Historic Schools Photo Gallery

Historic Miller County Schools Photo Gallery

At the turn of the 20th century, Miller County housed 125 small, one-room schoolhouses throughout the county. By 1938, the number of county schools had shrunk to 105. Now, 125 years later, there are only 28 known schools that remain standing. While time has taken its toll on some of the schoolhouses still standing, there are a few that has been maintained or refurbished.

All photos were taken by Kelly Warman-Stallings in 2025.

Published to WTTP on 26 Sept. 2025

Alder Springs School

Opened: c/1874 School District: 81

Closed: 1960 Nearest town: Iberia

Note: Located in Richwoods Township, near the eastern county line, this school was named for the Alder Springs Church that was directly across the road. This school consolidated with Iberia 65 years ago. The outside of the building was remodeled about 20 years ago. It is one of a few historic schools in the county that is in good condition today.

Barton School (by the highway)

Opened: 1953 School District: 85

Closed: 1963 . Nearest town: Brumley

Note: Today, the second Barton School has been a convenience store and gas station since c/1965... presently known as Bink's. The original school is in the center of the building, with additions being added in the c/late 1970s-early 1980s and in 2024. The first Barton School (in the woods) is no longer in existence.

Baumhoer School

Opened: c/1898 . School District: 37

Closed: c/1957 . Nearest town: St. Elizabeth

Note: George L. Ramsey, president of the Osage Tie Company, donated a half-acre of his land to the Miller County School District. According to an 1898 deed, the school might have originally been called Polly Hill Branch School. It was also known as Red School because of its once red-painted building. Both English and German were taught, honoring the heritage of local families.

Bear School

Opened: c/early 1870s School District: 97

Closed: c/1959 Nearest town: Tuscumbia

Note: This old one-room schoolhouse stands abandoned along Bear School Rd., south of the Osage River. The land was donated by Simeon Bear in the early 1870s. It is unclear if a school building was there before 1885, but according to Clyde Jenkins, Bear School was a frame construction and built in 1885. The existing building was reconstructed using concrete in 1910.

Brumley High School

Opened: 1904 School District: 69

Closed: 1919 . Nearest town: Brumley

Note: Brumley High School, once located in School District #69, was short-lived. When the school closed, some of the students attended the Iberia Academy, and later would attend School of the Osage. The building has been gone for a few decades now, with only the foundation to mark the spot.

China School

Opened: School District: 68

Closed: 1949 Nearest town: Brumley

Note: Located in Glaize Township, not far from Auglaize Creek, this school was also known as China Ridge School. It is unknown when the school began session, but the original school was a clapboard building. The concrete school pictured above was built some time after the turn of the 20th century.

Clark School

Opened: c/1874 School District: not listed

Closed: c/early 1900s Nearest town: St. Anthony

Note: Originally known as Otto School between 1874-1885, the first school burned down before the turn of the 2oth century. A second school, made of sandstone was erected around c/1895-1905. It has been recorded that parents of the students built the sandstone building. Today, the school sits on the Leon & Kimmi Brand property.

Dog Creek School

Opened: c/1870 School District: 88

Closed: c/early-1930s . Nearest Town: Ulman

Note: This one-room schoolhouse, named after the creek that flows behind it, served the children of southeastern Miller County for many years. Miss Ida Watson was the teacher during 1914-1915. Currently, it houses Bethel Missionary Church, with a front addition that was added many years later.

Curry School

Opened: School District: 84

Closed: 1959 Nearest town: Iberia

Note: Located in southeast Glaize Township, near the old Faith community, this school was named for Silas Curry, who migrated to Miller County from Virginia about 1877. It is unknown when the school was built, but it educated many children from the late 1800s until the mid 1900s. Vada Hensley was one of the last teachers (1956-1958).

Elliott School

Opened: c/1868 School District: 59

Closed: 1960 Nearest town: Iberia

Note: Besides the Iberia Academy (a subscription school), this historic institution was the only rural school in the area to offer the first two years of High School courses in the early 1900s. The old school, located north of Iberia, was converted into a private residence several years ago.

Elm Spring School

Open: 1889 School District: 51

Close: c/1936 Nearest town: Lake Ozark

Note: This old school was once located near the historic Elm Springs Baptist Church (no longer in existence) in eastern Miller County. Situated in the Bear Creek region, south of the Osage River, the first school building burned down not long after 1900. It is unclear what happened to the second building, but only the foundation remains today.

Etterville School

Opened: c/1905 School Disrict: 11

Closed: c/1959-60 Nearest town: Etterville

Note: Located in Saline Township in northern Miller County, this school was organized in the early 20th century. It was one of the first schools in the county to have a hot-lunch program in 1940. It was also the first school to organize a PTA around the same time. The old schoolhouse was converted to a private home decades ago.

Gageville School

Opened: c/mid-1870s School District: 18

Closed: 1959 Nearest town: Etterville

Note: This historic school was located in the Gageville mining community of northern Miller County. The first building (built mid-1870s; no longer in existence) was known as the Curty School, named for the first teacher, David Curty (1874-76). Today, the old school sits abandoned along Gageville Rd.

Harmony School

Opened: c/1840 School District: 43

Closed: c/1948 Nearest town: Tuscumbia

Note: Located in Equality Township, west of Tuscumbia, this was one of the earliest schools in Miller County. It was built near Flatwoods Baptist Church (a now defunct church that later changed its name to Harmony Church) in the Flatwoods community. The building was torn down in 2024.

Honey Springs School

Opened: c/1870 School District: 71

Closed: 1960 Nearest town: Brumley

Note: This log school was located in west-central Glaize Township. In 1870, Henry and Celia Luttrell conveyed a two-acre parcel of land to the trustees of School District #5 (original school district). In the mid-20th century, the old log school was converted to a 'school for the deaf' and an addition was added on. This historic school was the first to teach the deaf in Missouri. During 1957-58 school was taught by Charles Cox. There were 27 students enrolled. Today, the old school is the home of Mr. Andy Mabee.

Jeffries School

Opened: c/1850s School District: 66

Closed: c/early 1900s Nearest town: Kaiser

Note: The first Jeffries School was built of logs sometime during the early-mid 1850s and was located close to the abandoned New Hope Baptist Church near Kaiser. Sometime between the 1930s and 1946 the old log school was moved to Lake of the Ozarks State Park in the Patterson Hollow area off Hwy 134. The second Jeffries School, built for the need of larger accommodations, was a concrete building. Jeffries #2 was also once located in the Kaiser area, but has been gone for many years.

Keyes School

Opened: c/1886 School District: 91

Closed: 1941 Nearest town: Ulman

Note: Once located in northwest Richwoods Township, only a part of the foundation of the building and the old water pump mark where the school used to sit. The land was donated by Almond C. Keyes, whom the school was named, in 1886. In 1938 the school burned down and once more the land was deeded to the School District. It is unclear if another school was built, but by 1941 the students of Keyes School were found at Ulman School.

Mace School

Opened: c/late-1800s . School District: 73

Closed: c/1960 Nearest town: Iberia

Note: Mace School came into existence some time during the late 1800s. According to Peggy Smith Hake, "On 9th Mar. 1885, a second school [Mace] was built just a short distance east of the other school [Iberia Negro School] that was used to educate the black children." The black school was in existence from 1869 to the c/1930-40s. The above abandoned school is located on Mace School Rd., west of Iberia.

Madden School

Opened: c/late 1800s School District: 83

Closed: 1959 . Nearest town: Iberia

Note: Located in southern Miller County, this aged school was built in the early 1900s. It is unknown what happened to the first school built in the late 1800s, or where it was located, but the one-room buildings were named for the Madden family who lived in the vicinity. In 1959, Madden School closed and became part of the Iberia consolidated school district. Today, the property is owned by Sheila (Malmburg) Farnham.

Manning School

Opened: c/1870s School District: 5

Closed: c/1959-63 Nearest town: Eldon

Note: Also known as Black Oak Grove School, this school was located north of Eldon. The building was also used for the "Manning Willing Workers", a women's club auxiliary that held ice cream socials and Christmas festivities. A postcard from 1913 confirms the school's existence. Manning School was torn down about 20 years ago; the foundation remains. The property is currently owned by Mrs. Stark.

Mount Herman School

Opened: c/1870s School District: 2

Closed: . Nearest town: Olean

Note: Named for the Mount Herman Baptist Church, established 1872, this historic school was built in the early-mid 1870s. Not a lot of information is found, but the back addition was added after the school closed. Mount Herman consolidated with Eldon school system sometime between the 1940s-1960s. Kathleen Lusby was a teacher there in 1914. Today, it is the private residence of Cliff Bax.

Pleasant Ball School

Opened: c/1878 . School District: 17

Closed: c/1909 Nearest Town: Marys Home

Note: Also called Klindt School after landowner John Klindt, who donated the land, this one-room school was around as early as 1878, according to Judge Clyde Jenkins' list of teachers. It was located a mile northeast of the Osage River, near Marys Home. The district was formed from the northern half of old No. 4 [school district] in 1871 but remained unorganized for seven years.

Rabbithead School

Opened: c/1874 School District: 75

Closed: c/1958 Nearest Town: Iberia

Note: Situated east of Iberia, this school served numerous children over its years of operation. Ruth Martin was the first documented teacher (1874-75), followed by Ruby Shelton (1956-57), who was the last teacher. Resident Taxpayers in 1871 included the following families: Bailey, Blyze, Crismon, Cross, Denton, Davidson, Forester, Kellison, Newhart, Skaggs, and Wilson. Currently, the school is owned by the Gladden family.

Schanzmeyer School

Opened: School District: 14

Closed: 1939 Nearest town: St. Elizabeth

Note: Situated in northern Osage Township, this old school was once located on Schanzmeyer land near St. Elizabeth. Joe Schanzmeyer, who donated the land, gave the school district an acre of land. The school was in session as early as 1874 according to Clyde L. Jenkins' list of teachers. Loretta Loethen was the last teacher from 1937-1939. The school building has been gone for many years and only part of the northern foundation remains today.

School for the Black Children

Opened: School District: not listed

Closed: c/mid-1900s Nearest town: Eldon

Note: According to 92-year-old Bob Woolley, this was the school for the black children in the northwestern section of Miller County. There is scarce information about this school, other than it was referred to as the "Eldon Negro School"; if there was a given name for this school, it is unknown today. No teachers or students names have been found in records. This was possibly the third school built as the first two black schools burnt down in 1938 and 1939. Eldon Advertiser and the Iberia Sentinel both ran newspaper articles about the mysterious fires in 1939.

School for the Blind

Opened: c/1928 School District: State-sponsored

Closed: c/1931 Nearest town: Brumley

Note: From the late 1800s until the 1920s, a regional outbreak of trachoma (infection of the eyelids) entailed State assistant to educate the blind children of southern Glaize Township. It wasn't affiliated with Missouri School for the Blind in St. Louis, rather it was a local initiative funded by the Bank of Brumley and the State Rehabilitation Services. Elmer Regain, a blind man, was the administrator and teacher during his short reign. Today, the School for the Blind is the home of Gertie (Rodden) Witt.

School of the Osage High School

Opened: 1933 . School District: 14

Closed: 1986 Nearest town: Lake Ozark

Note: Located one mile south of Bagnell Dam, the original School of the Osage was constructed c/1933. Its design was considered unique and elaborate for that era. From 1930 to 1963, the school was part of Consolidated District #I, and since 1963, it has been in Reorganized District #II. A gymnasium was added in 1952. Today, this historic building serves as the home of Heritage Elementary students.

Skinner School

Opened: 1870 School District: 29

Closed: 1954 Nearest town: Tuscumbia

Note: Located in Equality Township, west of Tuscumbia and southeast of Eldon, this historic school was built on land owned by James Skinner, Sr. The first building was just south of the present building, and, at that time, it was district number three. In 1909, it was changed to district number 29 and remained so until its closing. Today, the school is the private residence of the Gerald Schulte family.

Spring Garden School

Opened: c/1908 School District: 12

Closed: c/1930s-1950s Nearest town: Eugene

Note: There was an earlier school (Sunnyside School) located in or near Spring Garden as early as the 1870s, but not much information is available about its beginnings. The school pictured above was built on the site of the old Miller County Institute that was torn down in 1907; eventually it consolidated with Eugene School, in neighboring Cole County.

St. Anthony School

Opened: c/1917 School District: 98

Closed: c/1949 Nearest town: St. Anthony

Note: Also known as Yellow School, this institution was situated in the small town of St. Anthony. In 1917, a two story, multipurpose building was erected to serve as both a school and church parish event building. By the late 1920s, a new school (pictured above) was built to accommodate the increase in enrollment. According to Ray Doerhoff, this historic school consolidated with St. Elizabeth around 1949.

Topping School

Opened: School District: 87

Closed: Nearest town: Ulman

Note: Also called School Number Four, for its original district number, this schoolhouse was located in Equality Township. In 1905, Ruth Topping owned the land; possibly where the school got its name. The school operated for several decades before being phased out during the school consolidation movement in the mid-1900s. Today, the old school is a private residence.

Tuscumbia School

Opened: 1938 School District: 96

Status: still in session . Nearest town: Tuscumbia

Note: The old elementary school was built in 1938. It was the fourth public school building erected in Tuscumbia, with the first one being constructed of log, the second a home-made brick, and the third a wooden structure. The most well-known teacher was Tennyson C. Wright, who taught school for over 40 years; also, was the School Superintendent for a number of years before his death in 1949. Today, the stone school is still used for the elementary classes.

Ulman School

Opened: c/1912-14 School District: 90

Closed: 1964 Nearest town: Ulman

Note: A log building was erected in 1835 to serve the educational needs of the children in the vicinity. By the mid-late 1800s a second school was built near the town of Ulman and lasted until after the turn of the 20th century when the current school was built. While waiting on the third school to be built, the students attended the Modern Woodmen Hall in the middle of town. Today, it is an abandoned community center.

Walnut Grove School

Opened: c/1870s School District: 44

Closed: c/early-1930s Nearest town: Bagnell

Note: Located in Franklin Township, this historic school was in operation as early as the 1870s. The school year started in August and ended in April, with students attending from 9am until 4pm. Per James R. Pruitt, the school was named for the grove of walnut trees that surrounded it. The current school was built c/1920 and ceased to exist not long after Bagnell Dam was constructed in the early 1930s. It was refurbished and painted sometime after 2017 and is currently used for special venues in the Meads Flat area.

White School

Opened: c/1874 School District: 56

Closed: 1959 Nearest town: St. Anthony

Note: This old, wooden A-frame school was located in Osage Township, west of Weimer Creek, and once called Jack Lawson School, as it was in the Jack Lawson school district. Like the other schools of yesteryear, White School consolidated, but this school and its district was divided, with part joining Iberia and the other part joined with St. Elizabeth during consolidation of the late 1950s. White School, while worn with time, still stands proudly on the property of the Bax family near St. Anthony.

“It’s hard to look to the future without looking into the past. We often forget and overlook our heritage. One should always look back with pride and try to preserve that heritage for the future generations.” ~ Peggy Smith Hake