The first school in Dewey Township was established in 1858 at Hog Island, just south of the St. Martins of Tours Catholic Cemetery. In 1900 another school was built in the settlement of Wilder Station, three miles south of LaCrosse, now known as “Wilders.” On July 9, 1920, the Trustee and the Advisory Board met to discuss the erection of a new school building at Wilders. The contract was awarded in the sum of $13,337.00 to James R. Linton for the erection and completion of the school. This school was eventually closed and converted to a roller-skating rink.
When the fine new brick building was finished in LaCrosse in 1900, the Hog Island
School was abandoned. The new school was a four-room building and stood where the
LaCrosse gymnasium is now located. By 1909 the school was so crowded that several classes were held in the old Rosenbaum Tavern with Miss Lisetta Sommers as teacher, until two more rooms were added in 1910. The first class to graduate from LaCrosse was in 1905, and the members were Arthur Adams, John Adams, Jr., and Elsie Cook. The school was commissioned in 1912. Marie Cook, Erma Cook, and Emma Cook were the first to graduate after the school was commissioned. The subjects taught in high school were Algebra, English, Latin, Physics, and History.
On May 5, 1915, the Dewey Township Advisory Board met to discuss the condemnation of the
LaCrosse Public School by the State Board of Health. It was decided to erect a new school at the cost of $24,431.00. The contract was awarded to Charles Struss and Frederick Struss. The contract in the sum of $5,074.00 for the heating, plumbing and ventilating of the LaCrosse School was awarded to the People’s Hardware Company of Gary, Indiana. The contract in the sum of $439.00 for the hardware needed in the erection and completion of the school was given to Schultz and Boehlke of Wanatah.
When the new school building was completed in early 1916, the original school building was auctioned and purchased by Charles Tuesberg and moved to lot the behind the original Methodist Church building. The building was to be used as a community center and became known as the Old Annex. The Annex was not only used by the church for events, but for numerous community meetings and events such as the Mother’s Day Banquette sponsored by Boy Scout Troop No. 32 and The LaCrosse Conservation Club’s monthly meetings which would consist of dinner, live music and a key local speaker.
In the 1950’s it was decided that the original Methodist Church, built in 1907, was no longer sufficient, so the church and the annex were both torn down in 1957 to make way for the new church building.
The gymnasium was built in 1949 for in 1949 at a cost of $130,000 and included a stage, cafeteria, and kitchen. Bill Ferrier was credited with introducing the game of basketball to LaCrosse and was the school’s first basketball coach. Ferrier was a 1914 graduate of LaCrosse HS, and it is believed he coached from 1925 through 1927. When it opened, the gym was the finest among the twelve county-run schools and third largest in LaPorte County behind Michigan City, Elston, and LaPorte. In the very first game played in the Tiger Den, North Judson won the opening tip-off and led most of the game. In the third quarter, LaCrosse closed the lead to two points, but Judson then went on to win, 55-38.
Community Schoolhouse, Inc. 