Franklin Township’s Marine schoolhouse was first built in 1860. Eighteen years later, the building was remodeled by a Colonel Wiley1. The school got its unusual name from Moorman W. Marine, a farmer whose land the building stood on2.
The Marine schoolhouse served students in Franklin Township’s District 33. The institution was still open in 1922 when it’s basketball players were defeated by Whitewater 13-4 in a township-wide tournament4, but closed sometime prior to 1928. Along with the Bethel schoolhouse, the building was sold at auction that October5.
Eventually, all of Franklin Township’s students attended classes at Whitewater. Today, they go to Northeastern High School. Despite the changes, Franklin Township’s old Marine schoolhouse still survives as a home. The expanded building sits at the corner of Arba Pike and Marine Road.
Sources Cited
1 Records Show First Whitewater Teacher for ’18 Term A Quaker (1955, November 10). The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 24.
2 The county of Wayne, Indiana, an imperial atlas and art folio (1893). Rerick Bros. [Richmond]. Map.
3 County Superintendents Of Wesley School Era Recalled (1973, May 15). The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 46.
4 Whitewater Five Wins Tournament (1922, March 25). The Richmond Palladium. p. 15.
5 Notice of Sale of School Property (1928, October 2). The Richmond Palladium. p. 10.
