That is an interesting story. I was told the school might now be a residence. Perhaps that is not the case. Mike Flannigan On Tue, 26 Sep 2006, djtaylor@puc.edu wrote: >Message: 2 >Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:02:20 -0700 >From: Diane Taylor <djtaylor@puc.edu> >Subject: Re: [MOSTONE] newspaper article >To: "JUDY WAISNER" <jwaisner@centurytel.net> >Cc: MOSTONE-L@rootsweb.com >Message-ID: <c8cf4ecbb90b2d2b9ca184c10ef8706e@puc.edu> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > >> I would like a copy please. >> Thanks. >> >Here goes.........Diane > >Ozark Newsstand > >09/25/2006 >One-room school celebrates 100 years >By: Amelia Widgon > >OZARK-It was 1934 and Clifford Bilyeu, now 79, was the only boy in a >class of six. His teacher at Meadows School, a one-room school on Bull >Creek on the outskirts of Christian County, just so happened to be his >uncle, James Bilyeu. > > >"There were five girls and me and my uncle," he said. "I stayed with >him and went to school there (Meadows School). And at noon and at >recess we had a little game going to see who could catch the most >grasshoppers. We would put them in the can and then after the girls >went home from school, we'd take the grasshoppers and go fishing." > > Bilyeu chuckled, thinking back more than 70 years to his childhood. > >"We'd bring our rifles with us," Bilyeu said referring again to his >uncle. "We'd set the rifles in the outhouse outside the school house >and that evening we'd go hunting on our way home. One day the >superintendent for the school came and had to go to the outhouse. He >seen our guns in there, but he never said a word about them. Of course, >that wouldn't go over now." > >Bilyeu started attending Meadows School, which was built in 1906, in >1932 when he was 5. He attended a total of three years before his >family moved and he began attending Enterprise School. > >"I'm sure there's lot of interesting things that happened, but I'm sure >it's been a long time and I can't remember them all," he said about >Meadows School. > >This is just a few of hundreds of stories from Meadows School. And >organizers of the centennial celebration, slated for Sept. 30 and Oct. >1, hope to find more stories of the old school so the history of the >building, the people and the community don't fade away. > >Jayne Meadows, who is spearheading the celebration, began thinking >about the need for a centennial celebration for the one-room school >after digging through some old papers. > >"The 100th anniversary really instigated this," Meadows said about the >celebration. "It was in Gladys' notes that the school would be 100 >years old in 2006. I thought it would be neat so I started thinking >about it five years ago. > >"Years ago, Gladys Back was interested in Ozark history and doing >research. She would spearhead an annual get together at the old school >house," Meadows said. "It was the last weekend of every September, you >just knew it was coming up. But after she died (in the 1970s) it was >kind of neglected." > >Gladys' great-grandfather-the brother of Meadows' >great-grandfather-donated the 3-acre piece of land for the school in >1891. > >"The reason it's called Meadows school house and Meadows cemetery is >because John Hanson Meadows donated the land," Meadows said. > >Although the land was donated in 1891, the school didn't open until >1906. Meadows said she is not certain of the cause of the delay, but >believes it is because there were two log schools closer to the creek >before the current building was built. > >"Somewhere, both of those ended up burning, or were destroyed by >natural elements, and they moved the school away from the creek," >Meadows said. > >If research is correct, the last known year the school operated was >1949. According to old student enrollment sheets, 25 students-ranging >in age from 6 to 17-attended Meadows School in 1936. In 1941 the number >of students attending decreased to 17 and by 1949 only eight students >remained. > >"I think it's amazing how in a little over a decade, the population >just diminished. There was no way to make money," Meadows said. "If the >schools are growing, that means the community is growing. If the >schools are fewer and fewer, people are moving away. Which is because >of the economic system of the area, which is why towns die." > >Meadows doesn't want the history of this school house to die, however. >She said she thinks it is important to recognize the teachers and >students of the old school house and to try to keep its history alive. > >"I hope to get people interested in the old building and enjoy the >Ozarks history," she said. "I'd just like to see the old schools >remain. A lot of them are gone and I realize if there is not an >interest in them they won't be around for the next generation." > >These are the reasons Meadows is hoping former teachers and students of >Meadows school-or any one-room school for that matter-will attend the >event and share their stories. > >"If you get first-hand information from people who used to go to school >here, it's great history. It's first-person history," she said. "I just >think of what we are now is the result of those who came before us and >what their values were." > >"I think 100 years is worth celebrating," she added. "I think it will >be fun to get together and meet old friends and new friends and maybe >relatives you've never met before. I think it will be kind of fun to >have a big celebration of pioneer Ozarks." > >?Ozarks Newsstand?2006