Chester Center High School - Memento Yearbook (Keystone, IN)

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Chester Zownship Schools The consolidated school building at Chester Center was the outgrowth of a need that had existed since the old building at Keystone was conden:ied for high school purposes in 1919. Actual construction work was not begun until the spring of 192Z by contractors, Gordon and Reiff, of Liberty Center, under the direction of Architect Everett I. Brown of Bluffton. Labor troubles hindered the work considerably during the first season, but by the time winter set in, the building had been enclosed and roofed. Work was resumed early in the spring of 1923, and the building was completed and occupied for school purpos- es on September 24, 1923. At that time, students from ten other Chester Town- ship Schools were consolidating into one school which was called Chester Center. Those ten one-room schools were: McCallister, Slocum, Noe, Red, Chester, Gavin, Maddox, Shields, Five Points, and Keystone. The building was one of the largest and most completely equipped in the county, and one of which the good people of the township were justly proud. The grounds were improved and beautified during the summer of 1924. The iTiembers of the first graduating class were: Doris Arnold, Myrtle Brinnen:ian, Chauncey Ladd, Mary Minnich, Gladys Smith, and Ruth Weaver. The members of the last graduating class are: Rose Abner, Michael Frantz, Cathy Hamilton, Dennis Hendricks, Lee Hilkert, Dedria Johnson, James Johnson, Charlene Katte, Karen Keller, Lamoine Nusbaumer, Jackie Riesen, Mike Sutton, and Judy Walker. During the 1956 school year a nevv ' Agriculture Building was erected near the present Chester Building. In the November election of 1962, the four southern townships of Wells County voted to consolidate their schools. On January 1, 1963, Chester Center, Liberty Center, Jackson Center, and Petroleum became known as the Southern Wells Community Schools.

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Pleasant thoughts of true fellowship with school mates and faculty, now vivid and seemingly in- delible, will gradually fade and pass. Therefore, we give this in book form--lest we forget. We, the class of 1966, wish to extend our sincere appreciation to those who have iTiade these books possible. May they always stand as tributes to the periods of happiness, joy, cheer, and honorable achieve- ment which the graduates have cherished in their hearts. IN DEDICRTION