FHS History

Any history of Fontanet School would not be complete without being prefaced by some facts about the other Nevins Township schools. The first school building in Nevins Township was built in 1818. It was located in the north east part of Nevins Township, directly north of Coal Bluff. It was on a high hill directly east of Dr. Rowe’s home. It was a one-room log cabin. Eliot Adams was the first teacher. The school was run by subscription, with a fee of $1.50 for a three months term. 

By 1891 there were eleven frame buildings in twelve districts and a total of 945 pupils. The schools were: Coal Bluff, Ehrmandale, Fontanet, Harpold, Hoffman, Mt. Etna, Sulphur Springs, South Hill, Number Eight, Number Ten and Number Twelve. 

Several of the schools were damaged by the Dupont Powder Mill explosion in October 1907. The South Hill School suffered more than others. The roof collapsed and several students were injured although none fatally. The teacher, Susan Bishop, lost the use of an in the accident. She was supposed to have herded the pupils under the desks until the several blasts were over.  

The present building at Fontanet was built in 1914. it replaced an older structure. An addition was made in 1928. The addition included a gymnasium and a modernization of the building. The first eight-grade commencement was held at Fontanet in 1901. The graduates were; Mabel Barber, Clarice Clayton, Nellie Cress, Olie Cress, Leana Hodges, Nema Knight, E. G. Latham, Bessie Montgomery, Essie Montgomery, and Bessie Wright. It was planned as a twelve grade school. The first high school graduation was held in 1916, the last in 1961. There were four graduates in the first high school class. They were; Mary Bockman, Suda Kelshaw, Eileen Hankins, and Raymond Kessel. The three girls became teachers. Eileen Hankins spent her teaching career in the Fontanet School and retired in 1963. 

Consolidation became the fad in the 1930’s and with addition built in 1928 to the Fontanet building several of the grade buildings were closed. They were all closed by the mid-1930’s and Fontanet became the only school in Nevins Township. The attendance at that time was 628. 

One of the early principals was Mr. Gosjean. Other early teachers were; Mr. Moreland, Mr. Charles Asbury, Mr. Fred Brengle, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Martin, Mr. B. O. Johnson, Mr. Childress and Mr. James Fagin. A few teachers spent a major part of their teaching careers in the Fontanet School. Among this group are; Miss Versa Stuthard, Mrs. Thersa Hendrix, 41 years; Miss Irene Wright, 45 years; and Miss Eileen Hankins spent 45 years in the same building. With consolidation came a transportation problem. The uses of school wagons, pulled by horses, were started in Nevins Township about 1915. William Engle and Alvin Koch were two of the early school wagon drivers. Mr. Engle hauled pupils into Number Ten School and Mr. Koch hauled the Number Eight pupils into Coal Bluff. Number Eight burned during the school year of 1915-1916. Busses came into use in the 1920’s. The school today transports 90-odd percent of the pupils.