Friday, March 21, 2025
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Art Installation to Honor Sister City Relationship
Media Release
Blue River Community Foundation has been awarded a $15,000 IDDC IN Indiana Placemaking Activation Grant through the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) for an art installation that will honor the Sister City relationship between Shelbyville and Shizuoka, Japan.
Fabrication will begin on an outdoor sculptural installation that will span the alleyway between Grover Center: Museum and Historical Society and Fire Station No. 1 in Shelbyville. The design will reflect Mt. Fuji in shape. At the apex of the structure, there will be an illuminated central tower. This will bring light to a display area underneath the structure where lanterns, tanabata wishes, flags, and/or additional sculptural elements can be hung. The structure will be freestanding and approximately 12' wide. Colored flags will be hung on a cable system to form the sides of Mt. Fuji in the next phase of the project. The infrastructure of this design will offer the flexibility for an artist to change out a portion of the display on occasion to highlight different parts of Shizuoka, Japan and Japanese Culture.
Discussions to activate this space and expand upon a Shizuoka exhibit located inside of the Grover Center began in 2022. An initial vision board for the project was presented to Shizuoka delegates in Shelbyville during a 35-year celebration of the Sister City relationship between the two cities in October 2023. This anniversary, along with a unique funding opportunity made available through the Lilly Endowment Inc. GIFT VIII program impacted the decision to further develop the project and hire architect Michael Runge for the design and Ignition Arts, LLC for engineering / fabrication work.
BRCF hosted initial meetings between community leaders, Shizuoka residents, and the architect to ensure that design decisions were being made with sensitivity to what would best honor Shizuoka, grow the museum, work within the parameters of the alley, and align with the City of Shelbyville’s vision for the downtown area. The following focal points of Shizuoka were discussed: Nature, Seasons, and Festivals. Shizuoka is located in Central Japan. The landscape includes mountains, lakes, the sea, large river valleys and is known for their vast green tea fields, vibrant wasabi fields, Sakura shrimp, mandarin oranges, cherry blossoms, and autumn maple leaves.
From these conversations, three design concepts were developed: 1) festival atmosphere 2) Shizuoka’s ‘Model City’ sculpture initiative and 3) an abstraction of Mt. Fuji. The Mt. Fuji design was chosen because it created visual impact, opportunity for interaction, and flexibility for long-term visual art exhibits. It also communicated an important backdrop to the Shizuoka landscape. Mt. Fuji, a World Cultural Heritage Site, is a site that is held sacred.
"We were thrilled to receive the IDDC IN Indiana Placemaking Activation Grant toward this project," said Laura Land, Blue River Community Foundation. "The financial grant will help us meet our goals to complete the first phases of development. Work on the exterior of Grover's facade including tuckpointing and window repairs is underway. Engineering plans for the Mt. Fuji design are being solidified. After work on Grover's facade is finished, the surface of the alleyway will be repaired. The central tower near the Grover's side entrance will be constructed afterward. It is an honor to be a recipient of the grant and to become a destination spot for the 'IN Indiana' campaign."
Blue River Community Foundation is accepting private and corporate donations to help complete the final phases of the installation. Donations can be mailed to 54 W. Broadway St. Ste. 1 Shelbyville IN 46176 or through this online link.
Shelbyville Schools Timeline: School No. 7
by GEORGE YOUNG
Over the past 150 years, Shelbyville has constructed numerous school buildings, each serving the evolving needs of its growing community. However, none have been as distinctive or widely utilized as School No. 7. As Shelbyville transitioned from a rugged wilderness to an agrarian society and eventually into an industrial hub, the education system had to adapt to meet the changing demands of its citizens.
Prior to the 20th century, formal education beyond primary school was a rarity, with only about 5 percent of children continuing their studies past elementary levels. At the same time, Shelbyville's population was steadily increasing, and with it, the recognition that higher education was essential for preparing students for an increasingly complex and industrialized world. The growing need for an advanced curriculum and expanded learning opportunities placed immense pressure on the existing school infrastructure, making establishing a dedicated high school an urgent priority.
Previously, high school students in Shelbyville attended classes in a small, overcrowded room on the third floor of School No. 1. This limited space and resources hindered educational progress, making it clear that a separate, purpose-built high school was necessary to accommodate the increasing number of students seeking further education. Creating a standalone high school marked a significant milestone in Shelbyville’s commitment to academic excellence, setting the stage for future generations to thrive in an ever-changing society.
Shelbyville built its first stand-alone high school on the corner of Broadway and Tompkins in 1896. This historic building, built in the Victorian Eclectic style, served as Shelbyville High School through 1911. It is a contributing historic structure in two historic districts: the Westside Historic District and the Shelbyville Commercial Historic District. In 1904, the Broadway Street school location had 160 students.
As the school system expanded, the original high school could no longer accommodate the growing student population. Within a second, a much larger high school was constructed in 1911. From 1912 to 1929, this building was a departmental middle school for seventh and eighth graders. In 1930, it transitioned into the administrative offices for Shelbyville Central Schools, a role it maintained until 1997. The following year, the school system donated the building to the Blue River Community Foundation. With the help of grants and local donations, the foundation restored the building, preserving or replicating many original school-era features, including chalkboards, schoolhouse lights, and drinking fountains. At one point, the Shelbyville Library located its genealogy department in this building. The building houses the Blue River Community Foundation and several small organizations and businesses today, including The Addison Times.
The school system constructed a massive 110,000-square-foot high school on Second Street to accommodate further growth. Designed by architect William Butts Ittner, the Neoclassical-style, two-story brick building on a raised basement was swiftly completed in 1911. Minnie Gillespie was appointed principal in 1912, and by 1914, enrollment had surged to 254 students.
As demand increased, a new junior high school wing was added in 1917, designed by architect Elmer E. Dunlap in a complementary style, 2-and-a-half-story for $70,000 ($1.7 million today). The school board and the public debated this expenditure for a couple of years.
The superintendent warned that the current capacity would necessitate students doing only half days if a new school wasn’t constructed immediately. In 1922, an Arts and Crafts-inspired two-story brick gymnasium was built and later named in honor of local war hero Paul Cross. Further expansions included a shop addition in 1942, which was linked to the junior high school by a concrete block addition in 1977.
The district built a third high school in 1959, which today serves approximately 1,100 students. The Second Street facility operated solely as a junior high school for 30 years until 1990, when a new middle school was constructed. Afterward, the Second Street facility closed, with its buildings converted into apartments, while the gymnasium remains used for community recreational activities.
The evolution of Shelbyville’s schools reflects the city’s growth and commitment to education. From one-room schoolhouses to modern institutions, the school system has adapted to changing needs while preserving its historical legacy. Many former school buildings have been repurposed, continuing to serve the community in new ways.
ADDISON TIMES MAJOR SPONSOR: FULL CANOPY REAL ESTATE
NOTEBOOK:
HOOSIER NEWS: Purdue University is expanding its reach by purchasing a property at 518-520 Indiana Avenue. The university purchased the property to meet the increasing enrollment demands in Indianapolis. Formerly the home of Schultz & Pogue LLP and BrewLogix, the two-story facility will allow the university to “address merging near-term student support and other space needs in Indianapolis,” according to a press release. The property at 518-520 is located in the heart of the Indiana Avenue Historic District, facing the Madam Walker Legacy Center. Despite being acquired by the university, the facades and integrity of the historic property will remain intact, according to a press release. (Indianapolis Recorder)
NATIONAL NEWS: Last year, total ad spending on women’s sports jumped to $244.4 million, increased sharply from the $102.3 million spent the previous year — a 2.5 times increase. This comes not only from increased real estate — commercial airings were up 37 percent — but the increasing value of that real estate: dollar volume was up 139 percent in the period. One key engine of that jump has been women’s basketball, as the NCAA tournament final last year had the single largest audience for any basketball game aired on television since 2019. (Sportico/Numlock)
Thank you to every donor for your continued support of The Addison Times. Donors of $100 or more receive a quarterly print publication in the mail. Please consider a one-time or monthly donation to The Addison Times, either online or via a check to The Addison Times, 54 W. Broadway, #13, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Thank you for your continued support of daily local news and history. I appreciate each of you. - Kristiaan Rawlings, Editor
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
September 1972, Part II
Marching Band Camp had been held at the YMCA Flatrock River Camp. “This is the first time I ever had to pay $16 to work,” one student observed. The cabins “looked like something from ‘Tobacco Road’.” Jeff Wiley reportedly drank over 12 gallons of pop. When it was time to leave, they discovered someone had let the air out of the camp truck’s tires, which the band director found to be “a bit of sabotage.”
A new “no tie” rule was in place for football season. Mr. Hession said he agreed with the new overtime policy, since fans wanted to see someone win. Eleven lettermen were returning to the team: Kim Branam, Greg Montgomery, Ron Meltzer, Dan Calkins, Rod Metts, Dennis Kesterman, Phil Metzger, Randy Hobbs, David Hauk, Jeff Gibson and Kevin Zerr.
Returning letter winners for the golf team were Kent Laird, Tom Beck, Randy Worland, Mark Risley and Ross Stouffer.
The annual convocation schedule was announced. Administrators said freshmen might be excluded due to lack of space in Breck Auditorium.
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This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: Triplet Scottie dogs, owned by Debra Boyd of Shelbyville, was declared Best Dressed at a contest at Ritter’s Frozen Custard. Bo, a bassett hound owned by Joe and Judy Butts of Blue Ridge, was runner-up.
1995: Mutsiyoshi Nishimura, consul general of Japan in Chicago, spoke at the Holiday Inn at the inaugural banquet of the newly formed Shelby County International Relations Council.
Top-ranked Ben Davis ended Shelbyville’s season in a first-round semistate game at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
A former Shelby County athlete, Jerry Petro, was named recipient of the Roy Gardner Award as the outstanding referee in Indiana high school basketball. Petro had been a student and basketball player at Southwestern High School.
1985: Mayor Dan Theobald, Dick Kiefer, Dan Ivie, Joe Collins and Art DePrez were among the first to shovel dirt for the incoming Charles Major Manor senior citizens’ apartment complex at a groundbreaking.
1975: County highway workers dismantled and removed the stone abutment wings from Cedar Ford Bridge and placed them at the fairgrounds, where the historic covered bridge was to be relocated.
Mike Jester and Cathy Hurst, Waldron High School seniors, were named king and queen of the annual WHS Sunshine Society Sweetheart Dance. Crown bearers for the royal couple were John Douglas and Angela Kuhn.
1965: Ground was broken at the Belaire Shopping Center for Shelby National Bank’s new full-service branch. The building would be located beside the entrance drive on Progress Road, close to the road. Wilbur F. Pell was chairman of the bank board. Buddy Clements would be manager of the new bank.
1955: Residents of Geneva planned a fundraising dance to keep the ambulance in operation. The dance was held at Noble Township School. Joe Justus was the dance caller.
1945: A windstorm caused major damage to the Tindall-Gerling plant, Indiana Cash Drawer, Chambers Corp. and the Miller-Yarling Dairy. A 35-foot-high smoke stack at the Chambers Corp. was blown over and crashed into the manufacturing section of the business, damaging equipment. A recently constructed addition at Miller-Yarling Dairy was destroyed. Several homes on Fourth and Fifth streets and Spring Hill were damaged.
1935: The heating plant at the Gordon Children’s Home, located in the south end of a brick building near the orphanage, exploded. All of the children were inside the orphanage at the time. Numerous pipes and fittings were blown to pieces, the door to the room was hurled into the back yard, the roof over the coal bin was lifted out of position, and timbers under the eaves were blown out, but there were no injuries.
1925: An S.B. Morris Style Show was given between shows at The Strand Theatre, drawing a large crowd.
1915: Judge Alonzo Blair heard two divorce cases. A Waldron man had accused his wife of being “untrue,” but evidence showed the man had acted in a similar manner. Judge Blair said he was going to grant the divorce “for the good of the community in which you live. One of you is as bad as the other.” Blair also heard complaints from a woman who said her husband was “jealous of her, that he cursed her and that he had been receiving endearing letters from a woman in this city,” The Republican reported. Blair ordered the woman in question be summoned to court. The husband said his wife had been taking “numerous buggy rides with a Moral Township farmer.” Blair continued the case for the following day.
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OBITUARIES
Carol Ann Bledsoe, 57, of Shelbyville, passed away Tuesday March 18, 2025 at MHP Medical Center. She was born May 7, 1967 in Shelbyville, IN to Leroy Bledsoe and Irma “Juanita” (Chaney) Bledsoe.
Carol was a member of Hope’s Point Baptist Church. She worked at Shares Inc. for over 38 years and specialized in sorting plugs. She enjoyed playing bingo and watching TV, especially Rosanne. Carol was an extremely friendly person and loved talking to people. Her greatest joy came from spending time with her parents and siblings.
She is survived by her brothers, Danny Bledsoe and Kenneth Bledsoe (companion,Vickie Reddick); nephews, Robert Smith and Aaron Smith and her cousin, Allen Hewitt. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Vickie Stainbrook and her brother, Carl Bledsoe
Visitation will be Tuesday, March 25, 2025 from 10 a.m. to Noon at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN, 46176. Funeral services will follow at Noon at the funeral home with Pastor Greg Albert officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Carol’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
Bonnie West, 96, of Shelbyville, passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at Walker Place. Born on May 24, 1928, in Brazil, Indiana. She was the daughter of Henry Willington Albright and Juanita Dell (Alexander) Albright.
She married Virgil West on August 12, 1948, and he preceded her in death on December 6, 2020. Survivors include two children, Henry L. "Hank" (wife Kathy) West of Shelbyville, Keith E. (wife Carol) West of Jeffersonville; three grandchildren, Jason H. (wife Maressa) West, Kimberly M. West, Michelle (husband Sean) Treasure; five great-grandchildren, Addison West, Jaxon West, Braylon Treasure, Myla Treasure and Lyndin Treasure. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and sister, Kathryn Thompson.
Bonnie had lived in this area since 1998 after previously living in Brazil, Indiana. She graduated from Brazil High School in 1946 and was a receptionist for Gasaway Insurance and Donald Garvin M.D. Bonnie was a lifelong member of Knightsville Chapter #238. She loved spending time with her family. The family of Bonnie would like to thank the staff at Walker Place, and Jennifer and Crystal from Gentiva Hospice for their outstanding care.
Graveside service will be 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Cottage Hill Cemetery, Brazil Indiana. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the West Street United Methodist Church, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.