Union, Central, FHS, Emerson and ???
July 7, 1999

PIX#1 History Lesson (photos by John Montgomery) Known by many names over its 122-year history, the Emerson Junior High School Building has been purchased and is expected to be torn down. The name of the buyer has not been released. Above, throughout its educational life, the building has been known as Union School, Central High, Fostoria High and Emerson Junior High. Wings were added to the east and west sides in 1909. In 1915, the original facade was replaced during a remodeling session of the school's center section. The school housed students from 1877-1970, sat idle for a year, then served as the town's junior high from 1971 until the current middle school was completed. At right, this school bell, now displayed on a pedestal in the Emerson Junior High lot, once called students to class. It was cast in 1878 at the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Md.

"Cheer, cheer for old Central High!" Doesn't ring any bells? How about "Union School! Union School! Go! Fight! Win!"? No?

The old Emerson Junior High School building is in the news as possible plans for that site are being discussed again.

Everyone knows that Emerson was Fostoria High School prior to the construction of the current high school in 1970. But there probably aren't many folks left who remember when that building was known as the "Union School" or "Central High."

Those names haven't been used for more than three quarters of a century.

The original school on the Emerson site was built in 1877. It was part of a construction program designed to modernize Fostoria's public education system.

Following the unification of Rome and Risdon in 1854 which formed Fostoria, the town voted to build a school on land adjacent to the First Methodist Church at Main and Fremont Streets (Governor's Manor).

The land was donated by Charles W. Foster, father of "Ohio's Master Politician" Calico Charley Foster. On that spot, a two-story, four-room school was erected.

On January 7, 1856, the free public school opened its doors. John McCauley was the principal and Frances Peeples was the teacher.

In 1862, C.C. Nestlerode assumed the principal's job. He established five educational departments - infant, primary, secondary, grammar and high school. He also supervised the effort to organize the Fostoria School District in 1863.

In addition to Emerson, other building in the construction program included the First Ward Building (1874), Center Street Building (Second Ward, 1889), Sandusky Street Building (Fourth Ward, 1890), Columbus Avenue Building (Fifth Ward, 1891), Union Street Building (Third Ward, 1893 and not to be confused with the Union School), Crocker Street Building (1900) and Sixth Street Building (1908).

That's eight buildings in 34 years of sustained investment in the school system's physical plant. Fostoria was busy.

The land on which Emerson was built was purchased from Charles Foster. Thirty-two years after its completion, expanded enrollment made physical expansion the order of the day.

In 1909, wings were added to the east and west sides of the original building. The first two floors of the east wing housed junior high students until 1954.

In 1915, the center section underwent extensive remodeling. An exterior facelift replaced the 1877 facade with one more resembling the new wings.

Finally, here's something only old-timers will recall. Until 1949 Fostoria had no football stadium. From 1896-1901, the gridiron boys frolicked on the grass of Victor Field, located on Columbus Avenue.

From 1902 to 1948, fans roosted on wooden bleachers at the Athletic Field behind Fostoria High School. That field was the site of the annual football match-up between FHS and St. Wendelin from 1924-46.

SWHS lost every one of those games save for a 6-6 tie in 1926.

In 1933, SW was on the short end of a 33-7 shellacking. In the second half, No.7 for the Mohawks decided the Saints would do better on defense if they just knew what plays FHS was going to run.

So he nonchalantly poked his nose in the Redmen huddle to listen up. Well the FHS'ers were having no part of that funny business. They gave the eavesdropper the bum's rush.

No.7 for St. Wendelin in those days was a resourceful fellow named Leonard Skonecki.
Nice try Dad.

Sorry, folks. Couldn't resist. It's an old family story. Might even be true.

For 93 years, from 1877 to 1970, Emerson saw the steady march of Fostoria schoolchildren through its doors.

That ended temporarily with the opening of the current high school in 1970. In the fall of 1971, after a year of sitting idle, Emerson re-opened as a junior high and operated as such until the current Fostoria Middle School was completed.

Now, however, the old building on High Street, Union School, Central High, Fostoria High School or Emerson Junior High School - will no longer be playing a part in education here in Fostoria.

Something different is on its way.