In 1875, Vernon Township’s District 7 school stood at the northwest corner of County Road 400-West and County Road 900-North1. By 1905, it’d been moved to land owned by the heirs of Isaac Cushman2.
The schoolhouse ultimately received its common name based on the farmer who deeded its land. Based on its T-shaped design, I bet it was built around 1890. In 1892, Dr. O.A Collins of Mohawk gave a stump speech at the school as the people’s candidate for county coroner3.
The schoolhouse was still a going concern in 19104. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long-lived. Cushman’s School seems to have served students up through 1915. A reunion of its former pupils was held four years later5, and another was held at a grove a quarter mile west in 19216.
Ultimately, Vernon Township’s schoolhouses consolidated into a new school in McCordsville. The $57,000 building was designed by architects Hemkel & Hanson of Connersville. Officials pronounced it one of the best new rural schools that only rivaled the high school in Greenfield7.
Today, the old Cushman’s schoolhouse sits inside the tall fences of Fortvile Auto Salvage. My car is pretty stout, but the next time I need a front passenger side fender, I’ll be sure venture in for a picture or two.
Sources Cited
1 King, J. K. (1875). Map of Hancock County, Indiana from recent & original surveys. Worley and Bracher [Philadelphia]. Map.
2 Monger, O. H. (1906). William Mitchell Printing Company [Greenfield]. Map.
3 Correspondence (1892, September 22). The Greenfield Republican. p. 8.
4 Monger, I.F. (1910). Official Map, Hancock County, Ind. [Greenfield]. Map.
5 Fourth Reunion (1919, August 19). The Greenfield Daily Reporter. p. 1.
6 Family Reunions (1921, September 3). The Greenfield Daily Reporter. p. 2.
7 Fine Picture Of The New M’Cordscille Building [
