Volume 5, Number 8 - Summer 1975
HENDRICKSON SCHOOL, DISTRICT -58 STONE COUNTY, MISSOURI
COPIED FROM OFFICIAL SCHOOL RECORDS
EDNA HAZEL MCCULLOUGH LOWERY
Preface
Hendrickson School, District #58, Stone County, Missouri, was one of several school districts located in Williams Township in the south end of the county. The district was almost completely surrounded by the White River which made a deep bend northward. Due west across Mill Creek, and adjacent to Barry County, in the village of Viola, was the Viola School; east across the White River and Indian Creek was Jones; southeast and across Indian Creek was McCullough (reached by a swinging bridge, and the site of the polls) which in the early days of Stone County - founded in 1851 - was known as the Bilyeu School. The two Williams township schools adjacent to the Arkansas line were Nauvoo, south of McCullough, and Carr Lane south of Viola. Of all the school buildings only Carr Lane is now being used - as a community church.
Hendrickson School, located in townships 21 and 22, Range 24, west of the Fifth Principal Meridian, was situated on about one acre of ground. Behind the school ground was a small cemetery - the Hendrickson Cemetery which contained a number of graves, some of which had headstones, Buried in the Cemetery were Mr. and Mrs. Coker (father of James Arthur, John M., and others; Mrs. Coker was the daughter of John Hendrickson donor of the land for school and cemetery), a child of Silas DeLafayette and Willie (Taylor) Owens; Melita Clinkenbeard, wife of William Henry Clinkenbeard, and a number of others.
The school house was a white frame rectangle, facing west, complete with the traditional bell used to call the pupils for "books". The two front doors were reached by steep concrete steps. In the front of the room was an elevated stage used for the teacher’s desk and for occasional school programs. Across this end of the building were blackboards made of painted cloth. Between the windows on each side of the room were blackboards painted directly on the walls. Heat came from a wood stove in the middle of the room. Just north of the building was the well which during dry weather did not provide enough water; so water was either hauled and poured into the well or the pupils carried water from springs and wells of nearby neighbors. It was a red-letter day when the students could take their lunch to eat at a nearby spring and then return with the lunch pails filled with enough water to last through the afternoon. The water container, a filter, was placed at the end of the room between the doors. Nails, with a painted number above each nail, provided a spot for each student to hang his tin cup. Kerosene lamps in swinging brackets attached to the window frames provided light for pie suppers, spellings, and other evening entertainments. Above each window frame were driven two spike nails. When the Christmas season approached, the "scholars" would bring in cedar boughs (fragrant and heavily covered with blue berries) which were put over one nail and under the other on either side. A big bow of red crepe paper and tinsel was placed in the center of the decoration. Sometimes folding red paper bells were added to
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these decorations. The Christmas tree, a magnificent cedar, was decorated with rope, tinsel, berries, and handmade paper lanterns and other ornaments. It was placed on the stage; a wire was strung across this end of the room, and the stage curtains put up for the Christmas program. The children drew names and gave a present to the child whose name he drew. The teacher usually added a special note to the program through the little gaily colored Christmas boxes which she or he filled with candy and hung on the tree.
About 1927, comfortable commercial desks replaced the old homemade benches. Two students sat at each desk with the front row of seats used for the class reciting its lesson. After about 1918 there were free textbooks with a few outside reading books being added to the library each year. For reference, there was a set of World Books, a dictionary, and the chart mentioned in 1927 was there when this ex-student began in 1925 and left in 1932. In 1925-1926, many of the students were still using slates and slate pencils, and only work to be handed in for grading was written on paper.
The building was occasionally used for Sunday School, but more frequently the families went to Viola or to McCullough Church for their religious schools.
A small log house - now used as a crib - on the farm of John C. and Matilda Susan Berry (now owned by U. G. Gillispie) is said to be the building used as a school house prior to the frame structure described above. It is believed to have been moved to its present location from the school site.
School "took up books" at 9:00 a.m. with fifteen-minute recess periods at 10:15 am. and 2:15 p.m. "Dinner" was from 12 noon until 1:00 p.m. School closed at 4:00 p.m. Attendance was often irregular for most of the students were needed at home to assist with the farming, harvesting, and canning. During the summer months and winter months more students found it possible to attend classes.
As late as 1935, there were no facilities for students from Hendrickson to attend highschool; it was a very rare student who was able to afford to go outside the community to attend highschool, the nearest of which was Berryville, Arkansas eighteen miles by dirt road. Only three students are known to this writer to have completed or attended highschool prior to 1934. These were Neva Prentice, who became a school teacher; Olen Prentice, who became a medical doctor; and Captain Ralph Curry, U.S. coast Guard, a lawyer.
In September 1974, I found in the attic of my childhood home a box of records of Williams Township, some were of the justice of the peace, the road district and of Hendrickson School. The next day, I walked over the road to the school, as I had done so many times in the past. The fence has been removed from around the cemetery, but it is not included in the Hendrickson farm. I found no headstones standing in the cemetery. The bell is gone from the building which has collapsed.
The automobile, good roads, instant communication, and Table Rock Dam, which covered up so much of the land area of the Hendrickson district all conspired to put an end to this one-room school which survived much later than in other areas. Students now attend Blue Eye School in Blue Eye, Missouri.
In honor of those individuals who spent so many years helping to make it possible for the residents of Hendrickson School to attain an education, I have transcribed the following school records.
Edna Hazel McCullough Lowery
Falls Church, Virginia
April 15, 1975
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DIST. -58. ANNUAL ENUMERATION, HENDRICKSON, Stone Co. Missouri (school) for year 1909.
(Residents between ages 6 and 20)
|
Parent or guardian |
Names of children |
male age; |
female age |
|
ARNOLD, Robert |
1. Chas. Arnold |
18 |
|
|
2. Ben Arnold |
13 |
||
|
3. Robert Arnold |
11 |
||
|
4. Clarence Arnold |
8 |
||
|
Mrs. G. Ambrose |
5. Chrys Ambrose |
16 |
|
|
6. Esther Ambrose |
14 |
||
|
7. Floss Ambrose |
11 |
||
|
8. John Ambrose |
8 |
||
|
BROWN, H. C. |
9. Lester Brown |
14 |
|
|
10. Zita Brown |
11 |
||
|
11. Ethra Brown |
9 |
||
|
12. Andrew Brown |
7 |
||
|
BERRY, John |
13. Edward Berry |
16 |
|
|
14. Ora Berry |
15 |
||
|
15. John Berry |
12 |
||
|
16. Flora Berry |
10 |
||
|
17. Amos Berry |
8 |
||
|
18. Bessie Berry |
6 |
||
|
CARR, Silas |
19. Minnie Carr |
10 |
|
|
20. Myra Carr |
8 |
||
|
BARNES, J. S. |
21. Lee Barnes |
11 |
|
|
22. James Barnes |
8 |
||
|
23. Oscar Barnes |
6 |
||
|
BRIGMAN, James |
24. Ella Brigman |
18 |
|
|
25. John Brigman |
16 |
||
|
26. Jane Brigman |
14 |
||
|
27. Dennis Brigman |
12 |
||
|
28. Vadie Brigman |
10 |
||
|
29. Katie Brigman |
6 |
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1/ Bess Arnold Coker, daughter of Robert and Berthena Arnold and wife of John COKER.
2/ male.
|
Name of parent or guardian |
Names of children |
male age |
female age |
|
COKER, John |
30. BessCoker 1/ |
16 |
|
|
BRITTON, Ike |
31. Nora Britton |
15 |
|
|
32. LouisBritton |
12 |
||
|
33. Nina Britton |
8 |
||
|
34. Walter Britton |
6 |
||
|
CRANE, Nancy |
35. Dilsa Crane 2/ |
19 |
|
|
CRANE, 0. M. |
36. Ferne Crane |
16 |
|
|
KINGSLAND, Frank |
37. John Kingsland |
18 |
|
|
38. Charles Kingsland |
17 |
||
|
39. Cora Kingsland |
14 |
||
|
40. Arthur Kingsland |
12 |
||
|
41. Claude Kingsland |
10 |
||
|
42. Tempa Kingsland |
7 |
||
|
McCULLOW, W. T. 1/ |
43. Jess Hudson |
17 |
|
|
REYNOLDS, George |
44. Dan Reynolds |
15 |
|
|
45. Luther Reynolds |
14 |
||
|
46. Arthur Reynolds |
12 |
||
|
47. Annie Reynolds |
9 |
||
|
48. George Reynolds |
7 |
||
|
RIDER, Enoch |
49. Ann Rider |
17 |
|
|
50. Virgil Rider |
12 |
||
|
51. Eunice Rider |
10 |
||
|
52. Walter Rider |
8 |
||
|
53. Ben Rider |
6 |
||
|
ROBERTS, A. H. |
54. Everet Roberts |
8 |
|
|
55. Catherine Roberts |
6 |
||
|
CHISM, John |
56. John Dugly |
16 |
|
|
SKINNER, G. W. |
57. Wesley Skinner |
10 |
|
|
58. Nila Skinner |
8 |
||
|
WHEELER, Fatha |
59. Myrtle Wheeler |
18 |
|
|
60. Allen Wheeler |
16 |
||
|
Males 36 |
Females 24 |
1/"McCullough" is the correct spelling
Copied from original records by:
Edna Hazel McCullough Lowery
209 Noland Street
October 1974
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LIST OF TAX PAYERS, DIST. 58, HENDRICKSON SCHOOL STONE CO. MO.
1910
G.A. THOMPSON
J. B. ROBERTS
A. H. ROBERTS
S. J. CARR
H. C. BROWN
IKE BRITTON
J. M. COKER
NANCY E. CRANE
CHAS. CRANE
J. C. BERRY
WALTER BERRY
G. W. SKINNER
R. M. ARNOLD
GEO. REYNOLDS
TALTON SMITH
DENT SMITH
JOHN SMALlEY
JAMES BRIGMAN
ELBERT WHEELER
FATHA WHEELER
0. M. CRANE
W. T. McCULLOUGH
LENERD FRIEZE
J. S. BARNES
L. B. KINGSLAND
FRANK KINGSLAND
JOHN HENDRICKS
HAMP KINGSLAND
JOHN HOBBS
ENOCH RIDDER
MRS. HOBBS
C. C. PRENTICE
JESS GORE
Total 33
1911
ARNOLD, R. M.
BERRY, J. C.
BARNES, J. S.
BRIGMAN, J. P.
CARR, P. C.
CARR, S. J.
CRAINE, N. E.
CRAINE, CHAS.
CHISM, JNO.
CHISM, HERSCHEL
CHISM, CLAUD
COKER, JNO.
JESS GORE
JIM FILEDS
FRANKLIN, OSCAR
FRIEZE, LEONARD
HARDMAN, J. T.
HOBBS, JNO.
HOBBS, MRS. REBECCA
HENDRICKSON, JNO.
KINKADE, EMERY
LAWRENCE,J.J.
MCCULLOUGH, W. T.
RIDER, E. E.
THURMAN, ELMER
WHEELER, E. B.
WHEELER, FATHA
WILLIAMS, JNO.
Total 25
1912
ARNOLD, R. M.
ARNOLD, J. R.
BERRY, J. C.
BERRY, W. J.
BARNES, J. L.
BRIGMAN, J.T.
BRIGMAN, L. 0.
BRIGMAN, AMOS
CRAINE, N. E.
CRAINE, DILSA
CARR, S. J.
CARR, P. C.
FIELDS, JAS.
FRIEZE, LEONARD
KINKADE, EMERY
KINKADE, ALBERT
HOBBS, JNO.
HARDMAN, J. T.
HENDRICKSON, JNO.
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PENNINGTON, W. J.PRENTICE, C. C.
CHISM, CLAUD
ARNOLD, CHAS.
McCULLOUGH, W. T.
REYNOLDS, G. W.
RIDER, ENOCH
JNO. M. COKER
MRS. M. R. HOBBS
WHEELER, E. B.
WHEELER, "DAD"
LAWRENCE, J. J.
DOWNS, JIM
Total 1912, 32
1913
ARNOLD, R. M.
ARNOLD, J. R.
BERRY, J. C.
BERRY, W. J.
BARNES, J. S.
BARNES, GAINES
BRIGMAN, J. P.
BRIGMAN, L. O.
BRIGMAN, AMOS
BARNES, J. S.
CRAINE, NANCY E.
CRAINE, D. O.
FIELD, JAS.
FRIEZE, J. LEONARD
KINKADE, EMERY
KINKADE, ALBERT
HOBBS, JNO.
HENDRICKSON, JNO
PEN INGTON, J. W.
HARDMEND, J. T.
PRENTICE, C. C.
McCULLOUGH, W. T.
MARENHOLTZ, C. V.
MARENHOLTZ, GEORGE V.
WHEELER, E. B.
WHEELER, "DAD"
REYNOLDS, GEO. W.
RIDER, ENOCH
SMITH, DENTON
LAWRENCE, J. J.
DOWNS, JIM
WESCOTT, JR.
WESCOTT, SR.
Total: 33
"Hendrickson" correct spelling
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