Anderson Public School used to set near the cemetery and creek on Lydle Martin's farm in Jacksonburg. An old school souvenir card of 1905 lists it as being located in Grant District and has a list of several children with the last names of Stoneking, Anderson, Gorby and Wyatt. . A man by the name of Rich Anderson pulled the school by oxen up to where Lydle’s barn is now and made it part of the barn.

Arch’s (or Archer’s) School – This school, also called the Dogtown School by the locals, was situated about 4-6 miles up Arche’s Fork in Smithfield. It housed grades 1st through 8th in the early 1900s and closed sometime in the 1950s. It was a two-room school that had unique roll-away doors that could be used as a divider or raised to allow the students to study in the same room. A log home is now standing in the original location. Bob Johnson was a teacher there for nine years. He was born in 1910 and attended West Liberty Normal School immediately after graduating and soon received a teaching certificate and began a 37 ½ year teaching career that included time at Bane, Dogtown, Fallen Timber, Pricetown, Folsom, and Steelton, where he was Principal. He achieved a Masters Degree during this time. After retiring in 1966 he went to work as Postmaster for the Smithfield Post Office and held that position until 1982 when his health forced him to finally retire.

Atwood School was actually called the Border School at Atwood because it sat on the Wetzel and Tyler County lines on Eight Mile Ridge. The counties took a turn every two years providing the school teachers, which included Wetzel employees Roy Minor, Opal Minor, Okey Long, Ralph Conley, and Dick Holman; and Tyler employees T. M. Lemasters, Mary Lemasters, and Wilma Fisher. In 1949, Tyler County took full responsibilities for providing the staff. The school closed around 1955. The building is still standing.

Bane School was located on the bank across the road from the mouth of Arch’s Fork. It was attended by children in grades 1st through 8th in the early 1900s. The 7th and 8th grades were sent to Smithfield High around 1940 and the lower grades remained at Bane. It stood up on the hill behind the Shuman residence (later the Mason home and Esso Station).

Barker Run School – It was in operation in 1920s and 1930s and was located at the turn off North Fork road onto Barker Road where the Tennant home is now located. It was a one room school with all eight grades attending. The school had an attendance of about 30 pupils. Teachers included Vera Mae Snyder, Thelma Fankhouser, Mary Postlethwait, Bonnie Jean Morrison and Virginia Monger. It closed in 1934. Frank Postlethwait bought the building and converted it into a house. David and Janie Beckett’s home is located on what was once the playground.

Bear Wallow School - This school was located farther out Lowman Ridge towards Upper Run or Mockingbird Hill. It was closed before the mid to late 1920s. Bear Wallow was also used as a church at one time with John Kendall preaching.

Big Run School - It was located across from the Big Run P.O. near the Leasure home. It housed grades 1st through 8th and was in operation in the 1920s through the 1950s. Pupils were taught reading, writing, spelling, math, geography, history, civics, West Virginia history, and health. On completion of the eighth grade, students were required to take a two day test on all subjects and would receive a diploma upon passing the test. Teachers included Harry Taylor, Ray Shreve, Jimmy Haught, Harvey Haught, Leroy Roberts, Savannah Pratt, Claude Derby, Russ Fisher, Bud Willey and Milt Rice. The children were first taught out of the Primer, and students who attended Big Run fondly remember a story about Baby Ray and his little dog. The children had to catch a bus and ride to Pine Grove for 9th through 12th grades. Families attending Big Run included the Potts, Lockes, Dulaneys, Willeys, Utts, Morris, Wagner, McDiffitts, Shreves, Rices, Myers, Barrs and Kirkpatricks.

Big Woods School – This was a very old school near Allister School. It sat on a point behind the Van Dyne home past Carl Brigg’s house. Ransel Morgan was a teacher in 1915. He was supposed to have taught at both Morgan Ridge and Big Woods School.

Blenn Run School - Glenn Gainer was a teacher at Blenn’s Run. This is down over the hill from Ashland Ridge. The Board of Education, along with many locals, also referred to this school as Bland’s Run.

Brink School - This school is actually slightly over the Wetzel County line into Marion County, but several Wetzel County students, such as those from the far end of Lowman Ridge, attended Brink.

Buffalo Run School was up in the head of Buffalo Run out from Jacksonburg before you cross the bridge to go up Bob Campbell hill towards Indian creek. After attending Morgantown Normal School, Lillie Anderson taught at Buffalo Run School somewhere around 1916-1920 while she roomed at Aunt "Pet" Hayes home. Some people can recall attending the school as late as 1936 and having Olabelle Wright and Dan King as teachers. The building is still standing but has been converted into a home.

Buzzard’s Glory – This is the same as the McKimmie Ridge School. The building burned down.

Burchfield – This school was located past Kingstown on North Fork road in the community of Burchfield. Etta Haught taught here in 1924-30 and then again from 1951-53. It was in operation until about 1953. Etta Haught Beckley, born June 7 of 1906, can still recall her entire teaching career in the Shortline area schools: after leaving Burchfield in 1930, she taught 1st grade at Pine Grove from 1930 to 1951 and then returned to Burchfield until 1953 when it closed operations. She then taught for the 1953-54 school year at Four Mile School, the 1954-55 year at Mobley School and then moved onto Harrison County to teach at Wallace from 1955-59, Brown for the 1959-60 year, and back to Wallace for two more years. She then moved to Paden City and taught 1st grade for four years and also at Tyler County to teach a combination class of 1st-2nd-3rd grades. She retired in 1967 after a 43 year teaching career. She resides in Paden City and fondly recalls the time she spent as a teacher.

Chiselfinger Ridge School was on top of the hill overlooking Porter’s Falls, Chiselfinger Ridge, and stood on the knoll behind the Elson homestead. It was in operation in the early 1900s and was torn down in 1945-46. Teachers included Ross Ice, Zackwell Cochran, and Ira Merritt.

Coburn School was in operation in the 1920s. It was also referred to as Morgan’s Run School because it was located at the forks of Morgan Run and North Willey Fork. Early teachers at the one room school were Paul Holbert, Dee Brookover and Frank Smith. Later it became a two room school and existed until the late 1940s. Harvey and Howard Haught were also teachers here. It was still standing in 1987 and was a private home.

Criswell School was located at the top of Barker Road on what is now referred to as the Hoyt, but is actually Criswell Ridge. Student families, including the Yohos and Rush’s, attended during the 1920s and 1940s. It was a one room school with one teacher. Vic Arman of Hannibal, OH taught there in 1930 for one year. Mr. Arman, now 94 years old, provided the picture that shows the interior of the school and the big pot bellied stove in the corner. He was able to recall the names of the children after 72 years, which is a good example of the special bond a teacher often forms with their students. Lula Dulaney, Ray Hawkins, Claude Derby, and Rosie Sidell were also teachers. It closed sometime after 1946.

Crows Run School was located up Crows Run on property belonging to Austie Furbee (who was a bus driver for the Shortline area for many years) across from what is now Harm Brown’s home. Children attended 1st through 8th grades there. Frank Cochran and Oran Gray taught there. It was in operation during the 1930s and 1940s.

Deadfall – This school was built in the 1930s and is located past Pricetown and up Ten Mile and Dead Falls Road. The building is still there and is used by a group from Ohio as a hunting camp. Teachers included Gypsy Scott, Ida Wyatt, Florence Edgell, Bob Reppard, Leo Ash, Donna Talkington and Russell Fisher. It housed grades 1st through 6th. It closed in the early 1950s. Families attending included Liggetts, Barkers, Kuhens, Hayhursts, and the Duncans. There was another school located in Deadfall in the late 1800s. "Cap" Freeland is remembered as having taught at the earlier school.

Eight Mile Ridge - This was located near the Eight Mile Church of Christ, which is still standing and in use. It was in operation in the late 1800s until the mid 1950s. A tornado went through the area in the ‘50s and destroyed most of the building, so the church members tore it down. It housed grades 1st through 8th and teachers included Glenn Gainer, Evelyn Milburn Postlethwait, Frank Cochran, and Joy Headley.

Elm Grove – It was located about midway between Mobley and Kingstown, near where the road leading to Richwood and Jacksonburg turns off. It operated in the early 1900s and probably closed in the mid 1920s when the Mobley School opened. Many members of the Brewer family attended this school. It is still standing and is privately owned.

Fairview – This school was located at the top of Fallen Timber on the road that links Fallen Timber with Richwood Run at the community of Fairview. The picture donated by Nelson Hostuttler, was probably taken sometime around 1910. Families attending included the Hostuttlers, Lemasters, Kerns, Morrises, Mayfields, and Francises. Mr. Morgan was the teacher in the early 1900s.

Fallen Timber School – There were two schools at Fallen Timber. The first one was located near Frank Ice’s home and the current home of Kenny and Sandy Dallison. It had grades 1st through 8th and was attended by students in the very early 1900s. The second school was built near the Newt Fisher home and was in operation in the 1920s through the 1950s. Teachers for Grades 1st through 8th included Billy Eastham, Dan King, Russ Fisher, Thelma Swartz, Max Edgell, Gilbert Moore, Red Snodgrass, Robert Johnston, Madeline Shreve, Florence Starkey and Don Dennison. It is still standing and currently being used for hay storage.

Fire Break School – It was located on Lowman Ridge on the Lowman Ridge School and Bear Wallow School end of the ridge and existed until the 1920s. It was referred to as the "Fire Break School" because a nearby house had burned and the people cleared the land around the area of the school to create a firebreak to help stop any potential school fire.

Folsom School - The old school in Folsom stood in the center of town across the road from G. C. Wallace’s store. It housed grades 1st through 8th and J. L. Roberts was the principal and teacher followed by E. Ross "Red" Snodgrass. It closed operations in 1921 when the newer brick building was built, and was later torn down in 1952. It was used for a time as a feed store by for G. C. Wallace’s store. The new school was built in 1921, according to the cornerstone, and held 1st through 9th, 10th or 11th grades (some people recall the last grade as being the 9th, others recall the 10th or 11th as being the highest grade attended at Folsom). The students attended until 9th grade or later and then caught a train to Smithfield or Wallace for the remaining upper grades. The principal in 1921 was Leroy Fauss and teachers included Lorna Warfield, Betty White, and Miss Lemasters. Workers on the building were paid a wage of $2.00 per day for general labor and $12.00 per day for bricklaying. The upper grades were moved to Smithfield sometime before 1943 and the 7th & 8th grades moved to Smithfield in either 1946 or 1945. It continued to house 1st through 6th grade, but eventually the kids were all moved to Smithfield and Folsom school was closed for good after the 1962-63 school year. Ross Snodgrass was the principal at the time of closing. Teachers were Madeline Carlin, Florence Edgell, Geneva Shreve, Ross Snodgrass, J.L. Roberts, Gypsy Scott, Lillian Booher, Mrs. Stuter, June Lambert, Bill Higgins, and Ruth Hood. The building still stands and was purchased by Sam Lively in 1968. At one time, there must have been organized sports teams because people remember the mascot as being the Bobcats or Wildcats.

Four Mile – This school is located past Barker in the community of Four Mile. Students attended from the early 1900s until the late 1950s. Teachers included Harvey Haught, Tincey Haught, Dick Holman, Doris Holman and Etta Haught. It was a two room school that held grades 1st through 8th. The building is still standing, and like many other old schools, is being used for hay storage.

Gilbert and Hickory Knob Schools – Hickory Knob School was up on Lowman Ridge close to where it connects to Brink. It held 1st through 8th grades in the very early 1900s. Russell Fisher taught at Hickory Knob from 1938-40 and 1944-46. Memories of the annual picnic at Hickory Knob School were recalled by Glenn and Margaret Gilbert in the 1983 History of Wetzel County: "Coming to Smithfield on St. Rt. 20, County road 21 goes northeast via Smith Street and ends in Mannington. Maps show Bear Run and Route 1 at the eastern end of town. At this point, the road leads to Gilbert Ridge. About 200 yards up Bear Run is a branch road leading up the hill. The distance from Smithfield to Hickory Knob is about six miles. This was the main artery to town for both farmers and oil company workers. The community was blessed with two schools, one at each end of Gilbert Ridge. Both one room buildings had a capacity of thirty students in grades one through eight. My grandfather, Charles Alexander Gilbert, donated land for the school which was erected about 100 yards from my home where I grew up. It was originally named "Lone Oak School", but later renamed because of the number of Gilberts attending. The building is gone, but the giant oak is still standing. The second school, called Hickory Knob, was three miles north of the Gilbert School. It has since been removed. It was the same size as the Gilbert School. Some of the teachers at the Gilbert School were Bernice Cozart, Bob Reppard, and Maxine Showalter".

Hastings - The community of Hastings at one time also had a Grade School. The homes at Hastings were built around 1914 and the school was built a few years later. It was located on Hastings Hill where all of the Hope Gas Company houses were built. Upon opening it was only for 1st and 2nd grades, but later 3rd was added and even 4th. The children would go to Pine Grove for the upper grades. Beryl Robinson, Hazel Swartz, Pauline Clark and Ada Van Camp taught there as well as Vera Mae Snyder, who was the last teacher to teach at Hastings. Students attending Hastings School can remember using the rail that surrounded the large round gas stove that sat in the middle of the room for a foot warmer in the winter. The one room school had a boys and girls cloak room and an indoor bathroom. Dot Springer’s father helped attach the large bell on the top of the school. Children attended there up until around 1950. It was torn down along with the company houses.

Hemlock School – no information available other than a USGS National Mapping location of an historical school at Pine Grove.

Jacksonburg Schools - The oldest school in Jacksonburg was a wood frame school which stood in the flat field south of town. This was built prior to 1918 because in the 1901 History of Wetzel County, it is written that the town of Lot, which is now Jacksonburg, had one schoolhouse. In 1918 a second school, which was a brick structure, was built on the hill in Jacksonburg. Some say that Jacksonburg High School was in this new brick building for only one year and that in 1919 the high school students were transferred to Pine Grove High School and the building was used only for the grade school; however, there was definitely a high school there in the 1930s, so possibly it did close and then reopen. The brick school house was built on land owned by the Lantz family, who agreed to loan the use of the land to them as long as they needed it, but in agreement that if the school ever closed, the land would revert back to the Lantz family. The school housed grades 1st through 11th when it opened. The kids would have a graduation ceremony upon completion of the 11th grade and then would attend Pine Grove for their senior year; however, sometime in the last 4 or 5 years of the high school, some of the juniors, Bus Hayhurst, Glenn Willey, and Waldo Cain, elected to attend Reader for their senior year. The last year that included the 9th, 10th and 11th grades was the 1936-37 school year. Treva Willey Wilson, Dick Holman and Lela Aberegg were members of this last 11th grade class who then graduated in 1938 from Pine Grove High School. The principal of the Jacksonburg School at that time was Billy Eastham and teachers included Roxie Brookover, Opal Brookover, Robert Wagner, Austin M. Haught, Roy Parsons, Phyllis Cozart, Edith Loveall, and Mabel Martin. There was a gymnasium in the school but over time became dilapidated and was no longer used. The school then became 1st through 8th and the upperclassmen were transferred to Pine Grove. In 1945-46 the teachers were Roxie Horner Brookover – 1st-2nd; Opal Willey Brookover – 3rd-4th; Mary Fluharty Potts – 5th-6th; Herman Bradley – 7th-8th and Principal. Each teacher taught physical education in the gymnasium. Mary Fluharty, along with Edith Parks and Pearl Halley started the first 4-H club at the school in 1946. Miss Fluharty also had a choral class available at this time for extracurricular activity. There were no organized sports teams in 1945-46. During the 1950s and ‘60s teachers included Rhea Blanchett and Mr. Tyson, who taught "Manual Training" class, which included working with wood and other such crafts. The principals of the grade school/junior high included Herman Bradley, Bill Higgins, and Mr. Westfall. At one time, Bill Higgins was teacher, bus driver, and principal. In 1963-64, half of the kids living in Pine Grove went to Jacksonburg and the other half went to Reader. From 1954 until 1958 there was still a 7th & 8th grade at Jacksonburg. In 1960-61 the 7th and 8th grades went to Smithfield; there was also the Junior High at Reader. At some time, there was a basketball team started and the mascot chosen was the Falcons. At the time of closing, Don Westfall was principal, Beth Tennant was the secretary and Ruth Detwyler was the librarian and aide. Westfall and Tennant split their time between Jacksonburg and Smithfield Grade Schools. There was only a Kindergarten at Smithfield, so the Jacksonburg children that wanted to attend had to travel to Smithfield. Other teachers throughout the years at Jacksonburg Grade included Nancy Edwards, Patty Potts, Beth Harwick, Mrs. Brown, Madeline Carlin, Mrs. Grimes, Mrs. Warder, Chuck Blair, Wayne Fetty, Pat Bland, Rachel Mellott, Allen Strader, and Debbie Novotny. The gymnasium had been condemned at one time but during the last three years of the school, the PTA raised funds and brought it up to standards so that it was in use at the time of closing. During the early ‘70s, the children from Jacksonburg played in the 4-5-6th grade basketball league at Reader Grade. The two schools formed teams of players and cheerleaders designated by different colors and played intramural games and tournaments. The school closed in 1979 when the new Shortline School was opened.

Kendall Gate School – This school was located up the right hand fork of Richwood on Lowman Ridge. It was situated about 3 to 4 miles from the Lowman Ridge School towards Brink. It stood on the edge of a farm owned by Jeremiah Kendall and Belinda Jane Hayes, who first settled in Wetzel County in the 1800s. They are buried in the Kerns (Kendall) Cemetery located near the site of the old school. It was a feeder school for Fallen Timber School, housing probably only the first 3 to 4 grades. It operated in the very early 1900s and probably closed down when the Mobley School opened in the mid 1920s. Families attending the school included Kendalls, Coens, and Henthornes, to name a few. After it closed, the building was used as a church, with services by Reverend John Kendall. The church later moved to a site on North Fork Road and then on to the old Elm Grove School, and finally united with the Lowman Baptist Church. The school was razed sometime around 1962.

Kodol School – The community of Kodol was established in 1854, and according to the 1901 History of Wetzel County, there was a one room school there in the late 1800s. It was in operation until at least the late 1940s. Dave Augurbright was a teacher.

Long School or Reader’s Run School was located up Reader’s Run on property that is now owned by the Jim Long family and was in operation in the early 1900s. Okey Long was a teacher there at one time. The building is still standing, although barely, and the inside still shows scribbled names of kids from long ago.

Lowman Ridge School – It was located at the top of Richwood Hill and then to the immediate left onto Lowman Ridge. Families that attended this school included the Hendershots, Henthornes, Dulaneys, Knisleys, Goddards, Cozarts, Kirkpatricks, Whites, Starkeys, Andersons, and Watsons. It closed in the 1940s. Teachers included Alton Jolliffe, Raymond Hawkins, Opal Willey Brookover, Claude Derby, Russell Fisher, and Encil Willey, who was the last teacher to teach at the school. It housed 1st through 8th and was built in the 1920s. The school and the land it stood on was purchased in the 1960s by Henry Parsons and was taken down and reconstructed on Middle Island Creek in Tyler County. It is still standing. Mary Goddard Huggins, who attended the school in the 1930s, and her husband Earl, own the land surrounding the school.

McKimmie Ridge School – This school was located was on McKimmie Ridge where the road goes down towards the Brock Cemeteries, Grimm Cemetery and Shenango. This school was attended by children in the 1920s and 1930s and closed around 1943. It was a one-room school that housed grades 1st through 8th. Frank Cochran and Marie Workman were teachers. There were two outhouses beside the school…one for the girls and one for the boys. Buzzard’s Glory was another name for this school.

Merrifield School was located up the North Fork at the head of Wiley Fork and is listed as an historical school with the USGS National Mapping service and as having a location of Big Run.

Minnie School was located up Fluharty Run (Hupp’s Run) at Minnie. It was a two-room schoolhouse that was built to replace one-room schools that stood at the Klipstine property up Hupp’s Run, near the Mt. Zion Church on New Martinsville Ridge, and the Low Gap school on Turkey Run. Teachers of these one-room schools included Augusta Klipstine, John Bonner, Ray Merritt, Walter Schamp, James McGinnis, John Morgan, and Ross Ice. The picture shown was taken in 1936 with the teacher, Leola Schamp Arthur seated in the front row, fourth from the left. It housed 1st through 8th grades at first and then later only 1st through 6th. It started out as a two-room school, but as attendance dropped in the later years, one room was closed off and the students occupied the other. The school was closed around 1953 and torn down in the early 1970s. Oran Gray and Rhea Blanchett also taught there.

Mobley School – This brick school located in the community of Mobley was built in the mid 1920s. At one time, it housed 1st through 8th grades (before 1932), but later was attended by children in grades 1st through 6th. Teachers included Bill Higgins, Bob Merrifield, Ethel Poe, and Herman Bradley as principal. It closed in 1963, but the building is still standing and very well kept by members of the community. It was used at one time to hold square dances for the community. Teachers included Ray Shreve, Bill Higgins, Annette Gilmore and Etta Haught. Mobley was the first school in Wetzel County to organize a school band in 1925. J. L. Roberts, Principal, played the slide trombone, baritone or cornet; Jenny Wood, tuba; Cleveland Wood, bass drum; Goldie Cain, cymbals; Kathryn Allen, snare drum; Louise Snodgrass, slide trombone; Margaret Snodgrass, alto French horn; Effert "Red" Snodgrass, cornet; Lewis Allen, cornet; and Evalene Snodgrass, cornet.

Morgan Ridge School was located up the road from the end of the Reader Bridge (Bland or Fair Hill) and almost clear out to the Ashland Church. Virginia Headley Tracy taught there in 1949, which she believes was the last year for the school. It was a one-room school house.

Mountain Tea – Joy Postlethwait Headley taught here sometime before 1929. It was located somewhere out Barker Road on a hill near Route 7. She lived with a Bland family while she was teaching.

Mount Hope - no information available other than a USGS National Mapping location of an historical school at Pine Grove.

Mt. Morris was out on Money Ridge at the top of the hill and out the road to the left about one-eighth of a mile. Glenn Gainer was a teacher there. Money Run got its name from Money Bates, who located the land near the stream at a very early date, according to the 1901 History of Wetzel County.

Oak Grove School was located up Big Run and out on Anderson Ridge. Teachers included Bryan "Dutch" Brookover, Herman Bradley, Ella Gump, Havey Haught, Tincey Haught, and A. Milton Rice. It was attended by the Stonekings, Andersons, Williams, Morrises, Burdines, Byards, and Harlans in the 1930s. The school was in the Rock Camp area between Big Run and Anderson Ridge.

Otter Den - A school by the unique name of Otter Den was located across the creek from Bill Cunningham’s home. The Cunningham family used it for a barn and they report that it had one wall painted black for use as a chalk board. Another Otter Den school was built near the Martin home place. It closed somewhere around 1943-45 and was also used for Sunday school. Teachers at the second Otter Den included Opal Minor, Fern Haught, Hazel Headley and Frankie Stackpole during the mid to late 1930s.

Pine Grove had a grade school and high school. Fay Brohard and Joe Long wrote in the History of Wetzel County 1983: "A school was started by a Ms. Hostuttler in her father’s kitchen. Then another teacher by the name of Stacy Stevens taught school, and for the tuition was an outlandish $3.00 for three months of school. A school was finally built below Wilson run, and called Free School, and finally a more modern school was built at the present location." An old souvenir booklet presented to Mary Curran in 1911 by her teacher, Frank Hall, lists those that graduated from Pine Grove Public Schools Room No. 6 as Earle Simpson, Frienda Feather, Mabel Feather, Mae Feather, Pearl Sands, Daisy Haught, Threasia Daley, Georgia Morgan, Mary Alley, Mary Curran, and Bernice Morgan. It also listed those who had previously received diplomas as: Andy Lantz, Howard Moore, Charles Sayre, Alice Hawkins, Hazel Hawkins, Alma Hall and Ara Lowe; other pupils listed as enrolled included Jesse Sands, Ben Haught, Tip Long and Missouri Moore. The newer Pine Grove School, built sometime around 1914-15, housed grades 1st through 6th in one building and grades 7th through 12th in another. The building stood side by side and were very similar in appearance. Teachers at the lower grades included Etta Haught – 1st; Lillian Monger – 2nd; Vera Mae Snyder – 3rd; Dorothy Garmon Grimes – 4th; Murial Wiley – 5th; Jimmy Haught or Mr. Cochran – 6th; this faculty served for most of the 1950s. Verde Fankhouser was the principal. John Barrett also served as principal at one time. The last class to graduate from Pine Grove High School was the Class of 1960. The mascot for the school was the Tornadoes. In the late 1960s, around 1968, the grade school was closed and the children attended Reader Grade School.

Pine Point School was located up past Barker and just past Betsy Run. It is listed with the USGS National Mapping location as an historical school at Pine Grove.

Piney was home to several schools. The Piney School was located below the forks, in the town of Piney—the Cain and Arnett families had the school moved to its present location and it is now the Piney Church of Christ. Teachers of students in grades 1st through 8th at Piney included Glenn Gainer, Oran Gray, Opal Minor, and Freda and Marie Wichterman. There was a school on Piney Ridge also. The picture of the Piney Ridge School appeared in the Wetzel Democrat newspaper with the caption "Need help in identifying the people in the school pictures". A woman from Akron named Mrs. Charles Straight was looking for names of the people in the picture. She identified the boy in the buggy as James Straight, a relative, and wished to complete the list. The Piney, Ross and Noland schools were all in operation at the same time and housed 1st through 8th grades. Freda and Marie Wichterman taught at the Ross school, which is located up the right hand fork, during the 1940s. It has been turned into a hunting camp and is still standing. There used to be a Baptist Church there and also a Post Office along with the Ross School. The Noland School was located up the left hand fork of Piney. It was a one room school that housed grades 1st through 8th. Freda Wichterman taught there in 1931. Glenn Gainer also taught there around 1935-36. Back in the oil field days of Piney, there was a section up the left fork called King, which also had two schools. There was also another school called the Fluharty School at Ross, which is also still standing. Yet another school was located on what the locals call "School House Hill" and now is the site of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Shaver (who coincidently both happen to be teachers).

Porters Falls (formerly called Morgantown due to being settled in 1818 by Morgan Morgan) also had a grade school. It is still standing and the building is owned by Neil Rice. It was in operation at the same time as the Vincen School. Teachers included Rhea Blanchett, Leola Schamp and Oran Gray. It was a three room school with grades 1st through 8th, with higher education continuing at Reader High School. They consolidated with Reader in about 1956.

Pricetown – This school was located on Pickenpaw Road in Pricetown. During the 1920s, Margaret Reppard was the principal. In the 1950s, children attended for 1st through 6th grades and then went to Smithfield for 7th through 12th grades. The building is still standing and is owned by the Burr Family. Robert Johnson at one time was also a teacher. It was a two room schoolhouse and was still open in 1955.

Pride of Green – This school was located on Route 7 where Turkey Run begins and leads to Porters Falls. The land the school sat on is now owned by the Steele family. Roy Workman was the principal and teacher here in 1923 when the school first opened. He would rent a room from a nearby home during the week and walk back to Eight Mile Ridge on the weekends. The school was in operation into the 1960s. It was a two room school with grades 1st through 3rd in one room and grades 4th through 6th in the other. Other teachers included Ruth Jones, Wilbur Garrett, Leola Arthur, and Ruth Rose.

Reader - The first grade school in Reader was held across the creek from Reader where Sam McAllister once lived. The first public school in Reader was built in 1904, according to the History of Wetzel County published by the Wetzel County Genealogical Society in 1983, at which time the school year was three months long. The Board of Education’s list of schools compiled in 1933 shows the Reader School as being established in 1880. One of the pictures shows a wood-sided school in 1900 and the name of Mr. Cochran, Teacher, can be seen on close inspection of the sign the children are holding. Another picture in 1920 shows several students, including Hattie Gadd, whose name can now also be found at this website: http://www.larlham.org/hattiegaddlarlham.html. She was the primary founder of the Hattie Larlham Foundation (formally established in 1964) for disabled children and served as its administrator from 1961 to 1977. Another person whose name can also be found on the internet and was most likely a student at the older wooden school in Reader was Clarence Garrett. According to the statistics found at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/stats/alltime/player/fielding/10382.html, he was born in Reader and became a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in 1915. His career fielding percentage was .929. According to a language arts project completed by Mrs. Janet Forni’s eighth grade class at Shortline School in 1987, the first high school at Reader was established in 1914 and the first teachers of the high school were as follows: C.M. Ashburn, Principal; Ivan Wright, Assistant Principal; and Kate Moore. In the grades were the following: E. P. Theiss, Principal; Eva Sims, primary; and Ada Sims, 3rd and 4th grades. The principal came from Smithfield. All the teachers had taught before, and all were qualified for their positions. The first grade school was built in 1904; the high school was ten years later. On June 6, 1914, Reader’s first high school was built by the District Board of Education, Ben Martin, S.S. Haught, I.R. Wright, and J.G. Burgess. James M. Cochran, father of Isabel Minges, dug the basement for the school with a team of oxen in the year of 1914. The money to build the high school was obtained by a vote of $25,000 in bonds. The first graduating class was in 1917 and consisted of three girls and two boys. The enrollment of the elementary grades was approximately fifty when the first school opened. There were no extracurricular activities the first year. This information was compiled by Forni’s students from interviews conducted with Ben Cochran, J.D. Wayne, Roy Workman, and O.W. Milburn of Reader and from Reader High School office records and written information by the 1929 and 1934 Reader High School World History Classes. Other information pertaining to the Reader School that the students included in their project shows the contract price of the Reader High School was $18,000, but the actual cost of the building was $25,000. The principal received $1400 for the first year’s work. The first gymnasium for Reader School was built in 1929. It burned shortly after it was built. The second one was built in 1930. A railroad crew passing by noticed smoke and stopped to alert the townspeople, but didn’t recognize it to be on fire, and after an inspection, continued on. Apparently the fire was smoldering beneath the gym floor and resulted in a total destruction of the gym. The following year a new gym was constructed and is still standing, owned and used by McDiffitt Pipe of Reader. The enrollment in grades 9th through 12th from 1917 to 1934 ranged from a low of 20 in 1919 to a high of 89 in 1932. Principals of the Reader School for the years 1914-15 to present include: C. A. Ashburn, W. P. Haught, H. A. Matheney, Strauss R. Hood, F. C. McCuskey, John. M. Priest, Ira R. Glover, V. W. Moody, John H. Gorby, A. M. Haught, F. H. Bradley, C. P. Wells, Coy Postlethwait, Verda C. Fankhouser, J. L. Roberts, J. L. Garrett, R. K. Cutlip, C. C. Siders, R. V. Moyers, H. V. Bradley, J. W. Wonsik, Harry W. Holbert (Head Teacher), and Roy L. Lloyd. Isabel Minges became the secretary in December of 1958 and remained for 31 years, retiring from the new Shortline School in 1989. One of the pictures shown is from the 1920s and shows the brick building that housed 1st through 12th grades and then later, just 1st through 8th. Some of the teachers names found in the collection of pictures from the 1940s provided by Howard Gainer included Miss Feise, Miss Headley, Ruby Barrett, Miss Crane, Mrs. Postlewaite, Miss Hartwig, Mr. Minnick, and Miss Brooks. It was around the late 1950s that the Reader School building was expanded in anticipation of the consolidation and connected to the existing gymnasium. The Board of Education contracted Ralph Oates of Morgantown to build the expansion and local carpenters Joe Bucher, Delbert Lasure and Bride Harrison helped with the construction, which also included a kitchen on the West End of the building. In 1960-61 when Valley High School was formed, all of the 7th and 8th grade school children in Reader and Pine Grove attended Reader. Smithfield still had a 7th and 8th grade at this time also. In the 1960s the kids used to be able to go right next door to Mabel Snider’s Restaurant, more commonly known as "Mabe’s", for lunch. They could get a sloppy joe for 15¢ and a 16 oz. RC cola for 11¢. Some of the braver kids also got an after lunch cigarette (at that time minors could purchase tobacco without showing ID) for 2¢ or 3 for 5¢. In 1963-64 the grade school children from Pine Grove were split between Jacksonburg and Reader Grade Schools, depending on which area of Pine Grove they lived in. The school was torn down in the early 1980s. Items found in a time capsule in the corner stone during destruction were old newspapers, the rules of the Rebecca Lodge of Reader and some old coins. Teachers at Reader included Freda Martin Wichterman, Opal Minor, Joy Headley, Doris Holman, Hazel Headlee, Dick Holman, Frank Cochran, Vivian Price, Lucille Price, Beulah Haught, Oran Gray, Thomas Starkey, Rupert Shreve, Claude Derby, Ruth Stuter, Lynn Kendall, Dixie Holbert, Marie Workman, Mr. Fankhouser, Mr. Jioio, Harry Holbert, Russell Fisher, Wayne Fetty, Gerritta Witte, Ken Kasserman, Joan Aberegg, Lillian Monger, Margie Lancaster, Sandy Lancaster, Martie Haught, Martha Rogers Anderson, Glenda Follett, Ken Yoho, David Barr, Goldie Kerr, Helen Amos, Glenda Taylor, Kay Moore Blair, Barbara Brasier, Walter Hank, Joyce Macek, Ellen Weekley, Bev Mosley, Mrs. Ludwig, June Groves, Mrs. Colleens, Mrs. Mason, Joan Rushton, Mark Blair, and Mr. Calhoun Aides were DeEtta Sell, Joann Miller, and Ruth Witte. Basketball coaches included Stewart "Punk" Cain, Aaron Groves, Mr. Ott, Mr. Lambert and Mr. Jioio. Cooks at the Reader School for several years were Nora Myers, Edna Straight, and Junie Cochran. Fred King and then Raymond Straight served as custodian for several years, as did Perry Thorn. In 1968-69 the Reader Grade school only housed 1st through 6th, as the 7th and 8th grades were moved to Valley and remained there until 1979-80 when the new Shortline School was built. Most people interviewed who attended Valley for their junior high years look back on it fondly, without any memories of ever being traumatized or bullied by the upperclassmen, as was the recent concern of the parents and teachers during discussions of moving the 7th and 8th grades back to the high school. However, times and students change, and the instances of "bullying" have certainly been featured in the news of today quite frequently and should certainly be a concern to all involved.

Richwood Run – It was located up in the left hand fork of Richwood and in operation from 1929-1955. Teachers included Mary Willey, Paul Gray, and Dan King who was the last to teach there. Goldie Cain Henthorne and Anna Willey were cooks for the school children, who included the Willeys, Henthornes, Whites, Gumps, and Goodriches. The property was first owned by Francis Marion Willey. He sold it for $150 to the Board of Education around 1908. Frank Morgan was in charge of buying land for schools at that time. Sometime around 1952-55, classes stopped and the school was to be sold. The land was bought back by the landowners for $200. The building was purchased by Bruce Brookover. Francis Willey’s daughter, Ruth White, gave the land to her son, Ralph Dulaney, who is living there at the present time. Terry Henthorne provided the picture of the Richwood School.

Shenango School was located on the McAllister farm on Shenango Run, which begins near the crest of Allister Ridge and eventually joins Fishing Creek at a spot below Pine Grove. Frank Cochran taught here. Families attending this school included Browns, McAllisters, Larrimores, Hawkins, Siers, Catletts, and Nolands.

Shortline School - The new Shortline School began operations in the 1979-80 school year. Roy Lloyd was the principal, Larry West was Vice-Principal and Isabel Minges and Beth Tennant Bates were the secretaries. The following school year had the same staff with the exception of the vice-principal slot which was then held by Don Westfall. Glenna McDougal assumed the role of principal in the 1981-82 school year and had help from Don Westfall, Sam Morris, and Ralph Stripple as vice-principals. The current principal is Janie Beckett, who has held the position since the second half of the 1986-87 school year and been helped in the vice-principal role by Ralph Stripple, Jay Yeager, Sam Snyder, Aaron Groves, Lynn Caseman and Russ McKeen. Secretaries other than Isabel and Beth have included Erma Watts, Jyl McIntyre Kinkade, Nora Coen McDiffitt and Debbie Adams Fluharty. It houses Kindergarten through 8th, the school mascot chosen by the students’ majority vote is the Engineers, and the school colors are red, white and black. A logo designed by Steven Morningstar, art teacher in 1979-80, depicts an engineer with a train rolling down the tracks in the background.

Shuman School – no information available other than a USGS National Mapping location of an historical school at Pine Grove.

Sincerity School – no information available other than being included on a list compiled and signed by Herman Bradley. Sincerity was a community located between Kingstown and Coburn.

Smithfield Schools - A school was built in 1898 at the mouth of Sugar Camp Road, by William Wyatt. F. L. Harbert was the teacher. The school burned down in 1900, but a new one was started and completed in early 1901. This was a wood sided school that housed grades 1st through 12th. Teachers in 1904 at Smithfield School were Inez Brookfield, Mamie Brookfield, Gouldie Brown, Mida Brown, and Annie Cole. The new brick school high school was completed and ready for occupation in 1920. This is the school right across the bridge with the tall white columns in the front. The grade school building was built sometime around 1926 and was used until 1968. Both schools had gymnasiums, but the high school students played basketball in the grade school gym during the late 1940s. The mascot for the basketball team, coached at one time by Mack McKinney, was the Lions. When the high school closed in 1960-61 the building was used to house the 7th and 8th grade students from Smithfield, Jacksonburg and Folsom until 1968-69 when the 7th & 8th were sent to Valley. In the fall of 1969-70 the grade school was moved into the old high school building where it remained until 1979 and the old grade school building was condemned. Children from Folsom and Smithfield attended at that time. In 1968, due to fire and safety codes, the grade school (former high school building) was going to be shut down but the parents got involved and brought the building up to specifications. The children attended school in buses for several months while the school was being renovated. Teachers at Smithfield School included Bob Merrifield as Principal, Roy Dillaman, Ray Ensminger, Thomas Fankhouser, Red Snodgrass, Rupert Shreves, Mrs. Warrington, David Barr, Ruth Longociu, Donna Talkington, Hazel Hayes, Ruth Hood, Glenda Follett, Madeline Carlin, Debbie Keough, Mrs. Wyne, and Mrs. Jones. The grade school closed down in 1979 when the new Shortline School opened. The school was torn down when the Smithfield Apartments were constructed.

State Road Run School was located out from Porters Falls and almost to the head of State Run Road on the P. K. Eastham farm. Leslie Garrett taught there. It was in operation in the early 1900s. It was torn down over 60 years ago. The Hope Gas Company at one time had a station there after school shut down. The land is currently owned by the Ueltschy family.

Stout Run School - The first school house stood on the ridge between Deadfall and Stout Run. It was there before 1900. Later a school house was built further down the hill on the Stout Run side. This school was built near 1905 or a little later and stopped being used around 1927. It burned down in 1930. The teachers there included Lina Hood, Florence Edgell, and Percy Edgell.

Sugar Camp - no information available other than a USGS National Mapping location of an historical school at Pine Grove. It may be referring to the old school in Smithfield at Sugar Camp Road or possibly one up Crows Run at an area referred to as Sugar Camp.

Tea Garden – no information available other than a USGS National Mapping location of an historical school at Big Run.

Tunnel School was located up near Folsom. There is a railroad tunnel between Hartzel (now known as Manion Run) and Rinehart. The one room school was by the tunnel on Hartzel on the Wetzel County side, which is why it was also called Hartzel School. It had children in 1st through 8th grades in the 1930s. The teachers, who often walked to the school from Folsom, included Everett Anderson, Florence Edgell, Max Edgell, Bernard Price and Garland Johnson. The school closed around 1944.

Union School sat by WV Routes 7 and 20, near the bridge on Rt. 20. It was close to where the DeNoon Lumber Company now has its drying kiln.

Upper Run School – This school was located on Upper Run, which is close to the Carbide Cut between Hastings and Jacksonburg. The school began operating in the 1920s and closed in 1952. It held grades 1st through 8th and teachers included Olie Wright, John Barrett, Claude Derby and Richard Holman during the late 1930s. Families attending during that time included the Wetzels, Sycocs, Yohos, Dulaneys, Wildmans, McCoys and Elliotts. Mary Fluharty Potts taught there in 1943-46. When the school closed the land went back to the Sycoc family. It was located where John and Eileen (Sycoc) Lemasters now live.

Upper Richwood School was located up Richwood Run on the Mobley side of Jacksonburg Hill.

Utt School at Utt Ridge – It was a school attended by students until the turn of the century. It was located near the intersection of 4-Mile and Hoyt Ridge, facing on the Hoyt Ridge side. These roads met in a fork or "Y" intersection and the school sat on the knoll near the beginning of Hoyt Ridge (Big Run end). It overlooked the barn of the old Frank Blake farm of 4-Mile. It probably existed from the last half of the 19th century (1850/60) until around the first quarter of the 20th century (1920/30).

Vincen School was located at the end of Chiselfinger Ridge and then on the left for about 800 feet as though you are going on to Eight mile ridge. The history of Wetzel County notes that Vincent is listed as a rural Post Office 12 miles southeast Of New Martinsville with mail delivery three times weekly. The one room school house was on the Vincen Amos farm. The Board of Education purchased the land from Vincen for $50.00 to build the school. The post office and the school were named for him. Mary Jane, his wife, was a midwife and received her training and degree under the guidance of Dr. J. Theiss. From "The Amos Family Old & New" by Linda K. Wade, July 21, 1989, Issue #3: (article written for Glen and Forrest Amos and submitted to the Wild Wonderful West Virginia Magazine): "Changing Times: The place--a small ridge above Porters Falls, West Virginia, called Chiselfinger. The people--honest, hard working and friendly. The year--1906. The Wetzel County Board of Education consults Vincen and Mary Jane Amos about purchasing a small section of their property on which to build a school. There is already one school on Chiselfinger Ridge about two miles from the Amos property. The winters are cold and snow is deep and the children aren't supposed to have to walk more than two miles to get to school. Vincen and Mary Jane, having children and grandchildren, who would benefit from a school so close to home decided to sell about a half acre to the school board for "school purposes only" at a total cost of $50.00. The one room school was completed in 1906 and went on record as the Vincen School. As you walked through the door, there was a coat room on each side of the hallway. The floor was made of wood; the walls were made of small wooden boards that had been varnished, (this design was called tongue & groove). Four large windows on each side of the building allowed light to flood the room. A chalk board lined the back wall. A big coal stove sat right in the center of the room with a stove pipe going straight out a hole cut in the black tin roof. A coal shed was just in front of the school and two out-houses sat behind the school, (one for the girls and one for boys). Drinking water was carried from the Vincen Amos farm, a quarter mile up the road. School opened in September and closed in May. Hours were from 9:00 to 3:30 with two recesses and an hour break for a brown bag lunch, which was brought from home. Two holidays were observed: Thanksgiving and Christmas. Reading, writing and spelling were taught to the students in grades 1 to 8. Each desk seated two students and they shared the ink well that was in the top center of the desk. The teacher and students were responsible for keeping the school clean and orderly. The first teacher at Vincen School was Rex Stewart, followed by F. B. McGinnis. Other teachers who taught through the years include: Ernest Rice, Frank Cochran, Mrs. Miller, Ralph Conley, Frances Bucher, Zackwell Cochran, Ray Merritt, Blanche Haught, Luther Kidder, Russell Amos, Jim McGinnis, Merle Butler, Doll Blair, Roy Minor, and Oren Gray. The last teacher was Thomas G. Starkey, who taught at Vincen for nine years. As time changes, so do the rules and regulations. Transportation to and from school was becoming less of a problem, but a shortage of teachers, as well as students, was taking a toll on our school system. A ruling that a continued attendance of less than 12 students would require sending students to the next closest school. Alas, in 1938, the Vincen School temporarily closed its doors. The minutes of the Board of Education, 3 Sept. 1938, state that Dave Amos (s/o Vincen & Mary Jane) was awarded the contract for hauling children from the Vincen School to the Chiselfinger School at $40.00 per month. The teacher at Vincen (Thomas Starkey) was ordered transferred to Chiselfinger. Although Dave Amos was awarded this contract, his son, Carl Amos, drove the children to the Chiselfinger School in a 1930 Chevy automobile. Then a decision was made to sell the Chiselfinger School. In 1945, after being closed for 7 years, the Vincen School reopened with Thomas Starkey again the teacher. Vincen Amos, for whom the school was named, died in 1926. His wife, Mary Jane, passed away in 1943. Glen Amos, a gr-son, bought the home place in 1946. Glen’s son, Floyd, started school in 1949. Vincen had changed little since Glen’s own boyhood days at the school. Having seen such little change both pleased and concerned Glen. His concern surfaced in a letter which was entered into the Board of Education Minutes Book, 3 April 1951. ---A letter from Glen Amos concerning the water supply at the Vincen School was ordered investigated by the County Health Department---and action was taken. Minutes Book, 2 Oct. 1951, reads—On motion made by Mr. Lambert and seconded by Dr. Batson, the well belonging to Mr. (Glenn) Amos where the Vincen School gets water was ordered repaired, a new pump installed and new lights be installed in the school building. The last entry in the Board of Education Minutes Book dated 5 July 1955: --On motion of Dr. Batson, seconded by Mr. Fetty, the sale of the Vincen School building and land was approved. Vincent School stood proud through two generations of children laughing, playing and learning. Now in 1989 you can no longer hear the children’s laughter; you can no longer see the math problems on the old black board; the coal stove, desks and books are gone. Memories remain in the minds of those who went to Vincent and each year those memories become more precious. The old Building? It still stands, weathered by the elements of time and broken by the era gone by, nevertheless proud to have been a small part of West Virginia History and honored to be a part of the Amos Heritage. (Linda K. Wade)"

Willow Grove – no information available other than a USGS National Mapping location of a historical school located at Big Run.