La Russell school was originally known as "Swindle" school.
The La Russell school was orginally organized as the Swindle School District about
1870. It was located southwest of La Russell on the old Jacob Graff farm at the
crossroads of Highway F and Second Road. It was used as a church and a school.
Some years later a nice frame house was built on the Lewis Meador farm about 200
yards west of the present Meador home, but it was still called Swindle school. This
schoolhouse was sold at auction in July 1905 to N. M. Forsythe for $450. The grounds
were sold to L. D. Meador for $50. The Swindle schoolhouse was moved to La Russell
to be used as a church.
In 1904 when the Missouri Pacific Railroad went through, La Russell was established
and a 2 room, red brick building was built on a hill west of La Russell where the school
now stands. A new modern room was added in 1962. The La Russell school consolidated
with Sarcoxie school in 1966.
Source: The History of La Russell, page 101, by Charles and Neva Chrisman, 1988.
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