LADONIA SCHOOLS
From The Ladonia News - 1935

The first school of any description ever taught in Ladonia was a small log cabin in the south part of town. Mrs. Dan Redner, whose husband owned the first Ladonia store, taught a small private school, a few years later. The first public school was taught in the Cumberland  Presbyterian church building, located just back of the present U.S.A. Presbyterian church building. A Mr. Quigley was the first teacher. In 1860 The Ladonia Male and Female Institute was located here and in 1861 it was reported as prosperous under the charge of Elder J.C. Averit and lady, who was also the music teacher. In 1866, Mr. Bilge Chaney and wife, taught the school. He was a newspaper writer. Later it passed into private control of Rev. W.B. Featherstone. Rev. S.J. Anderson, Rev. J.W. Brown, Louis Holland, John Clinton, and Miss Robinson were assistant. Mr. Chaney and twin sister Mrs Mary Reed, attended this flourishing school which continued until the state free schools came. In 1873 Prof. John Clinton taught in the building. Prof. Payton Irving taught the first free school in the building in 1874 - 78. The Eagletons bought it and moved it just west of the square on Main St. and taught school sometimes assisted by E.N. Gatlin who later resigned and Miss Louise Barlow took his place. The Eagletons sold the building to Prof's. Luther Redner and S.M. Foster who assisted by Mr. Garrett, taught the school. All these schools had music teachers, Mrs. Matt Child in the Featherstone school, Miss Minnie Eagleton in this school, and others not now recalled. The Featherstone school was located about where the M.O. Williams home now stands, and a Mr. Irwin was one teacher. The school was later moved to a building on West Main St. across from the present Christian church building.The school building was torn down and used in dwellings where Lee Morrow, M.A. Abernathy, and B.B. Merrill live, so part of first school-church house is still here and useful. Later, a two-story brick schoolhouse was erected on the site of the present building.