From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

Information for this retrospective series is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

1986 — The Old Freshman School Building, the large structure encompassing nearly one square block on East Main Street, between Indiana and Detroit streets, has seen a large amount of activity in the last 70 years – from being the Center Ward Elementary School when the east, west and center wards were all located on Main street; a junior high school building; an armory for the National Guard prior to World War II; the site of fever-pitched basketball tournaments in the 1940s and 50s; a freshman high school facility and the school’s Central Administration offices.

Built in 1916, the school was used for grades one through nine and at one time reportedly had a 60-1 pupil to teacher ratio. It later was used jointly for middle school and freshman grades.  An addition to the west side of the building was made in 1937.

A move in 1963 resulted in the freshmen moving to the building now housing the Retired Tigers. In 1975, a new middle school was constructed.  When the junior high students moved to the new site, it appeared then that the old building was near its end.

It gained a reprieve, however, in mid-summer of that year when officials discovered the old freshman site was better than the building on West Main Street and moved the ninth graders back to their old building.

At one time, the structure on the east side was used as an armory after construction in 1928, and became a scene of hectic activity in 1940 and early 1941 when local troops joined the war effort even before the United States became officially involved. Also included there was a shooting range.

June 11, 1968 — The much sought-after Silver Horseshoe that county schools have fought over for 21 years has finally found a permanent home with the Kosciusko County Historical Society. Claud Stahl, president of the society, accepted the “shoe” from Akron High School Principal Lyle Edinburn. Akron was the last school to possess the trophy when it was decided by county officials to retire the horseshoe due to the consolidation of Milford, North Webster and Syracuse.

June 5, 1967 — Syracuse will be shooting for a regional baseball title at Manchester this week after winning the first IHSAA-sponsored state high school sectional crown at Nappanee Saturday.

Team members are Greg Smith, Max Brockers, John Kramer, Steve Wagner, Bob Pilcher, Tom Thornburg, Rob Clevenger, manager Kermit Welty, Dennis Harper, Rob Smith, John Wortinger, Mike Bordon, Coach Eldon Ummel, Curt Stucky, Dave Wickstrom, Gary Firestone, Alan Zimmerman and Brad Bauer.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels