History of Todd School

Todd District was the birthplace of the first white child born in the county. Her name was Adeline Palmer, daughter of John Palmer, and date of birth was spring of 1818. She was born in a log cabin located in the northeast corner of Section 12, Twp. 58, Range 5. During the next few years, as a number of settlers came from Kentucky and Tennessee, it became necessary to have a school. It was located in the northwest corner of south­east quarter Section 11, Twp. 38, Range 6, on the farm now owned by Raymond Pennewell and wife. All that remains to mark the site is a large and very old elm tree and a wonderful spring. The first school commissioner was John Gash in 1827. School was held in this house until 1842, at which time the school system in Marion County was organized according to the law passed by the General Assembly of Missouri in 1839. This law or act provides for the organization of the common school districts. In the year 1840 David Willock was Presiding Judge of the Marion County Court; and under his jurisdiction schools were organized into twelve townships. The total number of children in 1843 in Marion County was 2347. The total amount of money received from interest on school fund loans was $3400.74 or $1.48 per child. These districts took over the old private or subscription school.

Books used at this time: Elementary Spelling; Eclectic Readers; Testa­ment; Smith, Pike and Smiley’s Arithmetic; Comstock’s Philosophy; Olney’s Geography; Whelpley’s Compound and Guy’s Astronomy; Smith, Kirkham and Brown’s Grammar. A few names of pupils: Marcus Dingle, John Bourne, Amelia Rice, Benjamin Gash, T. J. Lewis, William Hickerson, William Rice, Kate Rice, Burilla Baxter, Adeline West, the Maddox children, Callie White, and the McCormick children.

In 1851 the name of the school was changed from Gash to Redd, then later to Todd. In 1916 the present district was made part of Fabius Consolidated District No. 2.