The following is a collection of digitized scans representative of the history of schools within Switzerland County. These snapshots of the past represent Switzerland County's school history, its people, and their dreams and aspirations. As time marched on and the years went by, Patriot and Vevay High School would alter the names of their yearbooks, as indicated to the right of each entry. Care has been taken in creating these digitized copies to ensure accuracy, with minimal image processing. While not comprehensive, this collection is periodically updated and viewers are encouraged to check this page occasionally.

Patriot School History

The schools of Patriot and Posey Township and Patriot High School have a rich and important history. The school has always been a source of pride to the community it served. After a school was formed in the basement of the Universalist Church, residents decided that something more permanent needed to be built, and a public subscription raised $10,000 for the construction of a three story brick building on Columbia Street.

The new school was built with bricks that were made in two brickyards in Patriot, and officially opened on January 25th, 1869. By 1876, the enrollment numbered 173 students; and in 1880, a high school was established, with the first high school class graduating in 1884. Consolidation of township schools and the school in Patriot occurred in 1919 — the first school consolidation in the State of Indiana. In 1924 a new brick building was built close to the original school and was used as a high school. Patriot High School earned a Sectional Basketball Championship in the 1925-1926 school year, with a team that had no gym to play in or uniforms to wear.

The “Decatur Daily Democrat”, in its March 11, 1926 issue, reported: “Patriot high school’s basketball team, which won the sectional tournament at Madison, Indiana, last week, has no gymnasium and no suits. The players do all of their practicing in the back of a barn. The town has a population of 289 persons. The suits worn by the Patriot players in the sectional tournament were loaned to them by the Vevay high school. Some high schools have plenty of material, good coaches and first class equipment and gymnasiums, but the athletes lack the “want to” spirit. Others have the “want to" spirit in huge quantities, but lack the gym. coach, material and equipment. Happy combinations of all these necessities are rare, it seems, but when the players who have all the chance in the world also have the “want to" spirit in great quantity, the world hears about them.

The school on Columbia Street was used as an elementary and high school from 1880 until the new building was constructed in 1925, and then it served as an elementary school from 1925 until the establishment of a county school corporation in the 1960s. In 1933, students from York Township were transferred to Patriot, and again that consolidation made it necessary to find more room for students. In 1935, the school board began planning for a new building, which would include enough room to meet the needs of the students, as well as provide a gym, an auditorium, and more classrooms.

After construction, the first high school graduation in the new building happened in 1937; and the new gym was dedicated in the fall of 1937 with its first basketball game, pitting the Patriot Trojans against the Vevay Warriors. In 1969, countywide consolidation where the two county schools would become Switzerland County Schools. At that time, the old high school became Patriot Elementary School, with the original building being torn down after more than 100 years of serving the children of the community. On January 13, 1978, the one remaining school in Patriot was destroyed by fire; with Patriot and Posey Township elementary students eventually joining other Switzerland County students when the new Switzerland County Elementary School was opened in 1980.

Although Patriot High School no longer physically stands, the Trojan spirit will remain forever in the hearts of its alumni and the community. The Patriot Alumni Association held its first annual meeting on April 10th, 1893, and the association continues to meet each year.

Vevay School History

The history of Vevay High School can be traced back nearly as far as the town itself. As with many communities, there were numerous small, private schools throughout the town in the 1800s, but those began to come together as “public schools” in the mid-century.

According to the book, “Harriman’s History of Switzerland County, Indiana, 1885”, the records of the public schools of Vevay date back to 1843. In February of 1844, a meeting of citizens was held at the Switzerland County Courthouse to discuss the need for a new schoolhouse. That meeting resulted in the passing of a tax on real estate to help cover the expense of school construction. The building was erected at a cost of $537.50.

The public schools of Vevay first were called ‘Graded Schools’ in September of 1853, with several of the classes being taught in rented rooms located around the town. Organized officially as a high school in 1863, a “new building” was first occupied by students on September 14, 1866. The first graduating class of three seniors went through commencement on April 23, 1867. This building sits adjacent to the Old Gym on the east side. In December of 1858, the contract was awarded for the construction of a new high school, which was built in 1873, and became known as Vevay High School. That building was located east of the old school building and was situated along Main Cross Street between Pike and Seminary streets. Around 1913, the Vevay High School building underwent extensive upgrades, with the addition of a gymnasium.

The old high school had some unique architectural elements and was a split-level design. Walking in the main doors gave students the option of going downstairs, where the cafeteria was, among some other classrooms. The cafeteria had previously served as the gym — before what is known now as the Old Gym was built. The main level included the senior lockers; while a trip on a flight of stairs took students to another hallway of classrooms and lockers. Being in the middle of town meant some property restrictions, with the baseball field just to the west on Seminary Street near the U.S. Shoe Factory building being utilized for baseball in the spring; while a track located behind Jefferson-Craig enabled track meets to be held. Cross country courses were laid out in different areas around town.

Basketball was king at Vevay High School, and the Warriors were a force on the court over the years. The team won the Sectional Championship in 1926-27, 1930-31, 1936-37, 1954-55, 1955-56, and 1957-58. The Warriors won the Jefferson County Invitational Championship in 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1967. The Vevay High School building was demolished in December of 1970, as the construction of Switzerland County High School was complete and occupied following county school consolidation. The final graduating class of Vevay High School was 1968; with the 1969 class officially being Switzerland County High School graduates, although the school building wasn’t completed, so students attended classes in what was Vevay High School. After the high school construction was complete, the Vevay High School and the other building remained as a junior high until the 1970-71 school year, when those students were moved into the new building.

The Warrior Spirit of Vevay High School still beats in the hearts of its alumni.

Assorted Pictures

Above, Vevay Basketball Teams.

Above, Vevay High School Class of 1956 (left) and Vevay High School Class of 1938 (right).

Above, an assortment of photos of Patriot High School. Photos 3 and 4 are front and back of the same image listing the names of the individuals in the photos, as are photos 5 and 6.