History of Hanover
Hanover Township was established in 1853 by detaching from Winfield in 1843, and the creation of St. John and Ross in 1848, Hanover was all that remained of Center Township. In the early days of Hanover there were a lot of quasi-private schools that were held in private residences, where the educators were paid by the citizens of each neighborhood. The districting changed quite frequently, making it difficult for historians to document. Before the formation of Hanover Community School Corporation in 1969, all Hanover Township Schools were part of the Lake County School System. The original Lincoln School was one of the first modern school buildings in this part of the county that provided the best education to local children.
Ball Log School 1839-1855
The Ball Log School was a boarding school until 1850, when it became just a summer school. It claimed to be the first school house in Lake County due to the fact that it was a common meeting place for instruction and improvement under the guidance of Judge Harvey Ball and his children. Mrs. Jane A. Ball conducting the first boarding school in 1839.
Hanover Center 1857-1880
Hanover Center was a village with a population of about 50 people in 1855. It contained a large store, a large church (the Church of St. Martin), a school house, and buildings to keep up civil and social life.
Zion United Church of Christ 1857-1913
Zion's was established by Rev. Peter Lehman with 26 members. Once built, the parochial school within the church commenced.
Klaasville 1860-1911
Children from the southwest side of Hanover Township were educated from Klaasville Public Schools from about 1908 and on. Prior to this, it was a parochial school.
Glade/Seehausen/Piepho 1864-1912
The citizens north of Brunswick petitioned for a schoolhouse including: Athanasius Hepp, Frederick Hue, Christopher Wassman, Christopher Piepho, Henry Seehausen, Conrad Seegers, Henry Wassman, William Noehren, Frederick Ochlerking, Conrad Oldendorf, Gottlieb Burtle, William Bauermosser, George Leserajin, Auton Griss, Fred Batterman and Charles Hitzeman. A small frame house was built in response, but not immediately. The first schoolhouse in District No. 5 was finally built and later this school house was built in District No. 6 in 1864.
By 1864, citizens of Hanover Township signed a petition to build a school and built a 20 by 24-foot building. It was on what was the Fred Glade property, called the Glade School. Later, it was moved to the northeast corner of U.S. 231 (Exchange Avenue) and Calumet Avenue. Then, later, it was moved again to the southeast corner of both of these roads, placing it on Piepho farm property.
Echterling 1865-1910
In 1865, a one-room school, a quarter of a mile south of Brunswick on the Fred Echterling farm was used.
Brunswick 1869-1910
Brunswick was a village in western Hanover Township that had a population of about 65 people. It contained a two story school building.
Hanover Center/Cook 1880-1913
About 1880, a school was purchased from Hanover Township by Father Berg and was moved to the church grounds from its location near the New York Central Railroad. It was first used as a summer school for study of the Christian Doctrine and the German Language. Its pupils came from Hanover Center, Armour, Roettgen, Farmdale and Cedar Lake. It was taught by lay teachers.
The parish bought a second school from Hanover Township. This two-room frame building was moved from the New York Central right of way to the church property about 1903 and the original school (1880-1903) was used as a home for lay teachers, then in 1905 as a convent for the Poor Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration.
Schutz/Paisley 1882-1911
This school was originally located on Valentine Schutz property and in 1901 was moved to the east side of Lauerman Avenue, near Pinecrest Marina. It closed in 1911 and students began attending old Lincoln School.
Armour 1885-1912
Located on the east side of the railroad underpass, on the south side of West Lake Shore Drive. By 1912, students began attending old Lincoln School.
Farmdale/Gerold 1885-1914
This schoolhouse was first located on the southwest corner of Parrish and 117th Avenues. By about 1890 it was torn down, and a new building was built on the northwest corner of these same two roads. When it closed, pupils began going to old Lincoln School.
Brands 1890s-1912
Used until mid 1912, until Schiller School was completed.
Brunswick 1912-1961This still stands at its original site, now a meeting place, under the Hanover Township Trustee. It took the overflow of grades one and two from old Lincoln and Schiller School.
Schiller 1912-1961
This school replaced all of the one-room schoolhouses north of Brunswick. It was located on what was Christ Brands property.
Original Lincoln School 1912-1991
John N. Schubert donated two acres to have this school built. One of the first modern schools of Hanover Township. By 1923, it received electricity and in 1937 and 1949 it received additions. In 1969-1970, it experienced another remodeling. Close to its end, it had grades five and six.
St. Martin's School 1913-1956
Father Herman Juraschek built a red brick school, having nine grades and three classrooms.
Holy Name 1956-1986
A modern school was completed and included seven rooms for eight classes, a music room and a gym.
Jane Ball Elementary 1957-present
Groundbreaking for the school occurred in October 1956 and was completed in 1957, consisting of 10 rooms. In 2005, it had a major renovation, in which 10 rooms were added.
Hanover Central High School 1965-present
Although construction began about 1965, the first official graduating class was in 1968.
Lincoln Elementary 1991-present
Hanover Central Middle School 2012-present
Red Cedars Elementary 2022-present