BROOKVILLE — The Springland Farm School for Boys was a school to give a boy an opportunity to think right, do right and be more dependent on his own resources.

This school was started as an experiment for underprivileged and delinquent boys in April 1926 and proved to be a success and a credit to the Clay Township community as well as the City of Dayton.

In 1928, the capacity of the school was 24 boys with the hope to expand the number in the near future. The farm was located in the Southeast Quarter of Section 14 in Clay Township. The farm was formerly known as the Sol Worman farm and was noted for the wonderful spring flowing 357 gallons per minute.

It consisted of 175 acres of good land with 12 head of cattle, 24 sheep, four brood sows, 360 White Rock chickens, ducks and geese and the boys were raising New Zealand rabbits. They started with two and soon had over 40 large and small rabbits. The aim of the school was to teach the boys stock raising, feeding and planting, the care of all crops and the harvesting of same.

Through the efforts of Mr. E. V. Stoecklein, director of public welfare for the City of Dayton, Mr. Hugh Wehrly then of the Community Chest and Sergeant Snyder of the Crime Prevention Bureau and a good friend of all boys, the Boys’ Opportunity Farm was started.

Mr. and Mrs. William H. Denmark were the superintendent and matron. A teacher furnished by the Dayton Board of Education came out daily from Dayton to teach academic subjects and manual arts.

The expectation of the Farm was not to make farmers of all the boys, but to teach every boy to work and be capable of doing something to help himself when he would leave the school.

Many asked how long do you keep boys at the school and how do you train them to respect you?

Superintendent Denmark stated that they make a study of each boy at all times and they were very firm with them but kind and it depends on many things as to how long a boy is kept at the school.

The boy’s home conditions and his behavior, the work of reclaiming delinquent boys and turning their minds from wrong to doing right at all times was a very serious problem as no two boys were alike in character or temperament. It was hard for the boys at first, a change of custody and environment, giving up their pals and the amusements of the city, the surroundings being so different in the country, but they soon reclaimed themselves.

A parole system was being planned which would be of benefit to farmers and also for other positions where the aid of a boy might be needed.

Every Sunday afternoon was visiting day and they held services every Sunday conducted by Rev. H. Long of Dayton or Rev. Frederick of Phillipsburg. It is not known as to how long the Farm operated.

All information and the photo for this Look at Brookville article were supplied by the Brookville Historical Society. Do you have a photo or historical information to share or add? Please contact the Brookville Historical Society at 937-833-0285 or email to [email protected].