Miller County Schoolhouse Series

By Kelly Warman-Stallings

Published to Window to the Past" website on 18 November 2022

During the course of Miller County's history there has been more than 125 schoolhouses scattered throughout the county. On Feb. 4, 1840, by a Miller County Court order, 14 school districts were established and by 1851 that number had increased to 17. By the turn of the 20th century, there were schoolhouses scattered throughout 98 districts in the county. Today, there are five districts: R-I (Eldon), R-II (School of the Osage), R-III (Tuscumbia), R-IV (St. Elizabeth), and R-V (Iberia).

According to Clyde Lee Jenkins, "By 1892, Miller County boasted 77 schoolhouses ... three of them brick, 60 of them frame and 14 log ... Eighty-four teachers employed by that time with an average pay of $28.35 per month for men and $26.22 for women." Today, a Miller County teacher makes an average of $49,000 per year.

The majority of schoolhouses were built during the mid-late 1800s, allowing the children to receive an elementary school education. By the early-1900s, High School classes were widely offered furthering the education experience. The first recorded high school graduate in Miller County was Stella Moore Garner, who graduated from the Iberia Academy in 1893.

As time progressed and transportation facilities developed, a new system of free public schools evolved, based on the consolidation of smaller school districts into one larger school district offering larger schools and more diversified education. This consolidation trend started in the late 1930's and was nearly complete by the late 1950's, bringing to a close the last of the historic one-room schoolhouses in Miller County by 1963.

Many teachers travelled about the county and the same names are frequently mentioned throughout this schoolhouse series. Other teachers stayed in the same district during their teaching career. The list of teachers was provided by the late county historians, Clyde Lee Jenkins and Peggy Smith Hake.

All photos obtained via Miller County Historical Society website.

This article is divided into alphabetical sections. If you are searching for further information, please visit: One Room School Project. For those who are searching for a particular school, please click on one of the options below:

A-B C-F G-J K-O P-Sp St-W

Schoolhouses Site Map

Name: ALDER SPRINGS SCHOOL School District: 81

Opened: c/1874 Closed: 1960

Location: Richwoods Township AKA: Snufflelut School

Early teachers included: John B. Dickerson (1874-75); S. O. Burks (1875-76); A. L. Benage (1876-77); Annie Loague (1877-78); John W. Wait (1878-79 & 1880-81); Marcia O. Smith (1879-80); Kate Williams (1881-82); Delia Anderson (1882-83); H. H. Batson (1883-84); B. P. Dake (1884-85); Cornelia B. Spearman (1885-86); B. Reed (1886-87); Maggie Boyce (1887-88); Effie B. Williams (1888-89); E. F. Madden (1890-91); W. A. Colvin (1891-92); Katie Morrow (1892-93); R. L. Holmes (1893-94); C. B. Thompson (1894-95); B. J. Atwell (1895-96); D. W. Baker (1896-1900); Albert Thompson (1900-01).

Later teachers included: Lennie Thompson; Ruby Shelton; Nellie Ponder; Layard Cross (1956-57); Lucy Pendleton (1958-60)

Name: ALLEN SCHOOL School District: not listed

Opened: c/1871 Closed: early 1900s

Location: Richwoods Township

Early teachers included: Joseph Allen (1874-75); James S. Martin (1875-76); Marcia O. Smith (1876-79 & 80-82); John W. Waite (1879-80); John B. Tallman (1882-83); Fannie B. Hunt (1883-85); D. W. Baker (1885-86); Mattie Cummins (1886-87); Wellington D. Johnson (1887-88); Nettie Smith (1888-89); P. E. Hayes (1889-90); Nellie M. Harrison (1890-91); Ernest E. Benage (1891-92 & 95-96); Gennie/Jenia Brown (1892-93); William A. Colvin (1893-94); Wm. T. Thompson (1894-95); George Ferguson (1896-97); John Whalen (1897-98); Mary Nelson (1898-99); Charles Messersmith (1899-1900); Josie Evans (1900-01)

Pictured taken c/1910.

NAME: ATWELL SCHOOL SCHOOL DISTRICT: 81

OPEN: c/1858 CLOSED: c/1957-58

LOCATION: Richwoods Township

Early teachers included: James E. Anderson (1874-75); O. J. Ryther (1875-76); Jas. J. Dickerson (1876-77); A. F. Whitaker (1877-79); Thomas M. Reynolds (1879-80); Neppie Reed (1880-82); V. E. Anderson (1882-84); Rosanna Reed (1884-85 & 1898-99); Lottie Latchem (1885-87); W. F. Anderson (1887-88); Marcia O. Smith (1888-89); Minnie Baker (1889-90); R. S. Reed (1890-91); Hardin Cannon (1891-93); Vernetta C. Reed (1893-97); Bertha M. Allen (1897-98); A. A. Decker (1898-99 & 1900-01); E. K. Humphrey (1899-1900).

Later teachers included: Metta Crismon (1923-25); Margaret Anderson (1925-26); Lucy Barnett (1926-27); Ellen Baker & Irene Anderson (1927-28); Leila Hale (1932-34); Walter Ferguson (1934-35); Ellen Baker (1938-39 & 1942-45); Dorothy Carroll (1940-42); Bill Forbis (1945-46); Elizabeth Lee & Gladys Elkins (1947-48); Dorothy Curry (1949-53); Elizabeth Lee (1954-57).

Name: AURORA SPRINGS SCHOOL School District: 22

Opened: 1882 . Closed: 1960

Location: Equality Township

Early teachers included: John Dark & Mary L. Leach (1882-83); L. N. Musser (1883-84); H. L. Moles (1884-85); Unknown (1885-97); George Carney (1898-99); Rella Jordan (1899-1900); John J. Crocker (1900-1901)

Later teachers included:

Viola Terwilliger - Grades 1-4 & Binford White - Grades 5-8 (1956-57); Mary Wood - Grades 1-4, & Charity Mobley - Grades 5-8 (1959-60).

Name: BAGNELL HIGH SCHOOL School District: 20

Opened: c/late 1920s Closed: 1934

Location: Franklin Township

Early teachers included: Thelma Osborn (1928-29); Iceal Howser, Thelma Osborn & Neva Osborn (1929-30); Burl Henderson (1933-34).

Bagnell High School was short-lived due to the flooding of the Osage River. In 1934, the high school was moved to where the School of the Osage now stands.

Bagnell also once had a school for the lower grades (1-8) during its heyday of the late 1800s into the early 1900s.

Name: BARNETT SCHOOL School District: 64

Opened: c/1858 .Closed: after 1963

Location: Franklin Township

Early teachers included: Wm. M. Hawkins (1874-75); George W. Reed (1875-78 & 1880-81); W. M. Gott (1878-79); Adella Allen (1879-80); Nathaniel B. Hendericks (1881-83); Barna Reed (1883-84); Mary E. Morrison (1884-85); Barney Reed (1885-86); Charles George (1886-87); J. L. McCombs (1887-89 & 1894-95); V. H. Goethe (1888-89, 1891-92 & 1896-99); Rosetta Burris & John Brockman (1889-90); John Brockman (1890-91); Adonia McCubbins (1892-93); Geo. W. Woolsey (1893-94); 1895-96 Mary Alexander (1895-96); Alzena Thornberry (1895-1900); Virgnia Spearman (1900-01).

Later teachers included: Ruth Branstetter-Grades 1-3 & T. W. Bunch -Grades 4-6 (1962-63).

Class of 1912

Name: BARTON SCHOOL School District: 85

Opened: 1872 .Closed: 1963

Location: Glaize Township

Early teachers included: Mary A. Loague (1874-75); Absalom E. McComb (1875-76); John McCrory (1876-78); Samuel S. Starlin (1878-79); W. L. Hawkins (1879-80, 1884-85 & 1897-98); T. J. Stanton (1880-83); A. E. McCombs (1883-84); S. M. Burks (1885-86); R. C. Thornberry (1886-87); Sarah M. Burks (1887-88); Emma Thompson (1888-89); James C. Warren (1889-90); Maggie A. Miller (1890-91); Estella Thornsberry (1891-92); G. E. Graham (1892-93) Mary M. Martin (1893-95); W. H. Trent (1895-96); W. A. Colvin (1896-97); J. C. Warren (1898-99); Lou E. Warren (1899-1901).

Later teachers included: Mary Thornsberry (1951-54); Vurden Rook (1956-57); Goldie Wall (1957-59); Norman Devore & Carolyn DeVore (1959-60); Floy Wilson & Layard Cross (1962-63).

Name: BAUMHOER SCHOOL School District: 37

Open: c/1898 Close: c/1957

Location: Osage Township AKA: Red School

Not much information is available about this old schoolhouse. In 1897, Osage Tie Company of Miller County bought the land and in 1898 the tie company donated 1.5 acres of land to the Miller County School District. Not long afterwards, the historic school was built. It's probable this school was originally called Polly Hill Branch School, as mentioned in the deed. By 1957, the St. Elizabeth school system had consolidated all the country schools in their district and most likely Baumhoer/Red School was included in the closure.

The only teacher found in records is Gladys Belman (1930).

Name: BEAR SCHOOL School District: 97

Open: c/1874 Close: c/1959

Location: Glaize Township Land Donator: Simeon Bear

Early teachers between 1874-1901 includes:

F.W. Campbell; *Andrew Bear; John A. Roark; Hiram H. Tinsley; Perry T. Nixdorf; Rodelphus Goodman; Lucy C. Hawkins; Sarah M. Burks; Besse B. Brown; Charles George; James P. Wright; Nanie Anthony; H.T. Anthony; John L. Watson; Josie Scherberth; J.L.Watson; Eva Bear; Mattie Bacon; Otis Orville Jenkins; Cora Wickham; George Palmer; Dora Bear. (*Andrew Bear is recorded as having taught at four different periods of time (1875-1876; 1876-1875; 1882-1883; 1891-1892). Teachers after 1900 included: Emma Ripka, Marie (Bear) Stillwell and Eula Fischer.

Name: BERRY SCHOOL School District: 79

Open: c/1916 Close:

Location: Richwoods Township

Early teachers between 1916-1942 includes: Garrett Berry & Otto Cross (1916); Georgia Harper (1917); Allie Boyce (1918-19); Dottie/Lottie? Woody (1919); Clarice Gardner (1920); J. S. Alexander (1921); Eunice Morrow (1922); Nellie Dodds (1923); Isaac Lawson (1925); Paul Healey (1926-27); Anna Cross (1928-30); Nellie Duncan (1931); Lucy Jones (1932); Lucy Jones (1933); Lela D. Whitaker (1934); Pauline Berry (1935); Velma Veasman (1936-38); Lorene Keeth (1939); Gladys Jones (1940); Gladys Humphrey (1941); Harold G. Sooter (1942).

Class of 1919 -- Teacher: Allie Boyce

Name: BOND SCHOOL School District: 01

Open: Close:

Location: Saline Township .AKA: Pleasant Grove School

Early teachers included: M. J. Manning (1875-76); J. A. Goodrick (1876-77); James M. Baker (1877-79); Theodora E. Jordan (1879-81); Samuel Starling (1881-82); O. L. Moore (1882-83 & 1884-85); Lou Sullens (1883-84); J. W. Roark (1885-86); Adelaide Moore (1886-87); 1887-89 A. H. S. Jordan (1887-89 & 1890-91); S. B. Johnston (1889-90); J. W. Sullens (1891-92); J. M. Baker (1892-94); J. Ivy Lumpkin (1894-95); Anna E. Brown (1895-96); Minne Baker (1896-97); J. M. Norfleet (1897-98); Kim Hinds (1898-99); 1899-00 Bertha M. Allen (1899-1900); Elisha Brown (1900-01).

Name: BOLIN/BOWLIN SCHOOL School District: 50

Open: Close: 1936

Location: Glaize Township Donator: W. L. Bolin

Not very much information is found on this historic school. The school was once located near present day School of the Osage.

While the teachers were said to be very strict and imposed punishment for offenders, including spanking and staying inside during recess, there are no records of who once taught at Bowlin School.

It has been recorded that no more than 12 students at a time were educated here during its duration as an educational center. Bolin/Bowlin School (pictured) was replaced by New Bowlin School in 1933 but was discontinued in 1936 when School of the Osage was built. However, the second Bowlin schoolhouse was used as a cafeteria until 1952.

Name: BRAYS SCHOOL School District: 78

Open: c/1874 Close: after 1959

Location: Richwoods Township

Early teachers included: Isaiah Latchem (1874-75); Wm. P. Skaggs (1875-76); Rebecca Benage (1876-77); Mary A. Hughes (1877-78); A. F. Whitaker (1878-79); James O. Ferguson (1879-80); Marcia O. Smith (1880-83); Barn Reed (1883-84); W. D. Johnson (1884-85); Lucinda F. Martin (1885-86); Alice Duncan (1886-87); B. P. Fike (1887-88); Lottie Latchem (1888-90); J. E. Harrison (1890-91); John L. Benage (1891-92); Chas. B. Thompson (1892-93); J. L. Lovelace (1893-94); Katie Morrow (1894-95); W. T. Thompson (1895-96); M. Shackelford

(1896-97); E. R. Humphrey (1897-99); E. T. Morrow (1899-1901). Later teacher included: Floy Wilson (1956-57 & 1958-59).

Name: BROWN SCHOOL School District: 57

Open: late 1800s Close: c/1959

Location: Richwoods Township

Early teachers included: Lillie Duncan (1892); Charles Messersmith (1895); George Palmer (1896); Lee Wilson 91897); Elsie James (1903); Pauline Berry & Vurden Rook (1937-38);

Later teachers included: Margie Clark

It is interesting to note there were three different Brown Schools in the area. The original log school (#1) was located near the Maries County line close to Greasy Creek. The second

frame-built school was situated along Faith Tabernacle Road. The third school was a stone structure located alongside present-day Highway 42 east of Iberia. (Photo: unknown school year)

Brumley High School

Name: BRUMLEY HIGH SCHOOL

School District: 69

Open: c/1874 Close: after 1963

Location: Glaize Township

Early teachers included: Elnora Singletary (1874-75); Elizabeth J. Salsman (1875-76); Cynthia F. Hawkins (1876-78, 1879-80 & 1882-83); Hiram R. Popejoy (1878-79); W. M. Winfrey (1880-81); Minnie Kemper (1881-82); Wm. L. Hawkins (1883-84); J. L. McComb (1885-86); O. L. Moore (1886-87); Cynthia Spearman (1887-88); M. A. Esty . &

L. B. Esty (1888-89); G. W. Akers & Bettie Gott (1889-90); H. J. Robinett & Belle Brown (1890-91); B. Reed, Jr. & D. F. Hawkins Spearman (1891-92); C. F. Spearman & Nellie Harrison (1892-93); Wm. C. Hawkins & Rosetta Burris (1893-94); Rosetta Burris & Nellie Harrison (1894-95); Adona McCubbin & W. L. Hawkins (1895-96); Belle Stebbins (1896-97); Belle Thompson, J. L. McCombs & Effie Thompson (1897-98); C. F. Spearman & Effie Thompson (1898-99); W. S. Spearman & Effie Thompson (1899-1900); J. B. Tinsley & Flora Gott (1900-01); Oscar House, Alta McClain & Opal Carnes (1912-13); Maud Clark (1913-14); Lucy Burris (1914-15).

Later teachers included: Earl Humphrey, Zella Barr & Loetta Grady (1956-57); Norman DeVore, Carolyn DeVore, Goldie Wall & Paul D. Thompson (1962-63)

Note: Brumley's elementary school was originally in School District #4 when the one-room schoolhouse was built in the early 1870s.

Class of 1904

Name: BUCHANAN SCHOOL School District: 23

Open: c/1875 Close: 1904

Location: Saline Township

Early teachers included: Olive I. Scott (1875-77 & 1882-83); 1877-78 Mattie Moon (1877-78); S. B. Johnston (1878-79); W. J. Ashley (1879-80 & 1885-87); Samuel D. Dutcher (1880-81); James C. Simpson (1881-82); Lee A. Gorham (1883-84); Emma Murcersmith (1884-85); Allen B. Porch (1887-88); Nora E. Shelton (1888-89); Maude Court (1889-90); J. T. Miller (1890-91); Toliver Harrison (1891-93); Vona Harrison (1893-94); Jno. B. Ansley (1894-96); Dona Jordan (1896-97); Vesta Wright (1897-98); Minnie Baker (1898-99); Lillian Harrison (1899-1900); Dollie Miller (1900-01).

Name: BUCK KNOB SCHOOL School District: not listed

Open: Close:

Location: Richwoods Township

Early teachers include: Sarah C. Clay (1879-80); M. E. Carpenter (1884-85); Jonathon Brockman (1885-86); Nannie Anthony (1886-87).

There is not a lot of information regarding this school other than what is listed above. The historic school was once located in the northern region of Richwoods Township (north of Iberia).

No photos are available.

Miller County Schools Series: C-F Schoolhouses Site Map

"I salute these teachers of Miller County’s past days. They were of a completely different breed. Today’s teachers have a very “cushy” life when compared to these dedicated people who faced many hardships in their daily life of teaching to a different generation.

I just want all former teachers of these old schools (and there are still few left today) to know how very much I admire you and the wonderful job you all performed educating our unlearned Ozark ancestors." ~ Peggy Smith Hake - c/1995