Peggy Smith-Hake's
"Window to the Past"
Miller County Schoolhouse Series
(G - J)
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Name: GAGEVILLE SCHOOL School District: 18
Open: c/1905 Close: c/1959
Location: Saline Township . AKA: Curty School
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Early teachers included: David N. Curty (1874-76); Luke E. Melton (1876-77); M. P. Simpson (1877-78); William Thompson (1878-79); Isaac B. Walker (1879-81); D. N. Curty (1881-82); Hannah J. Blackburn (1882-83); C. F. White (1883-84); L. D. Curty (1884-85); Thomas N. Belshe (1885-86); John T. Soragahn (1886-87); G. G. Payne (1887-88); H. W. Scott (1888-89); J. L. Watson (1889-90); John Henry Green Jenkins (1890-91); James F. Fierce (1891-92); Josie Pennington (1892-94); M. L. Roark (1894-95); Samuel Valentine Jenkins (1895-96); Vesta Wright (1896-97); Lou Lumpkin (1897-99); B. H. Curty (1899-1900); John Buster (1900-01).
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Later teacher included: Parnell Kallenbach (1930-31).
Name: GEORGE SCHOOL School District: Camden County
Open: c/late 1800s Close:
Location: Camden County
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Early teacher included: Dora Tabor (1906).
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Not a lot of information is available for this old schoolhouse. While the school was located in Camden County a significant amount of southwestern Miller County children from Glaize Township attended the school for a number of years.
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Photo: First school. A concrete building replaced the wooden frame structure in the early 1900s.
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Name: GINGER RIDGE SCHOOL School District: 94
Open: c/1874 Close: c/1951
Location: Equality Township
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Early teachers included: Wm. T. Harrison (1874-75); A. A. F. Tomson (1875-76); Williamm T. Tomson (1876-77); Mary J. Neville (1877-78 & 1882-83); Mary L. Johnston (1878-79); N. E. Castor (1879-80); George W. Akers (1880-81, 1886-86 & 1887-88); G. W. Johnston (1881-82); George P. Swanson (1883-85); Amelia Roland (1886-87); Ida E. Johnson (1888-90); Annie E. Cotton (1890-92); E. E. Allen (1892-93); Bird E. Moles (1893-94);
Unknown school year
Vonia Harrison (1894-95); Jno. L. Gilleland (1895-97); Lamont Roard (1897-99); M. I. Roard (1899-1900); Dion Clark (1900-01).
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Later teacher included: Leota Slote (1950-51).
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Name: GOTT SCHOOL School District: 70
Open: c/1870 . Close: 1882
Location: Glaze Township .Land Donator: Jesse Gott
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Early teachers included: Jesse Gott (c/1870); William M. Winfrey (1874-75); Absalom E. McComb (1875-76); W. M. Gott (1876-80); G. W. Johnston (1880-81).
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In 1882, the school closed and the children in the community were transferred to District #4 (Brumley).
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No photo available.
Name: HARBISON SCHOOL School District: 19
Open: . Close: after 1957
Location: Saline Township Land Donator: Wm. Harbison
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Early teachers included: George Swanson (1874-75); Henry G. Pendleton (1875-76); Sarah J. Kneisley (1876-77); John A. Goodrick (1877-80 & 1882-83); William S. Miller (1880-81); W. J. Ashley (1881-82); Emma A. Porch (1883-84); May Gantt (1884-85); Fred Etter (1885-86 & 1897-1901); G. W Akers (1886-87); Jennie Johnston (1887-88); John B. Crawford (1888-89); Victoria Bell (1889-90); W. T. Bowlin (1890-91); Lucetta Roark (1892-93); M. L. Roark (1893-94); Josie Pennington (1894-95); Minnie Kaiser (1895-96); Kim F. Hinds (1896-97); Later teachers included: Pearl Roberts (1912); Leola Slote (1956-57).
Unknown school year
Name: HARMONY SCHOOL School District: 43
Open: c/1840 Close: c/1948
Location: Equality Township
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Early teachers included: Wm. W. Conner (1874-77); Lafayette Bacon (1877-78); J. L. Roark (1878-79); Mary L. Roark (1879-80); David McComb (1880-81); Laura Turner (1881-82); Ida Johnston (1886-88); Kate Swanson (1888-89); Nannie Anthony (1889-90); W. A. Cotton (1890-92); Mattie Williams (1892-93); G. M. Tinsley (1893-94); Ida M. Tomson (1894-95); O. O. Jenkins (1895-96); Everett Vaughn (1896-97); Eva Vaughn (1897-98); Lula Wilson (1898-99); Lamont Roark (1899-1901).
Later teachers included: Maude Wright, Ann Heldstab, Mildred Chalmers McMilien, Vera Busick, Pauline Adcock, Emma Blaser Taylor and Margie Clark.
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Name: HICKORY POINT SCHOOL School District: 60
Open: c/1860 .Close: c/1960
Location: Richwoods Township Land Donator: J. B. Watkins
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Early teachers included: John W. Wait (1874-75, 1877-78 & 1884-85); Judson E. Keyes (1875-76); S. O. Burks (1876-77); Neppie Reed (1878-79); D. W. Baker (1879-80); C. F. Hawkins (1880-82); D. W. Conner (1882-83); Cynthia F. Hawkins (1883-84); M. P. Lewis (1885-86); Cornelia Spearman (1886-87); Lottie Latchem (1887-88); Belle Brown (1888-89); W. A. Colvin (1889-90 & 1894-95); Rosetta Burris (1890-91); J. E. Neeley (1891-92); G. G. Sullivan (1892-93); Etta Waite (1893-94); Sophia Reed (1895-96); Hardin Cannon (1896-97); Aulta Adams (1897-98); George T. Bear (1898-99); Annie Bear (1899-1900); Gilbert Watkins (1900-01).
Unknown school year
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Other teachers included: Wesley Gover, Ligde Neeley, Barney Reed, Fred Benage, Martha Bear, John U. Stone, Rosa Barton, Henry Harlin, Gilbert Watkins, Otis Wright, Elmer Barton, Jo Ann Spearman, Grace Johnson, Roy Porter, Genevieve Livingston, Clyde Bilyeu, William Hix, Edna Barton, Clarence Farnham, Grace Livingston, Robert Livingston, Elmer Karr, Mabel Fancher, Jesse Hayes, Ruby Shelton, Curtis Cross, Layard Cors, Fleeta Jarrett, Hazel Martin and Wanda Lee Kelsey.
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Class of c/1902 -- Teacher: Perry T. Wyrick
Name: HICKS SCHOOL School District: 22
Open: Close:
Location: Richwoods Township Land Seller: Owen Pendleton
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Early teachers included: Gordon C. Skaggs (1874-75); Lucinda Burks (1875-76); John W. Waite (1876-78); Parilee Duncan (1878-79); Nellie B. Moore (1880-82); Mary Woody (1882-83); Jane Short (1883-85); Chas. T. Smith (1885-86); B. P. Dake (1886-87); Mary E. Atwell (1887-88); G. E. Stickney (1888-89); J. M. Renfrow (1889-90); J. O. Ferguson (1890-91); A. O. Pendleton (1891-92); Mary B. Thompson (1892-94); Mary B. Pendleton (1893-94); W. R. Groves (1894-95); Josie Shubert (1895-96); Sella Lawson (1896-97); Margaret Shackelford (1897-99 & 1900-01); Florence Schuberth (1899-1900).
Name: HOECKER SCHOOL School District: 15
Open: c/1905 .Close:
Location: Osage Township Land Donator: Joseph Hoecker
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Early teachers included: Feraby Slote (late 1920s); George Thomas (early 1930s); Thomas Luke Wetlock (1937-38); Marie Antoinette Bruce (1938-39).
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This school would have been located in the northeastern section of Osage Township near the Osage River.
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No photo available.
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Name: HOLDER SCHOOL School District: 25
Open: Close:
Location: Franklin Township
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Early teachers included: W. A. McComb (1875-76); Daniel C. Vann (1876-77); Lois Foote (1877-78); John A. Roark (1878-79); Emma E. Shelton (1879-81); David McComb (1881-82); J. W. Roark (1882-83); Della Roark (1883-84); LeRoy S. Wadley (1884-85);C. W. Demott ( 1885-86); Mattie Whitaker (1886-87); J. S. Vaughn (1888-89); Louis A. Jones (1889-90); D. C. Vann (1890-91); Rosella Conner (1891-92); Dora Allen (1892-94 & 1897-98); Lou Lumpkin (1894-96); Flora Nevins (1896-97); John E. Raines (1898-1900); Chloe Harrison (1900-01).
Later teacher included: O. H. Riffle (1907).
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Picture: Unknown school year
Class of 1935-36
Name: HONEY SPRING SCHOOL School District: 71
Open: c/1870 Close:
Location: Glaize Township Land Donator: Henry Luttrell
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Early teachers included: A. E. McComb (1874-75); Wm. M. Winfrey (1875-76, 1878-80 & 1883-84); Cynthia F. Hawkins (1876-77); Lucy C. Hawkins (1877-78); Margaret Admire (1880-83); Fidella Tolle (1884-85); W. S. Hawkins (1885-86); J. S. McComb (1886-87 & 1888-89); V. H. Goethe (1887-88); J. A. Brockman (1889-90); J. C. Warren (1890-91); G. M. Tinsley (1891-93); Aulta Spearman (1893-94); Cornelia Spearman (1894-95); T. A. Williams (1895-96); Rosetta Burris (1896-97); W. A. Colvin (1897-98); W. S. Spearman (1898-99); Martha Meredith (1899-00); Aulta Adams (1900-01).
Later teachers included: Mrs. Grosvenor (1953-54); Lillian Pemberton (1954-55); Charles H. Cox (1955-57); Grover Wright (1959-60).
Name: HOWELL SCHOOL School District: 92
Open: .Close:
Location: Glaize Township
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Early teachers included: John F. Hammond (1874-75); William M. Hawkins (1875-76); L. M. Pridemore (1876-77); Wm. M. Winfrey (1877-78); Cynthia Hawkins (1878-79 & 1884-85); H. R. Popejoy (1879-80); Fred A. Goodrich (1880-81); M. A. Esty (1881-82); Neppie Reed (1882-83); Neppie Eads (1883-84); C. F. Spearman (1885-86, 1895-96 & 1899-1900); Gracie Stanway (1886-87); James E. Harrison (1887-88); Alonzo Reed (1888-89); Betty Gott
Class of 1926-27
(1889-90); W. L. Hawkins (1890-91); Cornelia Spearman (1892-93); S. D. Norfleet (1893-94); Mrs. C. F. Spearman (1894-95); C. B. Spearman (1896-97); J. A. Brockman (1897-98); Charles Messersmith (1898-99); George T. Baker (1900-01).
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Class of 1923-24 -- Teacher: Edna Jones
Name: IBERIA SCHOOL School District: [originally] 74
Open: c/1890 Status: still in session
Location: Richwoods Township
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Iberia had quite a time getting its first school built. During the early 1870s there were about 14 schools established in Richwoods Township, including a school for the black children. But no school in Iberia! During this era, the majority of Iberians attended Allen School, located 1.5 mile east of Iberia. In 1883, the townsfolk began talking about building a school, but it took four more years before the town formed a stock company in 1887. Not long after this, a two-story brick building was erected to serve as the new school. It was called the Iberia Normal School.
The school was built for the sole purpose to 1) graduate students who wanted to become teachers and 2) generate money for a profit. It didn't work! Two years later the school was closed.
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By 1890, Professor Byron Smith had heard about this empty school and re-opened it, once again providing an education for the children of Iberia. The Normal School became known as Iberia Academy. The original building was destroyed by a fire in 1917. Another building - constructed of limestone - replaced the building of 1887.
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It is unknown when the first grammar school was built, but historians estimate it was in the early 1890s. It was described as a two-story frame building with winding stairs and a double door on the front. It was used as a school for less than 20 years and was then sold at auction! In the summer of 1913, the people of Iberia voted for a new school and soon after a four-room building was erected behind the old Lombar mansion (where the Bank of Iberia now sits). In April of 1923 the school burned down! Classes were held at the Congregational Church and the G. A. R. Hall until the school was replaced with a new building.
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By the end of 1923, another grammar school was built on the same site. This school endured the test of time! It was in operation until the early 1960s when the current school was built. Iberia's first high school was voted into existence in 1937 with a bond issue. It took three years to build it and while the school was under construction, classes were held in the grade school's basement area. The first graduation commencement was held in the new high school in 1941. Unfortunately, disaster once again struck when the high school burned down in 1959.
The Iberia school system was the last in Miller County to consolidate. After the high school burned in 1959, it was decided that all the country schools in Richwoods township, would be brought into consolidation and the students were bused into Iberia when the new [current] school was built.
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Early teachers included: Edna Jones & Fred Ambrose (1923)
Name: INDEPENDENCE SCHOOL School District: 07
Open: Close:
Location: Saline Township AKA: Britt Taylor School
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Early teachers included: Samuel Allen (1874-75); James A. Allen (1875-76); James F. Etter (1876-78); Lucy E. Taylor (1878-79); Noland Taylor (1879-80); W. O. Martin (1880-81); Lois Allen (1881-82); John Barnard (1882-83); Mattie Stone (1883-84); M. Josie Lumpkin (1884-85); William Alexander (1885-86); Sallie Wilson (1886-87); John R. Gunn (1887-88); Lula Parks (1888-89); W. E. Allen (1889-90); Maggie Boyce (1890-91); Lissa Stayton (1891-92); T. M. Silvey (1892-93); Will H. Strong (1893-94); James A. Adcock (1894-95); Burlie Wilson (1895-96); C. M. Callahan (1896-97); J. A. Adcock (1897-98); Dion Clark (1898-1900); John E. Raines (1900-01).
Name: JEFFRIES SCHOOL School District: 66
Open: c/1874 Close:
Location: Glaize Township
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Early teachers included: Benjamin Wilson (1874-75 & 1876-77); Violet Dunnington (1875-76); Elizabeth Cook (1877-78); Lucetta Caliman (1878-79); L. N. Wood (1879-80); W. M. Gott (1880-81); George W. Reed (1881-82); Wyley M. Gott (1882-83); Edward N. Ainsworth (1883-84); Lettie T. Parish (1884-85); B. F. Jeffries (1885-86); Sophia E. Thompson (1886-88); Alinza Spearman (1888-89); J. L. McComb (1889-90); E. P. Hawkins (1890-91); W. L. Hawkins (1891-93); Stella Thornsberry (1893-94); Mary A. Thornsberry (1894-95); Polly Thornsberry (1895-96); Frank Miller (1896-970; A. S. McComb (1897-99); J. A. Brockman (1899-1900); Lucy Howell (1900-01). Later teacher: Ethel Franklin (pictured)
Name: JENKINS SCHOOL School District: not listed
Open: Close:
Location: Uncertain
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There is no information available for this old school. It was either located in northern Richwoods Township or southern Osage Township.
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Name: JIM HENRY SCHOOL School District: 32
Open: Close:
Location: Jim Henry Township
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Early teachers included: James P. Wright (1873-74); Isaac B. Wright (1874-75); Sarah J. Kneisley (1875-76); Alice Reeves (1876-77); Lucetta F. Belshe (1877-79); Hannah J. Belshe (1879-80); L. D. Curty (1880-81); Thomas J. Starling (1881-82); J. W. Sullens (1882-83); J. Robert Hoff (1883-84); R. A. Green (1884-85); T. N. Belshe (1885-86); John J. Hawkins (1886-87); C. E. George (1887-88); N. W. Gilleland (1888-89); Ella Gilleland ( 1889-90); Josie Pennington (1890-91); Ida May Tomson (1891-92); Emma Murcersmith (1892-93); O. T. Baker (1893-94); Nellie Tomson (1894-95); Donna E. Jordan (1895-
96); Dixie Tomson (1896-97); Rella R. Jordan (1897-99); Elsie Miller (1899-1901).
Later teachers included:Hazel Duncan (1938-40); Freda Schulte (1940-41); Cyrilla Tellman (1941-42); Lois Schulte (1942-43).
Name: JOHNSTON SCHOOL School District: 82
Open: 1870 Close: 1960
Location: Richwoods Township
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Early teachers included: Sarah B. Gardner & Cornelius Lowe (1872); James J. Dickerson (1873); W. W. Garder (1874-76); John B. Tallman (1877-78 & 1882); David D. Greenstreet (1880); L. W. Wood (1881); Cornelia Spearman (1884); George Mace (1891-92); J. A. Jordan (1892-93); E. F. Madden (1893-94).
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Later teachers included: E. F. Madden (1901-03); Lillie Johnston & W. T. Haines (1902); Ursie Veasman Ewing (1920-21); Sadie Confra (1921-22); Mary Shackleford (1922-23); A. Y. Johnston (1923-24); Edna Jones (1930); Barney Stokes (1933 & 1938-39); Eileen Mayfield (1936-38); Vurden Rook (1939-40); Edna Jones (1940-41).
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"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
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