31-05-2025
Items sold from old United Local School building
HANOVERTON, Ohio (WKBN) – Friday was the last day of classes for the United Local School District, which means it was the last day of classes ever for the building that opened in 1951.
Waiting on the other side was a brand new school that will greet students when classes start again Sept. 2. It was a day to be sad and happy at the same time.
Ben Smith, United Local class of 2004, sifted through a pile of old football travel bags laid out on the old gym floor, which were among the items for sale at the old school. Smith bought his friend's and his own.
'When I was a junior, we got these football bags to carry our pads to away games, and it's kind of funny to see them sitting here with all of our old treasures and trophies,' Smith said.
The sale of items included a table of trophies, old photos, and yearbooks. It was necessitated by the closing of the old school, which, along with the sale, included a walk-through for the community, who were reminded, for example, where the old elementary office was located.
'It is sad. It is,' Wendy Doyle said.
Wendy Doyle is Vice-President of the School Board, and Denise Rhodes is its president. Both graduated from United Local, as did their children.
Right next to the old school is a new $59 million school that, in September, will house grades K through 12. It was paid for with a combination of money from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission and the Nexus Gas Transmission Company. No United Local taxpayers' dollars were needed.
'There's a gas plant within our community that generates a lot of money for us, and we get tax money off that, which really helps out, and we've been able to offset what the state was not able to pay for with the co-funding,' Rhodes said.
Brayson Fischer bought a trophy earned by his seventh-grade basketball team. He'll be an eighth grader when the new school opens.
'I think it's going to be nice but I'm going to miss the old school,' Fischer said.
'It's exciting to see rebirth here at United Local. I have nothing but great memories here and I hope they can continue to do that over the next however long the new building's here,' Smith said.
Most of the old school will be demolished — though a newer gym, an auditorium, and a couple classrooms will be saved.
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