Forest school was founded in 1893. It was also known as Whisner, Webster and
Forest Grove school.
The building was moved and is now a home.
A School Reunion
Despite the rain approximately 500 persons attended the homecoming Sunday at
the Forest school, formerly known as Whisner school, three miles north of Sarcoxie.
John W. Dennison, Carthage jeweler, and a former teacher of the school, presided.
He was teacher at the school during the years of 1902, 1903, and 1904. His brother,
Jess M. Dennison, who now lives in that community, taught six terms at the school and
their father, the late W. M. Dennison, was a teacher there four terms.
An interesting feature of the program was a history of the school district read by a
former teacher, Vernie Whisner, grandson of the late S. D. Whisner at whose home the first
meeting to organize the district was held May 8, 1884. Mr. Whisner was the contractor on
the first two school buildings erected. The first petioners were S. D. Whisner, John Deck,
William Coates, Jacob Rimmer, T. W. Johnson and John Meador. Directors elected at that
meeting were T. W. Johnson for a 3-year term and S. D. Whisner of one year.
On June 2, 1884, voters of that district met at the Whisner home for the purpose of voting
bonds to build and furnish a school house. After a bond of $700 had been voted for the
building expenses, another bond of $40 was voted for incidental fund. The building was
erected at a cost of $475. A 6-month term began November 3, 1884, with 39 pupils attending.
In the spring of 1888, a cyclone wrecked the school building making it necessary for the
remains to be torn down. The school was rebuilt at a cost of $240. In April 1899, this building
was totally destroyed by fire. The present school building was completed in August of that
year at a cost of $449.
The Carthage Press, Thursday, August 24, 1933
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