Some repairs are needed to properly maintain the old Warner School. It is owned by the North Webster Community Center and the NWCC is seeking donations to pay for needed repairs. Photo by Tim Ashley.

By Tim Ashley
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — Although at first glance it appears to be just another old building in need of repairs, there is much more to this story. Instead, the small white building originally known as the Warner School has 183 years worth of local history.

The old Warner School, the first school established in Tippecanoe Township in 1838, sits on property owned by the North Webster Community Center along North Street behind the North Webster Community Public Library.

As noted on the GoFundMe page “Save The Old Warner School House” set up by Kelly Horn, executive director of the NWCC, the building “is in need of some love.” One of the front steps is rotted and other repairs are needed to the windows, roof and foundation plate.

The goal is to raise $45,000. “We started high, in hopes that we can raise enough to cover all of the expenses,” Horn noted. “The actual report from Indiana Landmarks we receive will have a much better idea of everything needing repair. We are in the process of getting firmer estimates.”

NWCC is a not-for-profit organization and does not have the money in its budget to properly maintain the building.

It is possible the building could be moved to another location on the community center’s property.

Although the school was built when schools were typically only one room, it has two rooms and an addition was put on the back sometime later. Sitting in the front room is a pot-bellied stove patented in 1864 and built-in Columbus, Ohio.

It is unclear where Warner School was originally located. Thomas Warner once owned several hundred acres in the area, and was the founder and first teacher of the school. He had asked for and was donated the land to build the school upon.

The earliest known available township plat map of Kosciusko County in 1866 shows District No. 4 school (Warner School) located on the Benjamin Johnson farm in section 9 of Tippecanoe Township, west of North Webster at what is now the northeast corner of county roads 650 East and 650 North.

Warner had sold land to Johnson near the location of the school in 1856, so it is possible Johnson could have also purchased the land from the Warners the school was located on. The Warner family owned a considerable amount of land in this area.

Richard White, who among others has been working on this project, said the best estimate of the original location of Warner School is the section 9 location. White’s mother was a descendant of the Warner family.

“We are seeking registration with the national historical registry,” White said. “We are working with Indiana Landmarks and a consultant out of Plymouth to determine our next steps.”

At some point, the school was moved to the former Dorsey farm just south of North Webster near the intersection of SR 13 and Armstrong Road (CR 500N). It sat next to a more than 100-year-old red barn.

In the 1970s the Kosciusko County Retired Teachers Association restored and furnished the school and had it moved to its present site. Tours were also given of the old school.

Later, Warner School was turned over to the elementary school in North Webster and then eventually to the community center.

If interested in donating, visit the GoFundMe site noted above, go to the donate button on nwcommunitycenter.org or visit the NWCC Facebook page.