Wenger One Room School

Wenger One Room School. Dinsmore District #4. Dinsmore Township School District No. 4 was formed in 1865 following a decision by the township’s board of education that a school would be built in the center of every four sections of land, or every four square miles. This placement of school buildings gave township children the opportunity to attend school close to home and the chance of receiving a public education up to the eighth grade. Nine districts were created for the children of white households, and an additional district was formed to educate the children of the African American families, for a total of ten districts in the township. On June 11, 1866, the Dinsmore Township School Board purchased land from George Wenger to build the District No. 4 school near the intersection of Ohio Route 274 and Wenger Road., The first hewed log and framed one room school building was soon constructed, and 56 children began attending the Dinsmore Township District No. 4 in 1866. In 1870 the Dinsmore Township School Board abolished the segregation, and in 1875 closed the school for African American children. The brick one room school was built in 1887. The Dinsmore Township School No. 4 educated students from 1866 – 1925 (59 years). On September 28, 1926 the Botkins Special School District sold the school house to John Wenger for $200. On April 22, 2010, Bill and Bonnie Elsass had the school moved one and a half miles to this present location where it has been restored for all to visit and enjoy.