Select School

1st Fire House in the hamlet of Berne in what had been the Select School

A private school, called a select school, was organized in 1882 with a Board of Trustees including E. V. Filkins, Thomas J. Wood, George H. Reinhart, Charles E. Deitz, Peter S. Ball, and Edwin M. Shultes.

The select school was first located in a small building that had been built by Edward Vincent Filkins, Esq. as his law office. The teacher was his daughter Carrie Filkins.

This school was successfully operated in a room over Settle's Store at the close of the century.

Note: The building was a Post Office in the 1920's. The post master from 1915 - 1928 was Clarence Haverly, husband of Carrie Filkins. In 1929 the Berne Volunteer Fire Company was organized and the building became the first fire house.

Source: Our Heritage