Constructed in 1952

Referred to as the A B  C - 123 School

Closed in 2013

Murlin Heights Elementary was designed by Walker, Norwick & Associates of Dayton, built in 1952, expanded in 1963 and demolished in 2018 at the age of 66.  

In 1940, Vandalia's population was 378, having increased only 47 since 1930 and Butler Township's population was 3,137 compared to 2,596 in 1930.  The population of Butler Township expanded to 6,489 in 1950 and the Vandalia population mushroomed to more than 3,000 by 1954.

In 1950, assistance was secured from the Educational Research Bureau of The Ohio State University in studying the building needs of Butler Township Schools.  The Bureau recommended construction of a new elementary school in the southern half of the township and in the same year the electorate approved a bond issuance in the sum of $495,000.  The purpose of the bond issue was construcion of a new elementay school and an addition to the high school.

Pupil entrollment rose to 1,442 in 1951 with no foreseeable decline.  Fifteen acres of land was purchased from Orville Maxton (1891-1976) at $500. per acre, as the site for the new Murlin Heights Elementary School, three miles south of Vandalia on South Dixie Drive.  The school was constructed of red brick in a one-floor design at a cost of $534,000. The new building consisted of twelve classrooms and a multi-purpose room, which served as both a cafeteria and a gymnasium.  The building was occupied in September of 1952 with Donald Kessler as the first Murlin Heights Elementary principal.

In September 2012, Vandalia-Butler City School District Superintendent Christy Donnelly, and school officials, announced budget reductions would include the closing of Murlin Heights Elementary impacting 400 plus students and the jobs of school staff.  Murlin Heights Principal Connie Strehle said "it was sad receiving the news that the school she has led for a decade will be closing its doors for good."  The community was invited to attend a farewell open house for Murlin Heights Elementary School on Sunday, June 9, 2013 from 1-3 PM and the school hosted its last students at the end of the 2012-2013 school year.  Students in grades K-3 were split between Helke and Demmitt Elementary schools while Smith Middle School absorbed students in grades 4-5.

After advertising in February and March 2018 for bids to demolish the building, the Evans Group, out of Cincinnati, was selected and the school facilities were demolished between June and August 2018 at a reported cost of 223,327.

(Article taken from the Vandalia-Butler Historical Society Newsletter written by Society President Joseph Draschak)

THE END OF AN ERA.....

THE DEMOLITION OF MURLIN HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY

JULY 2018

Top Row:  Mrs. Bryant, Greg Burns, Doran Butts???, Barbara Sptizer, Jackie Harris, Sharon Moore, Mary Hueslein, Gail Dixon

Second Row: Sheila Brown, Sharon Knuge, Bob Neely, Darlene (Laney) Brown, _________________, Dana DeGroot, Tom Olt, Ronnie Hutchins

Third Row: Gelene Gilliland, Elaine Haas ??, Sharon Stroud, Jim Grube, Karen Everhart, Brenda Zenz, Joyce Yeager, Judy Valentine

Fourth Row: Jim Wright, Mike Harsanyi, Larry Wymer, Gary Miller, Mike Dearth, __________________

.First Row:  Miss Caryl Butterbaugh, married Powell Toth (one of Butler's coaches and then was Mrs. Toth, John Guethlen, ________________, ______________________, Chuck Schaffer, Bob Faulkner, Tom Bowman, Jim Vennen.

Second Row: Sally Staley,__________________??.  Sheila Vessell, Moe Van Tine,  Marge Taylor, Gail Overstreet,  JoAnn Borchers, Mary Brown??.

Third Row:  Cathy Gabbard, Carol Baughman, Frank Snyder, Terry Hewitt, Judy Jay, Ruth Melton, _______________, Wayne Allen.

Fourth Row:  Shannon Hurt, Art Barnes, Yvonne Hill, Patrick Dearth, Bill Tipton, Barbara Drummond.

 

Top Row: Mrs. Shank,  Marge Taylor, Terry Hewitt, Sue Dahling. Judy Bailey,  Dan Oberer, Brenda Zenz, Molly Scherer

Second Row:  Phil Powell, Mary Hueslein, Mike Eby, Tom Carter, John Husser, Moe Van Tine, Linda Toney,  ______________________

Third Row:  Barbara Sptizer, John Guethlen, Orville McKenzie, Sharon Carpo, Karen Kiser, Marcia Anderson, Sally Staley, Jim Jones.

Fourth Row:  Ruth Melton, Jim Wright, Carol Turner

Jim Grube and Margie Taylor Davis - approximately 5th or 6th Grade at recess at Murlin