Our Schools and School Days

 

 The Old East School

 Columnist Recounts History of

Old East Side School
By Dr. Ernest Heser
Crestline Advocate

 An East Side Landmark was demolished last year (1958) accompanied by deep seated regrets in the hearts of many people in our community. The Sturdy East Side School building was the victim of progress. It gave up its existence with stubborn resistance so the demolition crew reported for it was a product of the days when buildings of that type were expected to serve their purpose for many years.
Mrs. Arch McKeller (Ada Henry) had a special reason for remembering this building and brought a gift to the Museum , a splendid photograph of the school. It shows her father , George Henry, its first custodian, in front of the building mowing the lawn, Evidently the picture of the building was taken a year or two after it was erected (about 1885) for the trees were small, the grass uneven, and the walks located as they were when the building was first built. You will note too, the high wooden fence in the back of the school on the east side of the grounds to keep the pupils from getting into the back yards of the neighbors. A low frame building near the fence house the plumbing common to that day and age.
This particular picture has an interesting frame,of a style not seen in our shops today. It was framed by George Herr, who operated a furniture store and an undertaking establishment at the southwest corner of East Bucyrus Street and Washington Avenue. In connection to his work he did picture framing. That is how we came to have this example of picture framing art.
The East Side School was the second brick school building to be built in Crestline. The first was the three-storied Union School built in 1869 adjacent to the present site of our High School Auditorium. It contained both the High School and the grade school, and was demolished some years ago.
At the time the East Side School was built the business section of our village was located east of the New York Central tracks. There was the Jenner Block, which contained the Odd Fellows Hall, Dr. Clutter's Office, and Knisleys Drug Store. Located across the street was there was a two story brick containing Davis' Dry Goods Store, the Masonic Temple and other offices. Then came Judge Babst's Law office, Dave Billow's printing shop, where the Advocate was printed and Castle and Zint's Hardware Store.
Farther East was Talbott's Mill, Kerr's Grocery and meat market, Going west from the Jenner Building was the Stump Block, containing J.M. Martin's Jewelry Store and P.W. Poole's office, former Mayor and Lawyer, then Dr. Bennetts office and next the private school kept by the Gregory sisters and their brother Prof. Gregory. There was also a busy Railroad Avenue running East from Bucyrus Street, south to the Continental Hotel and Union Station. There was also
a business center east of the tracks on East Main Street; Bower's Warehouse, Heffelfinger's Grocery, Reeds Grocery and Morkel's Grocery and Lolcus's Meat Market and others.
Mr. Henry was the first janitor ( the term custodian is used today ) for the school and served for many years in that capacity. Having started my formal education in the East Side School I can recall Mr. Henry very well. At recess time he was kept busy sharpening pencils for the pupils, not only lead pencils but slate pencils as well. Pencil sharpeners were not yet invented or if so were not in use at that school. Slates were still in use generally in the lower grades. Paper tablets for general school use came a little later.
Several janitors who followed Mr. Henry were Dave Baker, John Harrison, Mr. Leach, Andy Hoffman, Mr. Harrison, an Englishman we called “Pappy” who was also janitor for the English Lutheran Church which then located South of the East School. There were other Janitors whom I do not recall. The last one to serve before the school was torn down was Mr. Robbinette.
The Historical Society is grateful to Mrs. McKeller for this addition to the Museum's picture gallery. It will be placed in the school room. The photograph was made by an early Crestline Photographer, Abe Dille, whose studio was on East Bucyrus Street.

Abstracted from an October 1959 Crestline Advocate-Crestline Public Library

The picture of the East School does appear in the Advocate

This is just one of the many articles written by the late Dr. Hesser, which helps to preserve both the written and oral history of our community.

 

 

 CLASS OF 1916 MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
REUNION SUNDAY.
Crestline Advocate

The 25th anniversary of the class of 1916 of Crestline High School was celebrated with a reunion Saturday evening at the Susie Janis near Mansfield. Out of the original group of 26 students, thirteen were present, together with their husbands or wives, most of them. Several members of the class also accepted invitations to join the alumni for the party.
Present were Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Horning and Mrs. Helen Sonner of Cleveland; Mr. and Mrs. Leo Henry and Mr., and Mrs. A.A. Thompson (Eleanor Hess) of Pittsburgh; Mr. and Mrs. Victor L. Long of Painesville; Dr. and Mrs. D.B. Heffelfinger of Chicago; Paul Anderson and Mrs. M. Granger of Galion; Mrs. Cora Marquart Vail of Shelby; Mrs. Margaret Woodworth Bowers and Mrs. Daisy Berry of Galion, Mrs. Dorthy Balliet Foster of Detroit, Mr. and Mrs. Dewey
Dhepard and daughter Joyce, of Ironton, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Johnson of Ravenna; and Mr. and Mrs. Lester Arter, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Granger and Cora Cover of Crestline.
Decorations for the dinner at 6:30 – flowers and candles – were om the class colors, lavender and gold and to the placecards in the same colors were attached small silver bells signifying the 25th anniversary.
Bernard Horning is president of the group and Lester Arter is secretary-treasurer. With Mr. Horning as toastmaster most of the group responded to the call for remarks and a number of old pictures provided interesting topics. The class prophecy was read by its authors Mrs. Bowers and Mrs Vail.
Leaving the Susie Janis, the group came to Crestline and called upon Sarah Dunn and Mrs. S.E. Peppard two of their former teachers. It was decided to hold another reunion in two years.

Abstracted from the 7-10-1941 Crestline Advocate – Crestline Public Library

 

 

 

 

 

1870 Roll of Honor for Union School
__________

A roll of Honor for the Crestline Union Schools was printed for the month of September 1870, and was signed by S.R. Wachs as superintendent. Among those mentioned are the following: –
High School- Sarah Billow, Minnie Pierce, Bartley Palmer and Albert White ; Senior Grammar; Miss A Zink and Henry Lampert; Junior Grammar;
Misses A. Howten, G. Reynolds, M Royer and M. Stahle; Intermediate, Thomas McWhirter; “A” secondary Misses F. Flemming, Eva Pierce and Mattie Robinson and Ed Stahle and John Winter; “B” secondary, Sarah Robinson and Emma Howten; “A” primary, Sarah Stine, Kate Shaffer, Frank Miller, James Harrop and David Winter; B primary, Dora Woods, Annie Newman, Jennie Snyder, Ella Robinson, Henry Hoffman, Clem Berry, Chas. Huber, and Jennie Dean; East primary, Inez Eaton and Ben Wykoop.

Abstracted from the October 12 1905 Crestliene Advocate-Crestline Public Library.

 

Old South School

 Bauer Brothers to Build South School

BAUER BROTHERS
____________
Will build the New South Side School
in Crestline.

______

Bids for th erection of the new south side school were opened by the School Board last Thursday and the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to the Bauer Brothers of this city. The Bauer Brother's bid of $7133.15 for the entire work and materials being the lowest.
Other bidders were the H.B. Gandert company of Mansfield for $7851.00 and John Hafer of Shelby for $7777.
The proposed school house will consist of four rooms according to the contract entered into with the contractors. The building to be finished within ninety days if possible.

Abstracted from the October 26, 1905 Crestline Advocate-Crestline Public Library.

 

 

 

 

What eventually would become the Crestline High School was demolished in 2010

Abstracted Crestline Advocate June 16-1910-Crestline Public Library

 

Abstracted Crestline Advocate-June 30-1910

Crestline Public Library

 

 

 

 

Crestline High School 1925

 

 To see the orginal hand bill for the proposed addition to the early

"Crestline High School"

Click on image above.

 

CHS-COLUMBUS STREET ENTRANCE

This high school building was demolished in 2010