Culver High School
Culver Community High School  

The first Culver school was built between 1898 and 1902. Many think it was the grade school before it became the hotel. It was probably only two stories when it was the grade school. Known to recent Culver­ites as the Osborn Hotel, the three-story frame building that stands as a landmark at the northwest corner of Ohio and Jefferson was called the New Culver Hotel in its heyday.

David Burns, now 81, recalls attending the first grade in the building in 1915 at a time when it was used as a school. The building at that time was only two stories high, Burns said.

The elementary school building, located about where the two-room addi­tion is being built at Culver Elementary School, had grown crowded, and the school board had spent most of the available funds on construction of a high school. Consequently, Burns said, the first grade met in the former hotel building, and the second grade also used temporary quarters nearby.

Burns said that the build­ing was constructed by a member of the prominent Osborn family -- the same man who built the Osborn Block in downtown Culver.

Burns believes it was built in 1902, although a Civil War veteran he knew claimed that it dated from 1898. The hotel was remodeled by John Osborn, and during one period of reconstruction the third floor was added. High hopes for the build­ing remained until fairly recent times. In February 1975, it was dedicated as the Osborn Center in honor of William 0. Osborn. It was planned as a center for senior citizens.

At the time when Burns was a student there, the first grade had a great many students, but enrollment de­clined in the higher grades, he recalled. Most students, he said, left school to enter the work force after 8th grade. Burns didn't leave school until after his sophomore year of high school, when he left to lay brick with his father. He continued in that occupation.

In 1906, when Culver City needed a school building and there were no funds nor means of raising any for the necessary expense, Mr. Overmyer financed the erection of a building on long term payment plans.

He also subscribed generously to the fund for the erection of the high school building in 1920.

CULVER GYM TO BE READY FOR THE PLYMOUTH GAME
Culver, Ind., Nov. 30. - One more week of good weather will make it a certainty that the new township gymnasium will be ready for the dedication game with Plymouth on Dec. 17.

The sheeting on the roof has been completed and with enough more good weather to complete the housing in, the workers will be able to do enough of the interior work to make the gym useable, although not complete, of course.

When completed the gymnasium will be the best in Marshall county and among the best of any in the state for a town the size of Culver. It will accommodate a crowd of 1,400 people with a good view of the floor from all seats.
The News-Sentinel, Saturday, November 30, 1929

Culver Citizen
Feb. 19, 1930

NEW GYMNASIUM STAGE FITTED WITH SCENERY IS BEST IN COUNTY Sufficient Lighting Installed to Give Fine Effects With Modern Stage Equipment.

Workmen have been busy installing a complete set of stage scenery and equipment on the new community building stage that will make it the best in the country. For the first time a high school production will have sufficient room to properly stage a play. And of equal importance will be the stage setting.

There will be lights and plenty of them. The foot lights will be solid with bulbs of various colors to give the desired effects, while from overhead two rows of lights will illuminate the stage and remove shadows. Then from the wings will be flood lights with an assortment of colors.

The stage scenery offers an indoor and an outdoor setting, and these will be handled by modern equipment which will allow much faster changing of scenery as well as much more effective work. Then for sound purposes a special drapery surrounds the stage, insuring proper acoustics.

The stage curtain is a beautiful maroon material that is fireproof, an important item for the safety of the public.

All this has not and will not cost the taxpayers a cent as the expense is being borne by school organizations. The Parent-Teacher Association has agreed to aid, as have some of the classes and other intra-school groups. Play proceeds will be used for his fund, as will the revenue from other projects.

• January 2 – The contract for the construction of the new elementary school building here has been awarded to the Russell L. Easterday Construction Company.
• January 9 – Construction work on new grade school building started this week by Russell L. Easterday has made necessary emergency traffic regulations along School Street….
• November 12 – Grade teachers, pupils took up new residence in the completed wing of the new building Friday…
• November 19 – The new school building open house attracted about 1,000 visitors…

Therefore when we build let us think we build for­ever. Let it not be for present delight…not for present use alone. Let it be such a work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time will come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands touched them or that men will say as they look upon the labor and wrought sub­stance of them, "See! This our fathers did for us."

We are proud to be the Cavaliers from Culver High
Our Hearts will always fill with pride,
Hearts will thrill at the sound of the name,
We'll forever add to our fame.
Hail to Our Cavaliers, Ever loyal and true we'll be.

Go you Cavaliers! Fight with all your might!
Go you Cavaliers! Win this game tonight!

We are proud to be the Cavaliers from Culver High
Our Hearts will always fill with pride,
Hearts will thrill at the sound of the name,
We'll forever add to our fame.
Hail to our Cavaliers, Ever loyal and true we'll be.

C C CUL, V V VER, CULVER, Go, CULVER!!!

AN EARLY HISTORY OF CULVER HIGH SCHOOL
Mrs. W.O. Osborn

The Construction of the School >
Your present school was built in stages. The parts that remain were built in 1929, 1952, 1986 and 1990. The gym was built in 1929 and is now 65 years old. Part of the classrooms were built in 1952, so that part of your school is 42 years old. The south end where the cafeteria­-multi-purpose room is was built in 1986. This area used to be for the high school until it moved to its present home next to state road 10. So the south end of your present building is 8 years old. The north end of your elementary building had two classrooms added in 1990.

Which makes that end of your school only 4 years old. If we include the basement which belonged to the first elementary school that was here in 1906, part of your school would be 88 years old. The metal building that sits by your playground has been here since World War II, so the age of it is not known. It has served as a storage area, the shop for the high school students, and the band room for the high school and grade school students. It belonged to the Army before we received it, so it's age is questionable. We received the building around 1946.

Since the buildings were built at different times, different construction companys worked on your elementary building. The gym was built by Russel L. Easterday Construction Co. They also built the part that was built in 1952. The Cafeteria-muti-purpose area was built by H. G. Christman Construction Co. and the two new classrooms built in 1990 were built by Easterday Construction Co.

When the elementary was built in 1952, the principal was Shelton Kaiser. I have a picture of him and the first group of teachers who taught in your elementary.I also put a picture of the Superintendent of Schools on that page because in 1952 the Superintendent was for the whole county. Now our Superintendent, Mr Mills is just in charge of our schools, not the whole county. He still has a very big job.

The school is 42 years old. The south end where the cafeteria­-multi-purpose room is was built in 1986. This area used to be for the high school until it moved to its present home next to state road 10. So the south end of your present building is 8 years old. The north end of your elementary building had two classrooms added in 1990. Which makes that end of your school only 4 years old. If we include the basement which belonged to the first elementary school that was here in 1906, part of your school would be 88 years old. The metal building that sits by your playground has been here since World War II, so the age of it is not known.

It has served as a storage area, the shop for the high school students, and the band room for the high school and grade school students. It belonged to the Army before we received it, so it's age is questionable. We received the building around 1946.

Since the buildings were built at different times, different construction companys worked on your elementary building. The gym was built by Russel L. Easterday Construction Co. They also built the part that was built in 1952. The Cafeteria-muti-purpose area was built by H. G. Christman Construction Co. and the two new classrooms built in 1990 were built by Easterday Construction Co.

The First Principal
When the elementary was built in 1952, the principal was Shelton Kaiser. I have a picture of him and the first group of teachers who taught in your elementary. I also put a picture of the Superintendent of Schools on that page because in 1952 the Superintendent was for the whole county. Now our Superintendent, Mr Mills is just in charge of our schools, not the whole county. He still has a very big job.

Teachers
I decided to choose the teacher who has taught the longest in your school and is still teaching. In years past many teachers taught 40 to 50 years, but it would be difficult to find who has really taught the longest. Mary E. Weirick started teaching in 1960 which was 34 years ago. Her picture is in your book.

I will let your teacher explain how she goes about getting her supplies for the classroom. As a school board member we pay the bills and set budgets, but the day to day workings of the school is left to the principals, teachers. and Mr. Mills.

The school board has many duties and it would be a long list. Our main job is to make sure all of our students get a good education and have a good environment to work and learn in. We try to listen to all the people in our community to make our school the very best place it can be.