In 1921, the North Central Association withdrew accreditation from the Westerville School System because of the over -crowded conditions at the Vine Street School. Vine Street was built in 1896 and was enlarged in 1908, but as the population of Westerville grew and Vine Street could no longer handle the increase in students. Voters approved a levy and F. F. Glass of Columbus was hired to design a new school for the community. The people wanted the new school to be a very visible part of the heart of the town. Westerville Junior -Senior High was built in 1922. The cost of construction was
$165, 069.00. It contained classrooms, a gymnasium, and an auditorium seating 700. It served the Westerville Community as the school for Junior and Senior High School students until 1960. In 1960, the building on Otterbein Avenue was established as the High School, first called Lowell High School, and later Westerville High School (now Westerville South High School). On May 23, 1960 the school on State Street was renamed Hanby Junior High School after Westerville resident and composer Benjamin Hanby. Later, after the construction of two new Junior High Schools it became an elementary school. In 1980 -1986 it housed 497 students in the 5th, 6th and 7th grades and later as a sixth grade school, a district office and then a magnet school.