{The following was taken from, Centennial Souvenir of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, issued by the Herald Publishing Co., dated 1897.}
Steubenville City Schools
Present School Buildings – The rapid growth of the city soon compelled the enlargement of school accommodations, and in 1867 the old burying ground, at the corner of South and Fourth streets, was purchased and after moving the dead the present building, known as Grant School, was erected thereon…The building is of brick and was completed April 1st, 1870. It contains ten schoolrooms and six class rooms, and will accommodate over six hundred pupils. The High School is located in this building.
{Old Grant School or High School Building, taken from,
Centennial Souvenir of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio}
One year after the completion of the Grant building, steps were taken to build another new building. The old school house, at the corner of Jail alley and Dock street was sold, but the lot retained, an adjoining lot purchased and the present commodious building, known as Stanton School, {below}erected at the corner of Fourth and Dock streets. It is built of brick and was completed in 1873…It is three stories in height, including a basement, and contains twelve rooms with accommodations for five hundred pupils.
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{Stanton School, Fourth and Dock Streets} |
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Lincoln School building {above} some two-story brick structure located in the extreme southwestern part of the city. It was erected in 1891 and is valued at $5,000. It contains three rooms and will accommodate one hundred and fifty pupils.
The Garfield, or Fifth ward building {above} was also erected in 1884…It is a modern two story brick structure, located at the corner of Fifth and Madison streets, and contains eight rooms capable of accommodating four hundred pupils.
The Lincoln, or Second ward building, was completed in 1884 at a cost of $22,000. It is a handsome two-story brick structure, located at the head of Adams street. The building contains eight rooms with accommodations for over four hundred pupils.
Jefferson School is a one-story frame structure, located in the extreme southeastern portion of the city. It was remodeled in 1880 and contains four rooms, which will accommodate one hundred and eighty pupils. It also is valued at $5,000.
Superintendents – The first Superintendent of the Public Schools was T. F. McGrew, elected April 12th, 1853. He was followed by W. J. Sage, J. N. Dessellem, Eli Tappan, J. Buchanan, M. R. Andrews and H. N. Mertz.
Wells High School - Steubenville Township
Under The Buckeye Trees, by George A. Mosel – Wells High School Bulletin of 1912. These were the days when “23 skidoo” was the popular slang phrase, so it seems appropriate to mention 23 girls I knew in this age of innocence, coupled with characteristics as seen through the eyes of a contemporary, copied verbatim from the Wells High School Bulletin of 1912.
- Hilda Steele A little rosebud set with willful thorns and fair as English air…
- Alberta Nesbitt She is pretty to walk with, and witty to talk with, and pleasant too think on…
- Elizabeth Griffith her sunny locks hang on her temple like golden fleece…
- Mary Barclay Hasn’t scratched yet…
- Mary Allison A school-belle
- Helen Brady Hoot mon
- Dorothy Erdman Disturb me not
- Helen Franzheim Will-o- the wisp
- Evalyn Swan explains herself
- Helen Blinn The queen of hearts
- Mary L. Mosel A cute little damsel
- Marian Clark Ya-as, just call my secretary
- Mary Sturgeon Sounds fishy
- Janet Taggart Peek-a-boo
- Ethel Alban Thou bonnie gem
- Virginia Ault Honor student?
- Margaret Beall Her voice is ever soft
- Helen Cochran Most blameless she
- Mae Crumley Fear me not
- Gwendolyn Reese She hath a copyright on her heart
- Virginia Sharp Little one, thou are too serious
- Lucy Sherrat She’s fond of birds, especially Chick-adees
- Eloise Walker Blue are her eyes, as the fairy Flax
Many of these girls have other names now but I shall let you figure them out for yourself. Should any of these girls, now grown to womanhood these many years, take umbrage over the pithy remarks after her name, they may blame an old pixie friend of mine, Kenyon Roper, who wrote them all. In a way, he and I were rivals for the favor of the same girl.
Luckily, none of these charmers of my youth required artificial aid from a jar or bottle, because there was no beauty parlors as we know them today, only a hairdresser there and there. The Turkish cold cream advertisement promised a transformation – “seen at once, removing all blotches and pimples dispelling dark and unsightly spots, tan and sunburn, and by it’s gentle but powerful influence, mantle the faded cheek with youthful bloom and beauty. This cream could be purchased at Burgoyne’s Drug Store on South Third Street. Mr. Burgoyne has long since passed away. He would have been the collaborator in adding a dash of spice to these plodding recollections.
Wells High School - Steubenville Township
The Bulletin devoted to the interests of Wells High School, Steubenville, Ohio, June 1913 – Volume III, Number 13 – Wells High School – The first school in Steubenville was founded in 1806 by Bezaleel Wells. It consisted of a small, red brick structure on what is now High Street, then in the midst of virgin forest. Since then the city has grown wonderfully, and with it the schools. Just one hundred years after the founding of the first school, on November 16, 1906, Wells High School, appropriately named in honor of the father of Steubenville schools, was formally opened to the public.
The high school, which was considered at the time of the opening so perfect in every detail, has not stood still. The growth since then has been even more wonderful than before. From seven teachers the high school list has grown to thirteen; the enrollment now stands 376, against 146 the first year.
And the subjects taught, too, have kept pace with the growth in numbers. Six different courses are now offered to the pupil entering high school – the teachers’ course; the scientific course; the commercial course; the modern language course; the college preparatory course; and the general course, a combination of the last two. Each of these courses prepares for a certain line of work, and each has its distinct field.
Literary societies, too, are a comparatively new feather of high school. Four societies are now organized two from the freshman class, one sophomore, and the junior-senior. These elect officers each term and carry out biweekly programs, including all sorts of literary and oratorical work, such as orations, essays, debates, and recitation. They are growing quite rapidly, and new features are being added each year. The latest of these is the introduction of plays into the regular program, something entirely new.
