Charter Oak School History home Charter Oak School
Charter Oak school house, seven miles northeast of Carthage; John Bryant, teacher; seventy pupils on the register,
and an average attendance of thirty four; public examination of the school every three months; three cases of corporal
punishment during the term, all slight The school had twelve visitors to day. One of them said he "was much pleased
with the attention and general deportment of the school." Mr. Zinn said "the school is well regulated;" Mr Brummint, was
"well pleased with the order and attendance;" Mr. Walker said "the dismissal was the best and most orderly he ever saw;"
Judge Koontz said "the system of teaching is good and the order excellent." Charter Oak has a good school, and all
seem pleased. The house is not equal to the requirements of the district, and must soon give place to a better one.
1872 Jasper County School Report by U. B. Webster, Jasper County Superintendent
A History of Jasper County, Missouri and Its People, Volume 1, page 99, pub. 1912, by Joel Thomas Livingston.
The Spring River Branch of the Church of the Brethren held services in the Charter Oak School
building between 1880 and 1890.
Source: History of The Church of the Brethren, by Earl Weaver, 1964.
Report of Charter Oak school for the month ending October 31; enrollment 52; total number of
days attended by all pupils 699; average daily attendance 37; number absent five or more days 9;
number of cases of tardiness 19. Those neither absent nor tardy were: Fred Peterson, Lurene
Peterson, Sigmond Landers, Mable Landers, Orda Landers, Lida Jacobs, Herbert Hornback, Purl
Ritchhart, Edith Ritchhart, Blanche Maxwell, Ethel Proffit, Bessie Proffit, Millie Hazzlett, Bessie Tilton,
Harriette Tilton, Ernest Fries. School is progressing nicely and most of the pupils doing good work.
Patrons are requested to visit the school. Cora Elting, teacher.
Source: The Carthage Press, November 6, 1902.
Recall Old School Days
A reunion of the men and women who were pupils at the Charter Oak school prior to 1890 was held yesterday afternoon
at the school house, six miles northeast of Carthage. It is planned to make this an annual autumn event in the future, and to
this end officers were elected yesterday, with I. M. Jacobs as president, Mrs. J. A. Largent secretary, and A. E. Ritchart as
chairman of the program committee. Next year's meeting will probably be in October. A short impromptu program of readings
and recitations was given, and a letter was read from Mrs. Lavona Sly McPheeters, who in this way signified her interest in the
reunion, it not being possible for her to attend in person. She is now living in Ohio. The following were present: Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Jacobs, Mrs. James Hayzlett, Mrs. J. M. Wakefield, Mrs. James Brummett, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Barnhart, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Elliott,
Mr. and Mrs. Thorne and family, Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Maxwell, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Tullis, Mr. and Mrs.
A. E. Ritchart, Mrs. J. A. Largent, V. A. Riffee, E. Riffee and son, J. V.
Source: The Carthage Press, November 10, 1924
Charter Oak school closed after the 1967-1968 school year. The building was converted into a home, but has since been
torn down.