classes were held in a log building near the river bank.  A brick building came next, on the hill opposite the present school building.  In the meantime a normal school for training teachers in the McIntire Church, which is now a garage.  This developed into a 2 year course High School in the 4 room frame building along the river.  When the 1913 flood damaged this building, the present building was built on the hill.  The high school was not continued and pupils were free to attend high school in Ostrander or to go to Delaware.  This frame building was later repaired and used as a dwelling.

DISTRICT NO. 3  was the David or Slocum School located on County Road 168.  It was later called Maple Lawn.  After the abandonment it was moved to the farm of Mr. Sherman Slocum.  It is now used as a shed by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rinehart  Mrs. Rinehart is a granddaughter of Mr. Slocum.  One of our Garden Club members, Mrs. Ray Pounds, taught here in 1907-1908.

DISTRICT NO. 4 was White Sulphur or Loveless School, located on the Penn Road or County Road No. 158.  The first brick building had to be abandoned because of blasting at the Quarry.  It was replaced by a frame building, now used as a dwelling by the Peter Stoycheff family.  L.A. McMillen concealed his age, for the sake of discipline, when teaching here in 1900.  He was only 17 years old and some of his pupils were about the same age.

DISTRICT NO. 5  was the Bean or Mills School, located on the Mills Road.  Mr. Ray Pounds attended school here all through the elementary grades.  The school was closed in 1910 and the pupils hauled into Ostrander.  The brick building was torn down and the land reverted to the Ramsey estate, now owned by Charles Morgan of Mill Road.

DISTRICT NO. 6  was known as the Kirkland School, located on County Road No. 165.  Mr. G. G. Anderson was one of the early teachers, and Mrs. Pounds also taught here in 1908-1909.  The building is still standing on the Lewis Fontanelle Farm, on what is usually known as th Burnt Pond Road.  Mrs. Steve Long, mother of Mrs. Odell Liggett taught here for 2 years.  Mrs. Homer Howison, granddaughter of Mrs. Steve Long is presently teaching in Grade 5 at Ostrander.

DISTRICT NO. 7  was known as the Red Bird School and was located near the Delaware-Union County line, on State Route 37.  After it was closed it was moved and is now used as a shed on the Glick Farm on Burnt Pond Road.

DISTRICT NO. 8  was known as the Felkner School.  It was located on County Road No. 165.  One of our garden club members, Miss Bernice Thompson attended school here.  It was of brick, on the west side of the road, about half way from the railroad and the farm known as the Allen farm.  It has long since been torn down and few records are available, except that Mrs. Anna Maugans once taught here.  Mrs. Anna Morrison Maugans graduated from Ostrander High School 70 years ago and although past 90, is still active and able to write her friends.

DISTRICT NO. 9 was known as Sandy Hill or Bevan School.  It is still standing on the farm now owned by Mr. Fred Wickham, of Delaware, and is used for hay storage.  For four years, Mrs. Pounds was teacher here, acting as janitor also; she walked the 2 1/2 miles each way from home each day, and was never absent in the four years for illness.  This school later became part of the Warrensburg District.  Mr. Floyd Prouty was a teacher here also.

DISTRICT NO. 10 was known as Huntley or Fairview, located on State Route 36, east of Fairview Corners.  The first building was of brick, later replaced by a frame building now located on the fram owned by R.G. Richardt.  Mrs. Lottie Newhouse was the teacher here in 1914-1915.  Mr. E. E. Newhouse and Mr. John A. Miller were among early teachers here.

DISTRICT NO. 11 was named Brindle School (see pic in Photo Album).  It stood across the road from the Brindle Church.  The church was remodeled into a barn on the farm now owned by Mr. Charles Robinson.  The school house burned in 1916 and the pupils attended school in a small white frame building on the Ostrander School grounds until 1917, when the district was consolidated with Ostrander.  This small building can be seen in one picture in the "Annals of the Past".   It was later used as a garage for school buses, then sold.  It was bought by J. A. Maugans and is part of his residence.

Many of the names found in the lists of teachers were well known in the community, and their children, and many times the grandchildren were also graduated from the Ostrander High School.  The average teachers salary ranged from $25.00 in the early day to $45.00 per month.  Their duties included janitor services as well as teaching.

In all our research into school history were were unable to find very much about the Otrander Schools, until we received the "Annals of the Past" from Mrs. Benton and Mrs. Duncan.  Here we learned that the first building on the present school grounds was erected in 1884, and was built of brick made in Delaware County.

Tradition tells us it was first used as an academy or normal school for training of teachers, and had an enviable record because of the number of teachers sent into the district schools.  In 1888 the High School was organized, and 3 year courses of study at first.  There were only 3 in the first graduation classes, Mrs. Jane (Roney) Husted, Mrs. Nellie (Cratty) Bell, and Mrs. Frank Loveless, Honor Student, held in the Presbyterian Church, in 1890.  None in 1891.  It was the Class of 1895 that was the first to complete a four year course.  The elementary grades were added about this time, and thereafter the grades and high school continued to occupy the old building.

In a picture which we have of the first building, the bell and bell tower can be seen.  In 1915 an agreement was reached with the district boards of education whereby all elementary pupils would be sent to Ostrander.  This made it necessary to have more room.  The bell tower and part of the old building were torn down.  A new addition was added in front of the old; this was used as the High School while the grades continued to occupy the old portion.  The old school bell was remounted n this new part and continued in use till 1957.  

In 1937 more room was needed, and a third portion was added which included the present auditorium, rest and shower rooms, a shop, and a cafeteria - dinin room which doubled for a short time as a home economics room.  In August of 1943, the Warrensburg District was consolidated with Ostrander.  The Warrensburg building continued to be used as an elementary school.  In December of 1951 Bellpoint School District was also consolidated with Ostrander.  After Warrensburg was added the name of Scioto Local Schools was chosen.  After Bellpoint was added the name was changed to Scioto Valley Local Schools.  Both Warrensburg and Bellpoint buildings continued to be used for the first 6 grades, with junior and senior classes in Ostrander.  During this time the old furnace rooms were converted into a cafeteria.

In 1956 bonds were sold and a new addition planned.  All the oldest portions of the school were torn down.  The old school bell came down with the rest.  It was thrown on the scrap pile to be sold as salvage by the contractor.  It was recovered by several business men and stored in the township house.  When the latter was torn down it was moved to the fire house and then to Parrott's Sales and Service.  And now finally been returned to the school grounds.

While the latest addition was being built, it became necessary to hold classes in church basements, in the corners of the gym, already full of stored equipment, and classes finally moved into the new rooms the second semester of 1958.

In 1961 the Delaware County Board of Education combined the Scioto Valley District with Radnor and Ashley to form the present Buckeye Valley School District.  A new High School building was erected.  The first commencement was held June 1, 1964.  The Warrensburg building has been abandoned, and the Bellpoint building is leased as a school for retarded children, and the remaining buildings house the kindergarten through the 8th grade, with High School classes in the new building.

All of this past history, its most interesting and should be preserved.  But we living in the present, and must also look toward the future.  Progress brings changes which are sometimes hard to accept.  The history of the Scioto Valley Schools has been a long and honorable one.  The schools have been the center of all activities for the the entire community.  In return all have helped to support the school system.  Many graduates have won honors in their chosen professions in the fields of education, medicine, nursing, lawyers, and writers.  Mrs. Jane Roney Husted, Class of 1890, was a pioneer woman doctor, and Mae Mills, Class of 1893, was a pioneer woman dentist.  Many of the graduates served their country in various wars, some of whom did not return.  Some are successful merchants or farmers.  We have got a high mark for the larger school to aim at.  We hope the career of the Buckeye Valley Schools will be as good as or even better.  And today, Arbor Day, we plant a Buckeye Tree in honor, of the past, and future of our schools.