Memories of a former Piketon student
Gene Brushart remembers when there were six high schools in Pike County, a historical fact that may seem rather strange to the younger generations these days.
Long before the days of Eastern, Piketon, Waverly and Western, schools were smaller and served students within close proximity
When Brushart was a young man attending school, the names Eastern and Western did not exist. However, there were six high schools in Pike County, including Beaver, Stockdale, Latham, Piketon, Waverly and Wakefield.
"Wakefield consolidated with Piketon in the fifties. All of those high schools also had elementary schools, which no longer existence," said Brushart.
"I went to Piketon myself. Piketon also had elementary schools at Jasper, Elm Grove, Camp Creek, and Idaho. There wasn't a school at Zahn's Corner then. There was a one-room schoolhouse there years ago. My dad and my aunts went there."
According to Brushart, Wakefield had Wakefield High School and Wakefield Elementary. Waverly's younger students attended Waverly, Omega, Alma and East Jackson elementaries. Beaver had Beaver and Union elementaries.
"Back then, some students didn't go on to high school. Once they finished eighth grade at the elementary school, they considered that the end of their education. A lot of times they would go through their last year twice and be done," said Brushart.
There were also a lot of one room school houses in the hollows. All of the communities had them. There was one on Bobo Road; Bobo Holler we used to call it. There was also Spargursville Elementary, but some of those kids may have went to Bainbridge or Bourneville."
According to Brushart, the first schools to consolidate were Piketon and Wakefield in the late fifties, leading the way for how the schools in Pike Count are set up today.
"Wakefield had built a new school in 1952. The reason I remember is so well was because Sarah (his wife) and I had graduated and they just made the announcement that the atomic plant was being built. Wakefield students were only in that building two years. I think they had wanted to avoid consolidation, but they didn't," said Brushart.
"All of the local schools were really proud. I remember that we had the Pike County track meet at the fairgrounds every year. All of the schools would get out and spend the day there. It was a big day. All of the schools had their own colors. I remember that Jasper had green. I have a lot of fond memories of that event. It was quite an experience."
He finished, "When I was in school, I didn't really care for history at all; but now looking back, I know it has become very important.
The Pike County Progress Edition
February 2004
by Julie Billings
The Waverly News Watchman
Copyright © 2008
Pike Co. Genealogy Society a Chapter of O.G.S.
P. O. Box 224, Waverly, Ohio 45690