South Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Southwood Elementary School
Historic Building, Still in Use
Built in 1894, the original eight-room Southwood Elementary School cost $16,000 to construct on this site purchased from a local family for $3,000. The school originally had five teachers and a teacher-pupil ratio of 50-1. Mary Esper was the school's first principal and German language instructor, staying until her retirement in 1923. Children attended grades one through eight and special biweekly classes in carpentry and cooking. The school had its first graduation ceremony in 1896, with six boys and seven girls being promoted to high school. By 1912, the school had grown to 17 rooms with 16 teachers and 735 students. A Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was formed in 1917, raising money for school supplies and equipment, food and clothing for needy Great Depression families, trees for the school grounds, cookies and candies for service men in World War II, scholarships, a new library, and much more.
The Southwood Elementary School, designed by the first architect employed by Columbus Public Schools, David Riebel, is noted for its Romanesque Revival architectural style. A fine example of intricate decoration achieved with brick, the building was placed on the Columbus Register of Historic Properties. In the 1990s, a joint venture among community members, the City of Columbus, and Southwood Elementary School
resulted in a major investment toward improving the grounds and landscape around Southwood, with community funds used for playground expansion and equipment. Also, significant development went into adjacent Southwood- Mileusnich Park that is named for Mike Mileusnich, a South Columbus community activist. For more that 50 years starting in 1935, Milesunich was a leader in local school athletics, Council of South Side Organizations, Steelton Merchants Association, Southeast Lions Club, and American Legion. Southwood Elementary School later underwent a major renovation and expansion, completed in 2009.Erected 2009 by Merion Village Association The United Way of Central Ohio The Columbus Foundation The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 111- 25.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.
Location. 39° 55.935′ N, 82° 59.563′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in South Columbus. Marker is at the intersection of Southwood Avenue and 4th Street, on the left when traveling west on Southwood Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1500 S Fourth St, Columbus OH 43207, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Merion Village (approx. 0.4 miles away); Girl With Yo-Yo, 2020 (approx. 0.6 miles away); Franklin County Soldiers of the Mexican War (approx. 0.6 miles away); Gold Star Mothers (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Story of The Schiller Monument (approx. 0.7 miles away); Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (approx. 0.7 miles away); Grace's Garden (approx. 0.7 miles away); Site of First Ohio State Home Football Game / The Ohio State University First Football Team 1890 (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2016, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 624 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 26, 2016, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.