Catey’s

West River Township’s District 11 schoolhouse, known as Catey’s after a nearby family, was originally located on the east side of what’s now South County Road 425-West, just southwest of Carlos (Warner, 1865). A replacement was built in 1871 (Hinshaw, 2008) across the road from its original location (Former, 1955).

Some of the first teachers at Catey’s later rose to prominence in Randolph County politics, including lawyers Lon and Tom Hutchens, county clerk Alonzo Farquahr, and Jude Alazon Bales (Former).

The District 11 school was condemned in 1911 (School, 1911), but six years passed before it was closed, along with West River Township’s District 3: Botkin school. This was the same year that a consolidated school in the Washington Township community of Bloomingport was erected (School, 1917). It’s likely that students of the Catey’s school sent to the building at Carlos, which was operated jointly by West River and Washington townships (Carlos, 1920). 

Today, the old schoolhouse has been enlarged and is in use as a home.

References

Warner, C.S (1865). 1865 Wall-Map of Randolph County. C.A.O. McClellan & C.S. Warner. Waterloo, Indiana. map.

Hinshaw, G. (2008). A History of Education in Randolph County, Indiana. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
Former Students Of Two Schools in Bygone Days Near Carlos To Hold Reunion Sept. 5 (The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 20.

School Buildings Are Condemned (1911, April 19). The Winchester Journal. 

School Contract Awarded (1917, June 18). The Muncie Press. p. 2.

Carlos School Will Not Be Built Now (1920, July 1). The Winchester Democrat.