The Big Room
The Big Room was one of the Kelly’s Bridge Schools and housed grades five through eight. The school has become noteworthy because at 9:05 a.m. Thursday, November 13, 1930 a tree stump crashed through the roof. According to the articles found in the Ironton Tribune, Wasser Construction Company of Columbus was building the Blackfork Road when a tree stump blocked the way. The construction crew used twenty-two sticks of dynamite were used to blast the tree stump. The stump crashed through the school’s roof 125 yards away. The school’s teacher, James Nance, and seven students were injured. James Dean, 12 years old, died at the Marting Hospital at 1 o’clock on the 13th from wounds resulting from the accident. Rodney Elam, 11, was knocked unconscious and suffered a bad facial cut. The other injured students include Pearl Crawford – 13, Emman Pancake – 13, Clara Tipton – 9, Lois Ridgeway – 10, and Clyde Avery – 12. The accident was investigated by Deputy Sheriff Ernest Bennett.
Little Room
The second building making up the Kelly’s Bridge Schools was named the Little Room. It was located next door to the Big Room and housed grades one through four. Thankfully, the Little Room was not damaged in the tree stump incident, but classes were dismissed that day.
The Little Room was eventually remodeled and still stands today.