Russellville High School - Russeller Yearbook (Russellville, IN)

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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

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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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Russellville School Building, 1893 In its early years, the Russellville School was under the leadership of Odell Whitenack, Rhomulus Boyd, A. D. Reeve, Emma R. Herbert, Mr. Hultz, Mr. Moore, and Mary Burks. From 1906 to 1923 Professor C. T. Malan was the superintendent at Russellville . He later became a professor at Indiana State Teachers ' College, and then Indiana ' s State Superintendent of Public Instruction . Administrators since then were Earl B. Sutherlin, 1923-26; Mrs. E.G. Vail, 1926-27; E. E. Westland, 1927- 31; Frank Smith, 1931 -35; Melvin Hedge, 1935-38; Loren Garner, 1938- 39; Donald Cooper, 1939-48; George Poince, 1948-49; Ernest Chilson, 1949- 52; Earl B. Sutherlin, 1952-53; Gale Grimes, 1953-59; DonC. Patton, 1959- 60; Jack Hoffman, 1960-63; Vernon Gardner, 1963-64; and Charles Frazee, 1964-. As the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so is the quality of a school known by its alumni. Thus it is with Russellville High School. Russellville graduates have reached the highest Pinnacles of success --many of the classes having has 40% of their mem- bers graduate from college. Among these alumni are doctors, dentists, lawyers, nurses, engineers, teachers, ministers, industrialists, farmers, and school administrators . Certainly, this demonstrates the high quality of education that has been offered at Russellville Schools, and shows, that from the 1820 ' s through 1967, they have truly served their purpose. -f. ■L ■ ' i Russellville School Grounds, 1917-1957