History

The Village Network is a private, non-profit, non-denominational, child-serving agency recognized under IRS regulations as 501c3 charity. It is headquartered on 120 acres of farmland located on the northeastern edge of Wooster, Ohio.

In 1946, Reverend Clarence Kerr, minister of the Smithville Methodist Church, was so moved in seeing a movie about the accomplishments of Father Flanagan’s Boys Town that he and a group of civic leaders championed the founding of Boys’ Village to help troubled boys. Incorporated on May 7, 1946, Governor Lausche personally presented the state charter to Boys’ Village. Its first trustees included Clarence Kerr, A.C. Ramseyer, Harvey Amstutz, F.D. Burkholder, Leroy Webner, Dr. J.C. Meyer, Welker Smucker and James Fetzer; along with 19 corporate members.

In September of 1946, the initial cottage was filled. Kenneth Rogers was the first youth followed by seven others – three from Canton, two from Akron and one each from Orrville, Bellevue, and Pennsylvania.

During the 1950s two more cottages were built. Boys attended public schools in Orrville, Smithville or Wooster and then were expected to work three to four hours per day at assigned jobs in the community, on the farm, or at Boys’ Village.

As the emotional challenges became more complex, it was clear the youth required more treatment-intensive education than the public school systems could provide. In 1960, construction of a fully accredited on-campus school began with the generous assistance of the Timken Foundation. Teachers from the Wooster City District have staffed the Boys’ Village School ever since.

In the 1960s, two more cottages were built and many improvements were made to the grounds, including the addition of a horse barn and two lakes.

The Friend’s of Boys’ Village (FOBV) was formed as a volunteer auxiliary in the 1970s. FOBV supports the youth with a host of activities that include buying and wrapping gifts for the children during the holidays, baking mountains of cookies and birthday cakes, and assisting in fundraising activities.

In the 1980s, a pavilion was built and the Eagles Chapel was dedicated. The first Treatment Foster Care network was established and, by December 1987, the first girl was admitted. The mid-1980s also witnessed a growing problem among sexually dysfunctional adolescents. Boys’ Village soon became recognized as an innovator with its Responsible Living program.

The 1990s was a time of program and location growth. May of 1990 marked the first time Boys’ Village exceeded 100 children in care. (Today, more than five times as many are served.) It reinforced its continuum of care to include 10 more Treatment Foster Care networks and a partnership with the Opportunity School and other community-based programs. The Mt. Vernon/Knox County Network became reality in 1999 with the first co-ed residential program, the third of its residential facilities at that time. Day Treatment centers began to focus on responsible living and life skills development. Youth in these programs reside off campus and arrive at the network for therapy and academic tutoring.

Since 2000, the Wooster Network has seen the completion of the Gault Youth and Family Enrichment Center, which houses both the on-campus school, counseling and family service center. September of 2006 witnessed the name change from Boys’ Village to The Village Network to better describe the growing network for both boys and girls. Girls make up more than 40% of The Village Network’s youth served each day.