Reeder

An old schoolhouse just has to be prominent in order for the road it sits on to be named after it. After more than a century, Duck Creek Township’s old Reeder School still stands at the southeast corner of Indiana State Route 13 and the Reeder School Road, also known as West County Road 1400-North. Though it’s been covered in siding, its layout is still identifiable as a schoolhouse: originally, it featured a central entry hallway flanked by two cloakrooms that led into the classroom. 

The Reeder school got its name from Benjamin Reeder, on whose land it was originally constructed (Kingman, 1880). Many early schoolhouses served as meeting places and the Reeder School was no exception: it held many Farm Bureau and Farmers’ Association meetings (Duck, 1942). By 1949, only three schools still existed in Duck Creek Township- Leisure, Reeder, and College Corner. Students from across the township were all bussed to Reeder, where first- and second-graders stayed for classes. Third, fourth, and fifth-grade students went on to Leisure, while seventh and eighth-graders were sent to College Corner (Leisure, 1976).

The Reeder school shut down in 1949, a year before the schools at Leisure and College Corner closed in order to send their students to the new Duck Creek-Boone Township Consolidated School (New, 1949). The old school was sold in 1952 (Three, 1952). Since then, it has been a dwelling. 

References

Kingman Brothers. (1880). History of Madison County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Chicago, IL.

Duck Creek Farm Bureau Meets at Reeder School (1942, April 20). The Elwood Call-Leader. 

Leisure organized around saw mill. (1976, July 3). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. C-12.

New School For Duck Creek And Boone Townships. (1949, September 7). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 1.

Three Schools In Duck Creek Township To Be Sold April 26 (1952, April 3). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 1.