Saratoga

The first school at Saratoga was built in 1848. A log structure, it stood at the northwest corner of Main and Evans streets, before a replacement was built fifteen years later on the same site, just east of the town’s United Methodist Church. The original schoolhouse was moved across the street and was added onto. It now looks like a typical house, though the original log portion forms the living room (Thomas, 1975).

In 1898, a four-room school was built on the block surrounded by Pearl Street, Barber Street, and Division Street (Thomas, 1969). Four years later, a two-year high school was established there, which later moved to the town’s Odd Fellows’ hall due to a lack of space (Hinshaw, 2008). 

A new, consolidated school at Saratoga was decdicated in 1927 at the site of its predecessor (School, 1927). After the township consolidated, the school took the name of Ward High School. Ward, Franklin, and the Metropolitan School District of Winchester-White River Township merged to form the new Randolph Central School Corporation in 1962 (Randolph, 1962). 

Though its successors have all been demolished, the house that the original log schoolhouse was added to still stands as a residence. 

References

Thomas, L. (1975, June 22). Saratoga Plans 4-Day Centennial Celebration.

Thomas, L. (1969, June 29). Saratoga Settled Before Civil War. The Muncie Star. p. 10. 

Hinshaw, G. (2008). A History of Education in Randolph County, Indiana. Retrieved February 13, 2022.

School At Saratoga Will Be Dedicated (1927, February 9). The Muncie Star. p. 8.

Randolph Voters Elect School Board Members (1962, June 30). The Muncie Star. p. 11.