Russellville High School - Russeller Yearbook (Russellville, IN)

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tion schools were started. One early schoolhouse stood where the present rock quarry is located . This building was later moved to a location south- east of Russellville and now, remodel- ed, is the home of Mrs . Mabel Potter . In 1850-51 the convention was held to formulate a new state constitution providing for the establishment of a general and uniform system of common school wherein tuition shall be without charge and equally opened to all. After this change in school laws, Russell Township was divided into nine districts, each containing four sections of land. Schoolhouse number one, the LafoUette School, was in the first district, which contained the four northeast sections . When school was discontinued here, the building was moved to Fincastle and used as a residence. Schoolhouse number two, the Heb- ron School, was located in the north- east corner of the farm Bernadine Webster now owns . It dates back to Civil War times, or before. The school ceased to operate about 1911, and the building was later moved and used for a granary. In recent times it has been torn down . Schoolhouse number three never located on the map, but on March 18, 1854, James Dryden deeded land in the southeast quarter of section six to the township trustee. In 1864 a school, probably number three, was located on this land, where Glen Thornburg now lives . Today the building stands in a corn field close to State Road 236 and is used as a crib. School number four, or Swamp College, was first located in the southwest corner of section 17. On April 19, 1881, Michael Wilson deeded part of section 18 to the town- ship. This placed the school across the road in the southeast corner of the present Dwight Milligan farm . In the 1930 ' s the building was moved up the road where it now stands as part of a farm structure on Oscar Clodfelter ' s property . School number five, Russell Center, was originally a frame structure . In 1908 the trustee, Frank Scott, pur- chased 2 1 2 acres from Marion Clod- felter and built a new brick building having three years of high school. This was a two -story building with two large rooms and a T hallway on each floor, and a full basement which con- tained a furnace . This school was called Scott ' s Folly by its competi- tors to the north. The high school lasted only three years, but the first eight grades were taught at Russell Center until it was closed in 1927. The old frame building was moved to the same property and through the years, the buildings have been torn down. Schoolhouse number six was near Cairo . The first building was at the southeast corner of the crossroads, but later one stood one -fourth mile west of Cairo. Schoolhouse number seven was on the east end of the Tater Ridge road. In 1834 and again in 1853, John Guilliams deeded land for this school. The first school was probably a log cabin, later replaced by the frame structure known as the McGaughey School . The last building for this district stood on the nor th side of the road, one -fourth mile west of the Morton -Blakesburg road. Schoolhouse number eight, or the Sutherlin School, is now part of the Clarence Humphrey home, south of Raccoon Creek on the Russellville - Morton road. Schoolhouse number nine, or the Spencer School, is now part of the home of Maurice Fordice . Before being made into a dwelling, it stood on the northwest corner of his farm . Before 1879 it stood across the road north of its present site.

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In the Beginning . . . Russell Township Schools The history of the Russellville School comprises numerous changes and improvements . The township ' s schools have undergone remodeling, redistricting, and consolidation since their beginning. From the sub- scription schools in the log cabins of the early 1800 ' s to the consolidation of North Putnam into one building, leaders of our state and community have endeavored to offer at each step an improved educational system, necessary to meet the demands of the times . From 1824 law provided for the building of schoolhouses . K the people of a district decided to build a school, they levied taxes for the purpose in either cash or materials The three trustees of each towhship took charge of the business and noti- fied all able -bodied men to aid in the construction . They were required to work one day each week until the building was finished. If one failed to work or pay 27 2(j: per day, he was fined 37 l 2(;i per week during the time the building was in progress . The first schoolhouses were made of hewed logs, with a fireplace and chimney at one end, and covered with a clapboard roof. The windows were small and used greased paper instead of glass, and the seats were made from logs split or sawed in halves The length of the term was three months, and a teacher ' s salary was $50 per term. The first school in Russell Town- ship was on the farm of John Fosher in 1823, near Blakesburg. When the village was laid out, James Blake gave land to the town trustees. In 1830, a paper was signed for the construction of a school building in the town of Blakesburg. It is uncertain how long this school operated. During this time several subscrip ■ Hebron School, 1893

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The first school in the town of Russellville was a log cabin. In 1856 a group of people sponsored the build- ing of a new brick structure on a site donated by Jacob Durham, adjoining Russellville on the northwest. Here, in the Russellville Academy, were taught the first eight grades and the academy studies . In 1861-62 a movement was started to establish a higher institution of learning in the town. In 1862 a Semi- nary was started in the Academy building with J. H, Orin in charge. Within two years there were 150 stu- dents enrolled, and Professor W. B. Godby was the president. In 1865 the name was changed to Harmonica College . Enrollment reached as high as 250 and represented different parts of the country . The college and public school occupied the same building; extensive remodeling was done in 1871. In 1876 Harmonica College ceased to exist because of a lack of students . The building continued to be used as a school, however. The college dormi- tory for the students was located across the road from the college. Part of the building was remodeled in- to the present home of Andrew Grimes, and part of it was moved and remodel- ed into the home where Arch Spencer now lives . After it was discontinued as a school, some of the bricks from the Academy were used in the Mahan and Scott store, where Bob Nicholson ' s Service Station is now located. The remainder of the Academy building was moved to Ladoga, then later to Dan- ville where it was incorporated into the Danville Normal College. One building is now used as part of the Danville Public Schools . In 1893 the present Russellville School building was built on land pur - chased from T. R. Wilson. The first three -year high school class to gradu- ate from the new school, in 1896, v as composed of Fred Fordice, Claude Harris, Ora Hargrave, Bertha Brumfield, and Grace Gardner. The first four -year class was graduated in 1910, and its members were Harry Byrd, Shirl Evans, Lennie Pyle, Flossie Spencer, and Edith Smiley. As the district schools were discon- tinued, their students began to attend this consolidated school . The building was remodeled in 1911 into its present appearance. In 1917-18 a gymnasium was built a short dis- tance northwest of the school building. This was replaced in 1957 by the present gymnasium . In accordance with the School Re- organization Law of 1959, Russell- ville School became part of North Putnam Community School Corpora- tion on July 1, 1964. In the near fu- ture, Russellville students in grades seven through twelve will be relocated . The gymnasium is now being remodel- ed for use as a grade school . Teachers in the district schools in 1903 were Belle Leonard in Number one. Will M. Sutherlin in Number two, Cora Girton in number four, Ida Guill- iam in number five, Beryl Gardner in number six, Harve Webster in number seven, Marie Van Lear in number eight, and C.J. Priest in number nine. The teachers at Russellville were F. L. Moore, Walter Sutherlin, and Maggie Burnsides . If •- I J RusseHville Academy Building, 1856-1893