Marion School History home Marion School
Lengthy limbs of an old catalpa tree reach out as if to caress an old friend during her
last days. Marion school which served more than one hundred years as an educational
center has passed out of existence.
Marion School Spotlighted at 1904 World's Fair
by Annabelle Chapman, Carthage Press Staff Reporter (January 21, 1970)
A public auction in recent months at Marion school about two miles northwest of Carthage
left the school building empty. The building, contents, playground equipment, flag pole,
and bell then were sold and moved away. Still sturdy trees remained as if to guard the old
structure during it's last days. The school recently was razed piece by piece. The pine
lumber is destined to be used in the construction of a modern split-level home.
Marion school once was a center of community activity and a world-renowned example of
architectural splendor. The district was organized in 1866 and bore number four designating
it the fourth school district in Jasper County. The first teacher was S. B. Ormsby. The Ormsby
family came in 1866 from Michigan to Jasper county visiting members of the Sidney Smith
family who preceded them from Michigan.
Since there was no schoolhouse, at first Ormsby rented a house across the road from the
John I. Cunningham residence. Cunningham was opening a big farm on the prairie. Mr. and
Mrs. Ormsby resided in one room of the 2-room house and held classes in the other. Seats
were made, a blackboard was improvised, a stove was purchased and the first term started
in October. The following year Nathan Perry donated land and on that site the first school
building was erected.
Jasper county was the first in the state to adopt county supervision and employ a full time
county superintendent. The high standing of the county's schools thereafter attested to the
wisdom of this step with progress. Just as important in the long run as the construction of
railroads or the expansion of agriculture and business enterprises were the efforts to improve
educational opportunities in Missouri in the late nineteenth century.
Public schools in Missouri were just beginning to get a foothold when the Civil War began.
During the conflict, education was suspended. School buildings were destroyed or converted
into barracks. School funds were diverted from their proper use and some money was lost.
The state appropriated no funds from general revenue for public schools during a period of
seven years (1861-68).
After the Civil War people realized something must be done locally lest a pall of ignorance
creep over the area. Steps were taken to rehabilitate and improve the public school system.
Most of the new school buildings were small boxcar structures which left much to be desired
but they were superior to the dismal, dreary cabins of antebellum days.
The second Marion school building on a different site was erected in 1903 at cost of $1500.
It was selected as the ideal modern rural school of the future and a model of it was displayed
in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair.
When Marion school district passed out of existence in June, 1969, the district had an estimated
75 voters. Seventeen voted that day to annex to the Carthage R-9 district. No one voted against
annexation. No school had been held the previous year in the 2-room building. Marion pupils
attended Carthage schools on a tuition basis.
Members of the last Marion Board of Education were Frank Dawald, president; Henry Peters,
Gene Hoofnagle and W. A. Keeper.
When the district became a part of Carthage R-9 district the R-9 board assumed responsibility
for final decision regarding disposal of the building. It was sold to John Henry, Carthage route 2.
His was the lowest offer submitted by sealed bids. He razed the building. The land on which
the school stood reverts to Frank Wampler, Carthage route 2, an heir of the original owner.