First Schools, School Histories and School Tidbits of Clermont County

compiled by Chyrl Lawrence-Bulger

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This file was contributed for use in the Ohio USGenWeb Clermont County by Chyrl Lawrence-Bulger myancestry@aol.com

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Amelia

The first school in town was located north of the Methodist Church along Church Street. John McGrew taught as early as the 1820s.

John Robinson owned much of the land in the center of Amelia. He donated a portion of his land for the building of a school that opened in 1870. A memorial to the first school stands in the yard of Amelia Elementary at 5 E. Main St. The school itself stood in the present school's parking lot; it was torn down in 1962. Amelia High School opened in 1890, graduating its first class of five seniors in 1893.

Batavia

Thomas Chichester established the first school on record in 1819, on the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Wood Street.

The first church was Methodist Episcopal and it, too, occupied the same corner as the school. For many years it was known as the Old Stone Church. It was in this building on Thanksgiving Day in 1909 that the first reported high school basketball game in Clermont County took place.

Bethel

The site of the first school in Bethel was on the square surrounded by Main, Plane, and Union Streets. It began sometime before 1825.

Former Ohio State football coach and College Football Hall of Fame member Woody Hayes lived in Bethel as a child. His father was superintendent of Bethel Schools at the beginning of the 20th Century. They lived on the west side of N. Union Street between Bone Street and Davis Lane.

Steve Newman, the first person to walk solo around the world, lived on Charity Street and graduated from Bethel-Tate High School in 1972. His walk lasted from April 1, 1983 to April 1, 1987.

Loveland

The first school was a one-room log cabin that stood on the southeast corner of S. R. 48's intersection with Loveland-Miamiville Road. It had split log benches and a "rather ineffective" fireplace. John Clinton was the first teacher. The first Loveland High School class graduated one person in 1881 - Evelyn Hawley.

New Richmond

Market Street School. In July of 1829, a petition was brought before the village council and a committee of three men appointed to build on lots 98 and 99. The Market Street School Building, originally dedicated in 1915, now occupies this block. The last class to graduate from this building was in 1965. Grades nine through twelve were moved to a new building on Bethel-New Richmond Road in the fall of 1965. The building was used until 1974 for grades seven and eight, with administrative offices occupying the building until 1980. The old school was sold in 1983, repurchased in 1990 and now is used as a community center housing school administrative offices, pre-school and adult education classrooms, satellite county agencies, a branch of the public library, and a youth club. It was rededicated on August 27, 1995.

Olive Branch

On the southwest corner of Amelia-Olive Branch Road and old State Route 74 once stood the brick Odd Fellows building. The structure first housed a church and also served as a schoolhouse where Henry Clark Corbin taught just before the Civil War.

On May 19, 1922, a lightning strike caused a tremendous fire, destroying the entire block to Shaylor Creek, including the school building, post office, a store and homes.

Owensville

The east end of the present Floral Hall was the site of the first school in Owensville and Stonelick Township in 1805. A fireplace took up the entire east wall of the 15 by 20-foot building; a Mr. Edmunds was the first teacher.

The first Boston High School was built in 1893 at the northeast corner of Main and Elizabeth streets, later being moved to 205 Short St. The Clermont Northeastern Primary School building at 463 S. Broadway was completed in 1923 and served as the high school until the final Owensville High School class graduated in 1957. Consolidation brought about the construction of Clermont Northeastern High School, east of town. Its first graduating class was in 1958.

Williamsburg

The block of Main Street between Second and Front streets was very significant historically. Just east of the corner stood the first school in town, which closed about 1817.

Withamsville

A large school building was located on Ohio Pike between 795 Ohio Pike which is the old Bennett home and a stage stop was located on the site of present 805 Ohio Pike.  The school building was destroyed by what is believed to be the village's largest fire in October of 1922.

Other old school buildings in the village include a home at 4014 Glen Este-Withamsville Road and the building on Glen Este-Withamsville Road across the street from Wingate Lane.