Episode 50: The Story of Consolidation

In this special episode, we look back at the contentious issue of school consolidation and the formation of the Indian River School District in 1969. In Part 1, we review the history of consolidation and the merging of five small school districts 50 years ago. In Part 2, we speak with two people who were students at the time of consolidation and ask about its impact on their schools. In Part 3, we pay tribute to the man who was considered “The Father of the Indian River School District.” In Part 4, we discuss consolidation’s impact on high school athletics. In Part 5, we analyze the impact of consolidation during the past 50 years and look ahead to the future. Information for this episode was obtained from the archives of The News Journal and from James Marvel’s Indian River School District History of Consolidation. “Spirit in the Sky” courtesy of Norman Greenbaum and Reprise Records, 1969.