OUR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Centerton School was built in 1955 with additions in 1964, 1972 and 1995.  It currently houses 248 students, kindergarten through fifth grade and 38 staff members.   The building is constructed of brick and veneer with 39.100 square feet.  Located on the north side of the building are several acres of grassy area, playground equipment, a nature center, soccer field, two baseball/kickball diamonds, and a paved area with a basketball court.  The front of the building faces a country road.  Across the road, there is a small church surrounded by farmland.

The community of Centerton consists of three large farms.  A small white-framed church is the main community-gathering place other than the school.  The businesses that surround Centerton include a drive-in theatre, a sports complex and bar, gas station with two restaurants, Mag Corporation, which is a small business that makes plastic injection moldings. and a veterinarian clinic.  The population of the village of Centerton is approximately 200.  A small apartment complex is within the village.  The community water is from a well.  AES/Indianapolis Power and Light is 2 miles from the school.

The first school house in Centerton was built in the early 1850's.  It stood directly west of the present Centerton School.   It was used for a dwelling for many years.  Thomas Skelton was probably the first teacher.  A man named Moore was the second.  This house was used until 1883.

The second Centerton School was built in 1883.  It was a fine brick structure.  It was located directly across from the present school (1986) on the north side of Centerton Road.  There were four rooms, two above and two below, two cloak rooms, a wide hall and stairway on the west side.  Its measurements were 44 x 58 feet.  The first teacher in this building was a Professor Smith.  The cost of the building was $5000.  The cost was borne by the township.  This school was destroyed by lightning in the summer of 1917.  After it burned, the students went to school at a church.

The third Centerton School was completed in 1918.  It was made out of brick.  It was located on two acres of land.  It was located in the same place as the 1883 schoolhouse.   It had four rooms and full basement.  However, only three rooms were used as teaching stations for some years.  The basement originally contained an assembly room, a stage, a coal room and another room.  The floors were oiled wood.  The water was outside and had to be pumped by hand.  The bathrooms were outside behind the schoolhouse.  The toilet paper was a Sears & Roebuck Catalog.  Originally there was no electrical lights.  Some time later, electrical lights were installed and the basement was remodeled to include a kitchen and lunch - assembly room.   Grades 1 through 8 were taught there.   This school burned in 1951.  Students attended school at Brooklyn until a new school was built in 1956.

The present school held its first classes on August 31, 1956.  It was built at a cost of $264,415.64.  Centerton School is a one-story building with two main hallways.  The primary hallway houses kindergarten through third grade, and the secondary hallway houses grades four and five.  There are two sessions of kindergarten (a.m. and p.m.), three sections of 1st grade and two sections of grades 2 - 5.  The gym houses the YMCA before and after school daycare.  The multi-purpose room serves as a gym and auditorium.  A computer lab is available to students and has 30 IBM computers that are Internet accessible.  Each classroom has at least three computers.

The Metropolitan School District of Martinsville provides the community's educational services.  It consists of one high school, two middle schools, one off-campus high school, eight elementary schools, preschool-developmental services and North Family Services Center.  

Martinsville is a community in Morgan County of approximately 15,000 people.  It is located 20 miles north of Indiana University in Bloomington, and 25 smiles southwest of Indianapolis.  The leaders of the community are generally conservative, with a preference for tradition.  There is great diversity among the student population.  Many community members are employed in the Bloomington or Indianapolis area.  The largest employer in Martinsville is the school system.