In the late 50s it was handed down from Columbus and our state school board that the Moscow school system was too small and must be consolidated by a neighboring school. In this case it was either New Richmond or Felicity Franklin schools. To the students, parents and voters of the Moscow school system the need to consolidate was not needed and an insult from the state school board. This opinion was immediately discarded by Columbus and the ultimatum came down. Choose the school where the children will soon attend. As simple as this sounds it wasn’t as even though there were only two choices that was one too many. The community was pretty much equally divided. Felicity or New Richmond. New Richmond was 4 times larger than Moscow and offered much. Felicity was twice the size and also offered much.
Since the voters couldn’t make a unanimous decision it was put on the ballot and the vote ended in favor of Felicity by less than 25 votes. So in the fall of 1959 the high school students were bused to Felicity as it had been decided. But a petition went out and the decision was put in front of the voters again (it seemed many not wanting Felicity passed the petition). When the vote was counted it was New Richmond by even less than the first vote. This caused the other side to get upset and they passed a petition and for a third time it went in front of the voters who by this time were into what was then called (a school fight) and it was. All of this went on for three plus years and good friends stopped speaking, etc. It got very ugly and by this time I was 12 and had learned more about the education system and what was good and bad about both schools way beyond my years or interest. When the third and final vote was counted it was New Richmond by less than ten votes and even with a recount did not change.
Melancholy hit our house and most of my neighborhood as we were wanting to go to Felicity if we had to go somewhere. I don’t know how the decision was reached but I’m pretty certain that the Superintendent Jim Danner at Felicity worked out a way that those of us who lived on the East side of the Moscow school district would go to Felicity. Ironically and as if I hadn’t felt more stress and pressure than a junior high kid should our farm was the line between the schools and I was told I could choose. Really? Three elections and a recount and it hadn’t resolved yet where I was to go? Way to go Columbus! My parents set me down and said “Okay it is up to you. Pick” Here is what I decided. New Richmond was 17 miles and 4 times the size where I had been going to school. Felicity was only 5 miles away and only twice the size of Moscow. (And it offered Vocational Agriculture and I was farm boy all the way!) So I chose Felicity.
The decision was made and now I had to wait the summer to see if I decided correctly. The day came and I was very nervous at this the largest personal change I had ever made. I recall that the halls were so full of kids moving in all directions and all talking at once. Chaos! I got to what was my home room and sat down in a seat that a girl had pointed to for me to sit in. I think I said thanks and she said watch that boy in front of you he means well but is a little odd. The boy in the seat beside you is my cousin Billy Wagner. Oh and my name is Patty Lindsey. So the day passed and in each class kids said hi and told me their names. By the end of the day I felt better about my choice of Felicity. I had joined the baseball team and had made friends there also. I was a pitcher and Mr. Danner even took time to work with me at a couple of the practices and this seemed to earn me some respect from the other guys. The decision was improving every day.
I was very sad to leave Moscow as it had been the school my sister and brother, uncles and aunt and cousins and even my grandma had graduated from. I would not get to receive a diploma from Moscow. But when I graduated from Felicity up to that date it was the greatest event in my life. I attended Felicity five years and must say and will say it often they were and still are some of the best moments of my life. To have two schools to say you are proud you were given the chance to attend causes me to smile with satisfaction. That hard period of time gave to me so much. But I will tell you this. Consolidation is not a great answer. Not then and I strongly feel not ever! Sorry but I still say go Moscow!
Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories of his youth and other topics. He may be reached at [email protected].