New Vienna School 1878-1917

With some postcards I recently got from Mom and Dad was this one of the "old, old" New Vienna School.  Not sure why the card labels it as plural buildings, as only the one is visible.  Perhaps they are including the outhouses which are hidden in the back?

Public School Buildings, New Vienna, Ohio

Card is unmailed but addressed to Miss Mildred Pearl, New Vienna, Ohio, Clinton Co.  Message says "To Mildred, From Mumma, 1907.

According to the 1900 Census, Mildred, born in 1898 was the daughter of Edward (b. 1860), a carriage painter, and Valeria (b.1872).  In the 1910 census, Valeria and Mildred are shown as living with Valeria's parents, Thomas J. (b. 1847) and Margaret A. (b. 1850) McCune.  Thomas is listed as having his "own income."

This School was built in 1878.  It was torn down in 1917.  

The above picture is from New Vienna High School Memory Book, 1881-1963, page 8

According the the Memory Book:  In 1878 a new square brick building was erected with four rooms below, two rooms and a hall, called Whittier Hall, above.  This hall was afterwards converted into two rooms, and they were used as the laboratory.  

This building was removed from the school lot in the summer of 1917, when a new modern fireproof building was constructed and was ready for the school term starting in September 1918.

The high school was organized in 1878 and the first class graduated in 1881.  This class had three members" Hallie Baum, Will Rayburn and Charles Blackburn.  Charles was the father of Joseph and Mary Blackburn and Charles Blackburn, Jr.  

The board employed J.F. Fenton as principal for that year.  It was with him that Commencement Exercises were inaugurated and the first Commencement was held in the spring of 1881 in Whittier Hall.

Due to the scarcity of teachers, a Clinton-Highland Normal school was opened in NV High School in 1914.  The students did their practice teaching here also.  It was moved to Wilmington College in 1925.

[During that time] The children were taken to school by horse drawn wagons, and sleds in the winter time.

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Lots more NV School History which we'll read about later.