Consolidation - 1962
Consolidation - 1962
Source: Unknown newspaper (probably Crawfordsville Journal - Review) - unknown date but an obit in this paper is listed as 18-Apr-1962 so assume it is this date.
Title: Old School Registers Show Consolidation Back in 1900s
School consolidation the big aim of school reorganization for the entire state, is not a new idea. Directories of Montgomery schools dating back to 1901 show that schools here, after an initial growth period, have been diminishing steadily in numbers. The consolidation movement began as early as the laste 1800s and grew in intensity until the drive for efficiency in schools came to a head three years ago with the passage of the School Reorganization Act. In 1901, for instance, there were 26 elementary schools in the county (not including Crawfordsville), 10 of which were one-room buildings, and 12 buildings with combinations of grades up to high scool. In Crawfordsville, proper, there was a high school building which also held junior high grades and seven elementary buildings, making a total of 46 school buildings in the entire county.
Jumping through the years up to the present school evolution has brought about a reduction from 26 to 11 county elementary schools, none of which are one-room buildings; nine county high schools now exist; a high school operates in Crawfordsville only with a junior high building and seven city elementary schools for a grand total of 29 school buildings compared to 46 in 1901.
The greatest consolidation has come in county areas of sparse population. In those early school days, some long-forgotten names appeared on the roster of schools. Among the one-room buildings were Brookshire, Stover, Hicks, Fountain and Flord schools in Clark Township; Byrd, White and Laplan schools in Scott Township; Greenwood and Beckville in Walnut Township and Mr. Taber in Union.
Other elementary schools in the county were Liberty and Browns Valley (Brown Township); Elmdale (CC Township); Shannondale and highview (Franklin); Kirkpatrick (Madison); Yountsville (Ripley) and Parkersburg (Scott).
Union Township elementary schools bach then 8 in all, as compared to two at present - included Mt. Tabor, Breaks, Youngs Chapel, Garfield, Wilson, Whitesville and Smartsburg, as well as Mt. Zion, a present day school. Alamo Consolidated, Mace Consolidated and New Ross schools had been merged already. Pupils of those areas were attending junior high through high school grades there in 1901. Darlington consolidated; Linden, Bowers, Waynetown, Waveland consolidated; Wingate, New Richmond, Ladoga consolidated and New Market schools all had grades 1-12.
The elementary school in Crawfordsville, although the same in number, have changed through the years. Some buildings' name have been erased from the list and others added. The early directory lists Tuttle; Highland; Fiskville; and Lincoln schools besides Willson; Mills and Beard.
Even within the past 10 years, the trend to consolidate is apparent. In 1952, there were 15 elementary schools in the county and 11 high schools. New Richmond and Wingate high schools later consolidated into Coal Creek Central; Bowers HS went in with Darlington; New Richmond and Wingate elementary schools were consolidated at Coal Cree and Bowers, Smartsburg and Whitesville elementary schools were consolidated within the decade. Since 1901, other schools have come and gone. From the total of 46 buildings here in 1901, the number rose to a total of 59 in 1912, before dropping steadily in the county to 47 in 1922; 36 in 1932; 27 in 1942; 26 in 1952 to 20 in 1962. The changes in Montgomery County schools are not limited to the number and size of buildingts, either. The schools have come a long way from their first curriculum offerings to the present curriculum. In 1907, a directory outlines the approved course of (rest gone -- sorry)