The first consolidated school in Missouri was organized in Grand River Township in Daviess County at Jameson, MO. On March 19, 1914, the Jameson Consolidated School included a portion of five rural school districts (Scotland, Netherton, Barnett, Goodbar and Stony Point) and the town of Jameson, an area of 37 square miles surrounding the town. The architect and builder was Henry Sutton of Bethany, MO; the $20,000 school building was located at the east edge of 2nd Street. Jameson School was approved by the State Department of Education in 1918 and was also the first to offer vocational home economics and vocational agriculture departments.
In April 1915, a 3-story brick building was built for nearly $30,000. The plaque above the double front doors of the school building is shown.
The first consolidated school district in Missouri was Jameson R-3 Schools in 1915, as noted on the school building above the school’s main entrance. A more recent consolidation involved the Coffey R-1 School District with the building at Coffey used for elementary students living there until the Coffey school buildings were no longer used.
Former students know this view of the Jameson School from Highway 13. This is the tube fire escape which hung from the east side from the school building for many years. The galvanized metal tube, set at an angle making sliding easy, had access doors on the second and third floors to provide a quick escape to ground level. This style of fire escape is simple in design, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation. The last day of school each year was celebrated by all students sliding through the tube. The tube was replaced in the mid-2000’s. As of 2017, pieces of this fire escape remain in Jameson, and many hope that the fire escape will one day be reconstructed for all to enjoy.
This type of scoreboard was a mainstay in the Jameson School gym and other conference schools. The Jameson school kept this type of clock/scoreboard after other schools updated to electronic boards. After the other schools went digital, the Huskies gained a slight home court advantage as players from the visiting team had difficulty reading the clock’s second hand (they were used to digital numbers). During the last years of its use at Jameson, the clock occasionally jerked in reverse permitting a few more seconds in the quarter. The scoreboard was replaced in 1978-79.
Head Coach Lawrence (L.R.) Holley guided the Huskies to a then, school best 23-2 record in 1962-63. Their HDC Conference undefeated regular season title (10-0) was the first in school history. These gals also won two tournaments at Mt. Moriah and at Gilman City and placed 2nd in a tournament at Pattonsburg. Shown, front from let — Arlene Elmore, Lola Yuille, Pam Coen, Irene Pugh, Judy Taylor, Vicki Wheeler, Joanne Johnson; back row — Delana Tracy, Janice Laffey, Norma Linville, Donna Gregory, Marjorie Smith, Mary McNeely, Linda Burns, and Coach L.R. Holley.
Fourth-year Head Coach, Carl (Tom) McDaniel, guided the Huskies to a school record 33 wins including their first 32 in a Row! The HDC Conferencer regular season undefeated title (10-0) was the first in school history as was the Regional Title and trip to the Class S State Final Tournament. The team finished 3rd in the state and won the Sportsmanship Award at the state tournament. Shown front row from left — Coach Tom McDaniel, Richard Tingler, Jim Coen, Bill Prindle, Jim Lasher, Larry Holley, Robert Drummond, Ray Wightman, Ronald Gordon; back row — Jim Duly, Glen Burton, Larry Stigers, Jim Robertson, Jerry Burns, Gary Smith, Rex Taylor.
These band members, with their director, Robert Paul, earned top honors (I rating) in the Annual State High School Music Contest for the third consecutive year, all under the direction of Mr. Paul. The band is comprised of students in classes who graduated in years from 1949 through 1954: center circle from left — Sue Trimble, Jean Feurt, Mary Lockridge, Bill Feurt, Jerald Padget, Kenny Nickell, Janette Maharg, Jim Wright, Beverly Brown; left of center circle — Eddie Hightree, Betty Alexander, Delbert Cox; right of center circle — Max Hefley, John McCartney, Osta O’Hare, Joan Williams; back circle seated from left — Barbara Somerville, Leota Brewer, Dorothy Tingler, Barbara Cannon, Bob Scott, Maurice McNeely, Darryl McCartney, Robert O’Hare, Morris Netherton; standing — Charlene Boyer, Margaret Groves, Ruth Devers; back circle seated — Wilbur Wright, Garland Maize, Stephen Feurt, James Padget. Standing at left is Mr Robert Paul, Director.
Jameson’s second high school building was located two blocks west of the northwest corner of Jameson’s park. In 1915 a new brick school building was constructed, the oldest consolidated school west of the Mississippi River (courtesy Imo Brown)
School wagons like this one once hauled children between their home and the public school. Wagons contained a small heating stove and benches. There were two steps leading up to the only door in the wagon, located in the back. The wagons were used between 1915 (when the rural schools consolidated into Jameson) and the mid-1940’s. There were 9 of these wagons in the Jameson School’s fleet. A model of a school wagon and a hand painted picture of the school wagon are among the displays in the Jameson Community Museum (in 2017, located in the former Post Office building).
On June 3, 1872, the Township Board of Education purchased land to erect a school for the sum of one dollar. By 1979 nothing was left of Jameson’s first school house which was used from 1872-1914. This historical site was located 1/4 block north of the intersection of 2nd and Maple Streets in Jameson, land owned in 1979 by J.B. Landes. (Source: Daviess County Deed Book W; Daviess County Centennial edition)
