Garden Dell History   home    Garden Dell School Service of a Rural School is Remembered By Marvin VanGilder Press Historian The heritage of the rural school which by the end of another year will be totally a part of our past is one which should not be forgotten. Thousands upon thousands of our greatest local, state, national and international leaders received their earliest formal training in such institutions. The I skill with which they have dealt with the problems of the world is ample testimony to the fact there was great value in the rural school. Others in our midst, including this writer, also have attended such institutions and forever will carry with them twofold memories - the pleasant memories of close association in a family-like atmosphere with people whose friendship is valued, the personal attention of a number of dedicated and deeply motivated teachers, the competition for the most part on a friendly basis for achievement in scholastic, artistic and athletic endeavors...and the less pleasant memories of community feuds about the personalities of certain teachers, the design or location of school buildings and a multitude of other matters which are problems in school systems of any type or place. All of us who have shared the experience of the rural school share one common goal-the desire to maintain its heritage, I the burning belief that its significant contribution to the development of the American way of life should not be forgotten and the certainty that in remembering the good experiences, the high standards of morality and patriotism and the pleasant associations of the country classroom we will be strengthening the enduring foundation upon which our entire society is constructed. Surely it was with such thoughts as these in mind that a number of people in Jasper County in recent months have engaged in compilation of the basic history of several rural schools. Students themselves, under direction of an outstanding teacher, did the compilation for Forest Mill School. Another recent work was that done by Mrs. Russell Wampler, Route 2, in the case of the old Garden Dell School northwest of Carthage. She was assisted by Mrs. Russell Moorehouse, also Route 2; Mrs. Blanche Probert, acting superintendent of schools, and several others. Mrs. Wampler's work and records preserved by Joel T. Livingston in his 1912 History of Jasper County combine to produce a basic account of Garden Dell's service to several generations of valuable citizens. The district, first called No.6, was formed in 1870, when J.W. Johnson, S. W. Shafer and John Hendricks were elected to the first Board of Education. Hendricks contributed an acre of land at the southeast corner of the southeast one-half of Section 14, Township 29, Range 32-the northwest corner of Route D and County Road 18 and a small building was erected to serve as the first school. Two years later County Supt. U.B. Webster visited the school, where Miss Mattie Higgins was teacher, and described the original structure as a "good little house, well seated, (with) teacher's table, maps and blackboard." Webster noted 45 pupils on the roll and average daily attendance of 38. The teacher, he said, "labors earnestly," and classwork was excellent with the exception of the third grade reading class which he observed  failed to give total attention to its task. The taxpayers soon became aware the building was not large enough for the growing enrollment and proposition to finance construction of a larger edifice was considered in the 1876 election. It was defeated at that time but two years later a similar measure was adopted. The first building then was sold and a larger one was constructed. It was used until 1961 for educational purposes and today, in converted condition, serves as a residence. In 1879, the district purchased an adjoining acre of land to the west and north and a fence was installed to enclose the entire two-acre campus. Large enrollment but poor attendance marked the early decades. Many youngsters were needed on the farm and attended only partial terms, remaining in school on a part-time basis until they approached adulthood. Feb. 26, 1894, the county superintendent visited Garden Dell and reported 33 names-17 male and 16 female, on the roll but only seven in attendance. The length of terms varied, some during the earlier years being only two, three, four or five months in length and two short terms being held some years. Approaching the 20th century, an eight-month term was adopted and, in order to obtain state funds, eventually became the standard practice. The first nine-month term was held in 1957-58, in compliance with state requirements. New desks were purchased that year. Numbering system for the county's schools was changed in 1910 and Garden Dell then became District No. 47. The district served 90 years as a separate entity, disappearing with an election Jan. 10, 1961, by which Reorganized District R-6 (Pleasant Valley) was created and embraced the former Garden Dell, Mineral, Lakeside and Pleasant Valley districts. The following April, Shiloh District, joined R-6 via annexation. The Garden Dell board at the time of reorganization was composed of Roy Ivey, president; Russell Wampler and H.R. Halvorsen. Mrs. Marjorie Wampler was district clerk. Wampler was named to the first board of the new R-6 district, which also included J .R. Bowman, president; Dean Rush, treasurer; Roy Campbell, Burton Leroy and Elwood Stephens. Mrs. Mabel Van Hooser was the first R-6 clerk. Fifteen pupils completed the 1960-61 term at Garden Dell with Mrs. Constance Watts Dell as teacher. Mrs. Dell went, with the pupils, for the 1961-62 term to the new R-6 school. The Garden Dell building and land were sold at auction in September, 1961, to C.W. Bowman, whose bid was reported as $50. During the 1961-62 term, pupils residing in former Garden Dell District attended classes at the former Lakeside School until early 1962 when the new Pleasant Valley building was completed. The faculty there included eight educators and graduates were sent to the high schools of their choice with the district paying their tuition. Various individuals attended high school at Alba, Jasper, Carthage, Carterville, Joplin or Webb City. The R-6 district was eliminated April 13, 1965, when patrons approved annexation to Carthage, R-9 District. All pupils of the area, with the exception of small segments later transferred to other districts by change of boundary, now attend R-9 Schools, including the Pleasant Valley building which has been retained as a part of the R-9 system. Noting a Chinese proverb:"One good teacher is worth more than a ton of books," Mrs. Wampler said the Garden Dell Board "always tried to provide the school with a good teacher ." Her list of teachers follows: Laura Young, 1870; Sarah E. Harrison, 1871; Jeremiah Hubbard, 1871; Mary I. Dinsmore, 1872 and 1873; Mary Higgins, 1872; C.H. Stout, 1873; W. N. Conkling, 1874; Florence Young, 1875; Jeremiah Hubbard, 1876; Lida Young, 1878. Jasper Knight, 1879; Kate M. Fisher, 1880; May Rees, 1880; Maggie Ely, 1881; Rose Haworth,1883; Mamie C. Booker, 1884; Alice E. Scantlin, 1885-86; Maggie Kelly, 1888; Silas W. Rigby, 1889-90; possibly R. J. Knight, 1891; Uriah Smith, 1892-93; Nellie Shellenberger, 1894; C.W. Knight, 1895; Greely Faskin, 1897. Bert Shupe, 1898-99; Charles E. Scafe, 1900; O.R. Mericle, 1901; Orlena Elliot, 1902; Frances Black, 1903; Jess L. Grundy, 1904-05; Thaddeus Wilson, 1906; Mary Folger, 1907; Gus A. Bartley, 1908-09; Emma R.C. Miller, 1910-11; Walter Dennison, 1912; Cora Hendricks, 1913. Clara Dodson, 1914; Lavona Stewart, 1915-17; Dorothy Gray, 1918; Ella Shaw, 1919; Mabel Abram, 1920; Stella Flesher, 1921; Verna Fox, 1922-24; Twila Hodson, 1925-27; Inez Keagy, 1928-33; Glenna Decker, 1934-36; Constance Watts Dell, 1937-41, 1958-60; Constance Clark, 1942, one month; Mrs. C.R. Jenkins, 1942; Mrs. Bessie Van Horn, 1943; Phyllis Jones, 1944; Harriet A. Geddes, 1945; Reva Matthews, 1946. Edna Maude Billingsley, 1947; Barbara F. Lockhart, 1948-49; Lorene Carter, 1950; Ruby Knight, 1951-52; Lois York, 1953; Rosetta Richardson, 1954; Rilda Whitehead, 1955-56; Lorraine Huffman, 1957. "Many have gone from this district and become good teachers, professors, ministers, missionaries, carpenters, farmers and good citizens of the world," Mrs. Wampler commented, stating a record of achievement which is its own 'testimony to the value of the rural school in its time. "History is a record of the past," she concluded, "and each of us is a part of it. This age is as yet an unwritten chapter. This is our age-and our responsibility." The Carthage Press, September 6, 1972 Garden Dell school house, six miles northwest of Carthage; Miss Mattie Higgins, teacher; good little house; well seated; teacher's table, maps and blackboard; forty-five pupils on register; average attendance thirty-eight; class exercises good, except third reader, in that recitation a lack of attention; particular pains in spelling and pronouncing; some good essays in topical geography by the Misses Frlse; small pupils print spelling lessons; Miss H. labors earnestly; two visits from directors. 1872 Jasper County School Report by U. B. Webster, Jasper County Superintendent A History of Jasper County, Missouri and Its People, Volume 1, page 100, pub. 1912, by Joel Thomas Livingston. Garden Dell school was sold at auction, August 26, 1961.