GOSPEL RIDGE SCHOOL

TOO MANY TO LIST

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 6/16/2014 at 10:15:19

GOSPEL RIDGE SCHOOL

Weldon Centennial 1880-1980

------------------------
In 1847 a Missionary Baptist minister from Ohio, Daniel Winters, settled
four miles northwest of Garden Grove. His calling gave the location, the
name Gospel Ridge. The first school house was a rough log cabin located one
half mile east of the west Garden Grove township on the south side of the
Popcorn road.

Because of the way the area was settled this school was off to one side. The
Rev. Winters gave one acre of land for a new school. The new schoolhouse
was built one mile east of the township line and three fourth miles north of
the Popcorn road on top of a big hill on the east side of the road.

In 1859 the school was again moved to the bottom of the big hill on the
north side of the Weldon Creek, on the west side of the road.

In early days the school had a large enrollment, often in the 40's for the
winter term. Surnames of some of the students were Gartons, Metier, McVay,
German, McBroom, Ghlke, Pettis, Trysler, Landau, Curry, Roe, Evans and
Rosengrant.

Teachers who taught at this school were Daniel Winters Jr., Kate Vail, Eda
Anderson, Marion Woodard, Ella Bronson, John Duffield, Carol Talbot, Carrie
Rosengrant (Mitchell), Jessie Nish, Grace Gittinger, Ethel Bunch, Ina
Overholtzer, Coy Smith, Iona Woolman.

The schoolhouse was moved to LeRoy.

In 1976 the Decatur County Conservation Commission was searching for the oldest tree in Decatur County. The Burr Oak that was in the Gospel Ridge school yard was estimated being 789 years old. This tree is still standing and there is now a trailer home located in its shade.