The "New" Mark Center School -

A summary of the story of the school by guest blogger, Gladys Donson -

"The Mark Center School

 The Mark Center High School was erected in 1922 in the northwest corner of Section 22 in Mark Township, Defiance County, Ohio, across the corner from the two story wooden structure which housed the previous high school and district elementary school.

The land was transferred from D. F. Openlander and wife to the Mark Township Board of Education on November 15, 1921, being eight acres.  As is often the case, feelings had run high at the time the additional levy was on the ballot to provide money to build the new school.  Some considered it progress and necessary.  Others thought it a waste of money.

The Board of Education in 1920-1921 consisted of: George Stuckman, President; R. D. Dunson, Vice-President, Perry Horn, Charley Wonderly, Burt Blackburn, and Lavon A. Elder, Clerk.  By 1922-1923, the Board had almost completely changed to: Edgar Haver, President; Elmer Lobdell, Vice-President, Lavon A. Elder, Henry Gecowits, Walter Burd, and H. O. Beltz, Clerk.

Thomas D. McLaughlin and Associates were the architects from Lima, Ohio.  Baker and Shindler Contracting Company of Defiance were the general contractors.

The building housed grades one through twelve until the fall of 1958 when consolidation was implemented and the high school was moved to the Farmer building temporarily, until the Fairview High School was completed.  In the fall of 1967, the seventh and eighth grades were removed to the Ney building until a junior high building was added to the Fairview High School.  

From this time until the building was closed at the end of the 1989-1990 school year, it housed only kindergarten through sixth grade.  The elementary children were divided between the Farmer and Sherwood buildings after Mark Center was closed."

G. Donson, July 26, 1993