Olive Branch School Preservation Society

11/27/2025

OBSPS sends our sincere sympathy to Bill and Dee Berry's family. They leave a legacy of service, devotion, preservation and love for the community. They both will be missed.

Tecumseh Local Schools is deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Bill Berry, a proud 1952 graduate of Tecumseh High School and a former Assistant Superintendent for our district.
Mr. Berry was the very definition of a servant leader. He devoted his life to education, community service, and preserving the rich history of the New Carlisle area through the many books and articles he authored. His commitment extended far beyond the school walls. He was active in numerous service clubs and was always willing to lend his time, wisdom, and heart to others.
In a touching and profound testament to their bond, Mr. Berry passed away just two hours after his beloved wife, Dee Berry.
He will be remembered for his servant’s heart, his deep love of education, and the lasting impact he made on countless students, staff, families, and community members. The legacy he leaves behind is one of kindness, dedication, and unwavering service.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. ❤️📚🕊

06/15/2025

OBSPS is grateful to Pam Cottrel for her wonderful article about our school and its predicament.

Volunteers may have to abandon restoration project because of not enough funding.

06/04/2025

Final progress, as promised, was made at the Olive Branch School we love. Alec Ashbaugh and his crew finished scraping and painting the eaves and also touched up the windows outside. Sadly, and barring a miracle, this work concludes our commitment to finish years of effort to restore the Little Round building. Photos courtesy of OBSPS Jim Leathley.

05/22/2025

As promised, OBSPS is completing the work on the exterior of the building that had been previously committed/funded. This project had begun last year but the cold weather prevented completion. On May 15th, Alec Ashbaugh and his crew painted the trim bands above the stone and around the doors, etc. Don't they look nice? Also, to add to a previous post, the heavy rain that fell after the Olive Branch roof repair had been done resulted in NO LEAKS! We sincerely appreciate the efforts of Alec Ashbaugh and these photos were shared by him.

05/08/2025

As mentioned in the previous post, OBSPS is working to finish exterior projects on the "little round building." This photo shows caulking in progress to stop a leak in the roof. Photo courtesy of Alec Ashbaugh.

05/07/2025

Message from OBSPS Chair Jim Leathley - The Olive Branch School Preservation Society recently convened to address urgent concerns regarding the organization’s future, with particular focus on significant funding shortfalls that threaten both ongoing restoration efforts and the Society’s long-term sustainability. Without a substantial and sustained financial commitment - estimated between (a minimum of) $500,000 and $750,000 - the Society will be compelled to formally dissolve on July 9, 2025, resulting in the conclusion of its vital preservation work. Compounding these financial challenges is the reality of an aging membership, which has increasingly limited the organization’s capacity to support operations through volunteer efforts. NOTE - in the next two months, using our remaining funds, we plan to finish work that has already been started on the outside of the building, as well as have a leak in the roof repaired.

This is a most difficult decision for us to have to make, and one that we could have never envisioned having to make. The harsh reality is, without the necessary financial commitment, not only will we be unable to continue the needed renovations, but we will compromise all future work, as well as all renovations made to date. It is with this in mind that we have collectively made this decision.

03/19/2025

It's the day we have been waiting for - tomorrow is the first day of spring!

🌺 🌷The first day of spring 2025 is on Thursday, March 20. We greet the first day of the new season with the spring equinox, but what is it, exactly? And why does the first day of spring change? We explain. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/spring-equinox-first-day-spring

03/16/2025

A word of advice - Don't forget to wear green tomorrow unless you want to be pinched! Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, so enjoy!