Bowman Street School.

Shortly after the Civil War the Mansfield school system was revamped from central schools into ward schools. Buildings were built in the existing four wards. These were the Bloom St. (West Fifth), East Fourth (Bushnell), West First (old Carpenter) and Hedges Schools.

The population of Mansfield was growing rapidly in the northern part of the city and it became evident by 1869 that a school was needed in the Johns addition. A small frame school building was erected that year on the south east corner of Maude (North Mulberry) and Harker St. and was called the Maude School.

By 1886 the Maude School was over flowing and demands were voiced for a new brick building in the area. Negotiations by a school board committee were successful in securing a part of the Uhlich estate land at the corner of Bowman and Harker St.

On April 12, plans were presented to and approved by the building of a four room school on the Ulrich site. F. D. Webber, who also planned the Marion Ave. School was the architect.

It is interesting to note that on this same date the board authorized the first payment on the land with the balance to be paid in two or three more installments.

One of the important events in the school's history happened in 1893 when H. L. Creveling came to Mansfield to be principal of Bowman school. Later Creveling described the school he first entered as having a pot bellied stove in every room for warmth, outside toilets, and every drop of water for drinking and washing had to be toted from the outside by the classroom waterboy.

Creveling was well qualified for his position considering the educational status of the other teachers, who at most, had a Normal school training and certificate. He was a graduate of Tri State Collage of Indiana.

Besides his ability to teach, Creveling demanded and received the discipline from his pupils as attested by former pupils. He set a longevity record serving as principal at Bowman for 34 years before assuming the position of principal at John Simpson for 

The school board was in a squabble at this particular time over the seating of the first ward board member but the urgent business of constructing more rooms on the Bowman building could not be overlooked.

The first addition of six rooms to the original building was made in 1895 although there was controversy over "extras" that ran $1,000 over the original bid.

Four more rooms were added to the Bowman building in 1903, and eight more in 1914. One small addition was made in 1940. More land was added to the original purchase to meet the building needs and enlarge the playgrounds. An auditorium to seat 500 was also included in the 1914 addition.

In 1945 a bond issue was placed on the ballot for a school building program in Mansfield and among the several structures planned was a new building at Bowman incorporating the eight room built in 1914 which were still in good condition. Another bond issue was needed in 1948 before enough money was available for the building program. The new Bowman building cost $485,368 compared to the total of $93,793 for the original building plus the four additions over the years.

The old building was razed except the eight classrooms and an additional eighteen new classrooms and an auditorium were constructed totaling twenty six classrooms compared to the twenty two in the old building.

During 1951 the name of the school was changed to the H. L. Creveling Elementary School with ceremonies attended by Creveling and some if his former pupils. A portrait of Creveling was given to the school with Atty. George Biddle, a former pupil, acting as master of the ceremony.

On April 20, 1952, the pupils moved into the new Creveling building and on April 28, the school was dedicated and with Creveling again being honored.