The Nesbit (Mize) School #50

Pictured: Nesbit-Mize School #50

    The Nesbit-Mize School was started in 1860 after a school meeting on November 26, 1859.  At this meeting, a site was selected and a 16 foot square building was authorized at a cost of $50 or less.  The location for the schools was in Section 32, in Dorchester Township off of Catholic Springs Road.

    

Pictured: Map for Bunker Hill area country Schools

    March 11, 1860, Miss Mary Sinclair, the first teacher, was paid $24 a month.  The district boarded the teacher if the family had no children in school.  The family received $2.00/$2.50 per week for boarding.

    In 1870, Benjamin Mize repaired the school for $40 for replacing glass and sealing the windows, patching the plaster and preparing the walls for painted blackboards.  Wood for heating the schools was provided by the parents.  The teacher was paid $30 at this time.

    In 1882, a new schoolhouse was built by G.W. Mize at a cost of $80.  Waste materials salvaged from the old school, built a fence for $8.  Members of the Mize family served for many years on the Nesbit-Mize School Board of Directors.  The school was sold at auction on July 8, 1950 to William Cooper and torn down for lumber.

Some of the many families who attended Nesbit-Mize Schools were: Mize, Sawyer, Tiek, Kurlhaum, Throne, Coatney, Wood, and Landers.

...Read more about this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/

--Cite this story: The Bunker Hill IL Historical Society. "A Look Back in Bunker Hill History." Bunker Hill Gazette-News, December 31, 2020. 

Redford, Carol, and Betty Triplett. "Bunker Hill History." In Reflections: A History of the Bunker Hill-Woodburn Area, p. 100. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1993. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.

The Woodburn School #167

   

Pictured: Woodburn School #167 in 1852

    The Woodburn School went through many changes as enrollment changed.  It was first housed in the Baptist Church in 1837, then a brick building in the center of Woodburn, in 1846 with an overflow in the Congregational Church, during 1850-51.  In 1852, a two story red brick building was built which lasted until 1913.  Children kept on going past eighth grade as long as they wanted.  They had such courses as botany and advanced math, and a music teacher from Shurtleff College in Alton came out to teach music for paying students.

Pictured: Woodburn School in 1912

    In 1917, Mr. Charles Welch taught at Woodburn School for $70 a month.  By 1952, Woodburn was the only other school, besides Meissner School that was in operation in Community District #8.  It had an enrollment of 59 students and had three rooms to accommodate them.

Mrs. Mildred Pullen had grades one through four and Asbury Walk had grades five through eight.

Pictured: New addition to Woodburn School built in 1950

    The building was enlarged to nearly double its former size in the summer of 1950.  An addition costing $12,250 was made to the rear of the school and was used by Mr. Walk's classes.  Mrs. Pullen's classes occupied the south room in the original building.  The other room was used for a recreational room in winter months and also as a study hall.

Pictured: Map of Bunker Hill area Country Schools

There were many families that attended Woodburn School through the years.  Some of these families were Thyer, Wood, Buhs, Howald, Welch, Ray, Pennington, Dana, Morey, Schwallenstecker, and Heal just to name a few.

Pictured: Woodburn Class (October 1927)

Top row: Viva Doty, and Erma Schaum (teachers), Arthur Partridge, Orrin Schmidt, Leighton Sanner, Nelson Gugger, Olen Hallows, Harold Brueggeman, Evert Wood, Irving Bostick.

Second row: Opal Gugger Adcock, Lois Thyer Weishaupt, Fern Reader Long, Ruth E. Bouillon, Eldarine Buhs Kohle,Dorothy Welch Fite, Lola Payne Zargees Hallows, Arlene Wood, Dorothy Brueggemen Welling,

Third row: Ralph Partridge, Virgil Schmidt, Harry Show, Dale Welch, Charles Payne, Lymon Hallows, Melvin Buhs, Albert Wood.

Fourth row: Hallie Bostick Hand, Mary Wood Seward, Rosey Show Callahan Staggs, Anita Partridge Reynolds, Anita Schmidt, Dorothy Clayton King, Evelyn Elliott Schmidt.

...Read this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/

--Cite this story: The Bunker Hill IL Historical Society. "A Look Back in Bunker Hill History." Bunker Hill Gazette-News, December 24, 2020.

Redford, Carol, and Betty Triplett. "Bunker Hill History." In Reflections: A History of the Bunker Hill-Woodburn Area, pp. 100-101. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1993. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.

The Liberty (Benner) School #166

Pictured: Liberty (Benner) School #166

     The Liberty (Benner) School was near the Benner/Woodburn Presbyterian Church.  Today, it is on the Huette Road in Section 29 of Bunker Hill Township.

Pictured: Map of Bunker Hill's Country Schools

    

    

Pictured: Alice Barnes Classroom

Class List: First Row: (l-r)Nellie Thomae, Chester Thomae

2nd Row: Pearl Fenstermann, Susie Wood, Viola Huette, Edith Dingerson, Harry Marth, Ben Jones

3rd Row: Etta Jones, Lena Scheldt, Edna Thomae, Myrtle Dingerson, Bert Huette (in front), Roy Brenker, Ireane Dingerson.

4th Row: Ida Wood, Clara Huette, Martha Wood, Rose Huette

Last Row: Emma Gabriel, Ethel Wood, and teacher Alice Barnes.

--Submitted by Violet Wiemers

    In 1909, there were 33 students and the teacher was Alice D. Barnes; her salary was $37.50 per month.  The salary jumped to $70 per month on 1925.  The library contained 103 books.    

    

Pictured: Liberty School Class Photo: 1921-1922

Class List: Front Row- Jessie Johnson Partridge, Clara Buhs Duelm, Laura Dingerson Snedeker, Dorothy Johnson Breitwiser, Joe Johnson

2nd Row: Ethel Dingerson Hendrickson, Mildred Johnson Shelton, Mildred Walter Crowder, Ruth Hallows Marth, Velma Buhs Cochran, Evelyn Bott.

3rd Row: Cordelia Hallows Heal, Jessie Scheldt Fensterman, Edgar Eddington, Alfred Buhs, Lenora Bott (teacher)

--Submitted by Ruth Marth   

    Mrs. Mildred Pullen taught from 1944 to 1947.  Her salary was $150 per month.  The school then had a piano, radio, art equipment, maps, glove, and linen window shades.

    Some of the families who attended the school were: Wood, Heutte [sic], James, Brenker, Gabriel, Partridge, Johnson, and Buhs.  Many more families attended during the years.

--Cite this story: The Bunker Hill IL Historical Society. "A Look Back in Bunker Hill History." Bunker Hill Gazette-News, December 17, 2020.

Redford, Carol, and Betty Triplett. "Bunker Hill History." In Reflections: A History of the Bunker Hill-Woodburn Area, p. 98. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1993. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.