BELLVILLE — Bellville Elementary was abuzz on Saturday as former students roamed the halls for the last time.

Teachers stood at their classroom doors, greeting the steady stream of people who had come for the building’s open house and farewell. The event was organized by administrators, teachers and the PTO to give the alumni a chance to visit the school one last time before the building’s demolition. 

“I love that they’re having something like this for the community,” said reading recovery instructor Kelly Stephens. “It used to be you could walk into the school whenever you wanted. Now you just can’t do that anymore.”

An estimated 500 people came to the open house, according to second grade teacher and event committee member Kelly Shinabarker.

“I was thrilled with the turnout,” she said. “It was awesome to see so many former Bellville students enjoying themselves.”

Many of the visitors were not Clear Fork graduates, but Bellville Bluejays. The high schools in Bellville and Butler merged to become Clear Fork in 1963. 

Doris Holdren King graduated from Bellville High School in 1940. She came all the way from Sandusky and even brought her senior yearbook with her.

Lynn Fox attended first through 12th grade in the Bellville building.

“We didn’t have kindergarten back then,” she said. 

Fox graduated in a class of 43 students. She was involved in the band and theater, but said girls’ sports teams were unheard of when she was in school.

Jim Snyder, a 1955 graduate, reminisced about his days on student council and the football team. 

“Man, it looks small,” he said as he gazed down the hall. 

Steve and Karen Titus were members of the class of 1963 — the last to graduate from Bellville High School. 

Karen’s most poignant memory was walking on to the football field during her first performance with the marching band. She describes it as her coming-of-age moment.

“I was going from a kid in elementary to being in junior high and high school,” she recalled. “I didn’t know if I could play my clarinet. It was so emotional.”

Steve said meeting Karen was his best high school memory. The pair have been married for 52 years. 

While the Tituses are sad the building is being razed, they believe it’s the right decision.

“It’s time,” said Steve. “I hate to see it go, but it’s got to go.”

2004 Clear Fork graduate Amy Babcock disagrees.

“It breaks my heart,” she said. “People knew Bellville because of the ‘castle school.’ It’s a beautiful school.”

She, her father, grandparents and great-grandmother all attended classes there. Babcock’s daughter will start school next year, but she will be in the new building.

“I think that’s what makes me the most sad is that I wanted my daughter to go here,” she said.

“That old building has been such a blessing to the community for so many years,” reflected Stephens. “I’m gonna miss those big tall ceilings and beautiful wood floors, but what a gift to give our kids.” 

Current students will continue attending classes in the School Street building until Christmas break, but event organizers decided to hold the open house this weekend to coincide with the Bellville Street Fair and multiple class reunions.

“I saw more classmates today than I have since I graduated,” said police chief Ron Willey.

Willey stayed in Bellville after graduation and has been a member of the police force for 35 years. He describes the building’s removal as bittersweet.

“It’s history going away, but it’s for a good cause,” he stated.

The original building was constructed in 1894, when one-room school houses still dotted Jefferson Township. Records from the Bellville Jefferson Township Historical Society indicate at least seven school houses existed in the township during the late 19th and early 20th century. By the early 1940s, they had all closed in favor of the School Street building. 

Some additions, including the gymnasium, were built in the late 1930s.

“It’s not a practical building to try to preserve,” Fox said. “We’ll just have to hold it dear in our hearts.”

The new elementary school will offer a lot of things the current building doesn’t: wheelchair accessibility, air conditioning and the capacity for more up-to-date technology.

“My classroom had three outlets in it, the original part of the building was built before electricity,” explained Stephens.

When Snyder said he was sad to see the building go, computer teacher Cathy Kinney tried to cheer him up. 

“If walls could talk, they’d probably say they’re getting tired,” joked Kinney.