SOURCE: SCHOOLS OF BUREAU COUNTY PAST & PRESENT Vera E. Jackson Fletcher & Glenn H. Fletcher Printed: 1987 Submitted by: Bob Johnson

Preface: When it became apparent that the early one-room schools were becoming extinct in Bureau County through consolidating with surrounding districts, and it had reached the point where no school existed in some localities due to too small enrollments and financial problems, we decided to assemble our many pictures and the history connected with individual districts for preservation.

Mr. George O. Smith, a County Superintendent, donated many of his photographs to us and perhaps this instigated the beginnng of our many years, weeks and hourse of research and work.

We wish to extend our thanks to the  many interested teachers and ex-students of these former shcools for their help.

We also thank the Illinois Farmer's Union who placed a trainee for non-profit work and who assigned Alice Tobin for this monumental task of compiling all of the accumulated data and history contained herein.

Some of the dates and names of teachers may be erroneous and we assume no responsibility for these errors. Nineteen hundred eleven (1911) records are missing and if any book owner or reader has records in their possession other than what we present, please correct and enter in proper Districts.

Having taught school in Bureau County for 45 years, I was the last teacher when the Colton School was closed. This school is now a Museum Building at the Lovejoy Historical site East of Princeton, Illinois.

A copy of 1872 rules for teachers and George O. Smith's 1912-1913 Teacher's Manual need to be carefully studied. Perhaps today's teachers will appreciate these former teachers for the hardships they endured as they pioneered the teaching profession, and also thank them for the improvements and many helps that are in practice today. ~ Vera E. Fletcher

 

Row 1: Swanson School/Greenville Twp.; Normandy School/Greenville Twp.; Meeks School/Greenville Twp.; Church School/Greenville Twp.; Burden School/Fairfield Twp.

Row 2: Whitington School, Fairfield Twp.; New Bedford School, Greenville Twp.; (photo 1 of 3) Fairfield Center School, Fairfield Twp.; (photo 2 of 3) Fairfied Center School, Fairfield Twp.; (photo  3 of 3) Fairfield Center School, Fairfield Twp.

Row 3: Bowen School, Fairfield Twp.; Craddock School, Fairfield Twp.; Johnson School, Fairfield Twp.; (Photo 1 of 2) Thomas School, Fairfield Twp.; (Photo 2 of 2) Thomas School, Fairfield Twp.

Row 4: Pleasant Hill School, Fairfield Twp.; Yorktown School, Fairfield Twp.; White School, Greenville Twp.; Burden School; Johnson School 1913 (includes names of students)

Row 5:  Original Thomas School, 1898 Student List for Johnson School, 1910 Student List for Dist 46 Fairfield Twp.; Johnson School students