Walnut School
This article appeared in the Washington Evening Journal in 1940-1941 as part of a series on rural schools.
The Walnut school is located just east of Highway No. 1 in section 10 of Brighton township. Earliest records date back to 1858, at which time the school house was a log cabin located on the farm which later belonged to Charles Probst. Later Memorial Miller donated the new site because it was more centrally located. Many called it the Memorial Miller school. It was named Walnut school March 9, 1874. This was the same building serving in 1940.
The first seats were made of slabs. New seats were purchased in 1913. The well dug in 1899. Modern equipment was added both in the school and on the playground. The library contained more than four hundred books in 1940.
Some early school officers were: J. R. Taylor, D. M. Logan, T E. McMillian, Walter McKennie, G. M. Zaring, T. E. Johnson, G. F. Fetter, H. J. Misch, Frank McKay, Will Helmick, Clay Humston, Will Cherry, G. H. Garret, Frank Melinsky, Lewis Duke, C. C. McKay, and J. H. Baird.
A few of the teachers were Cass Lewis, Leila and Carry Flitner, Ella Woodford, J. H. Teeter, Edith McAnulty, Alice Ball, Mary Wilder, Cora Hicks, Bessie Conger, Kate Mauthe, Edith Miller, Jennie Dunbar, Liza Morrie, Verna Guy, Arabella Logan, Ella Logan, Zella Glenn and Hannah Cushman.
The secretary and treasurer of the school board received salaries of $10 for each school year divided into two terms called the winter and summer terms. The winter term consisted of three or four months beginning the last of November or the first of December. The summer term consisted of three months beginning about the middle of April.
The teacher's salary for the winter term was $30 plus building fee of $2 or $3. Salary for the summer term was $20. School in 1885 was started in September for the first time instead of later.
In 1886 the board passed a resolution that the effects of alcoholic stimulants should be taught. In 1886, many board meetings were held at the newly installed McJunkin Post Office, once known as Vincent Station, still later called Verdi.
Many interesting things have happened during the life of the school. One day when some children went to the spring for water, they saw a rattlesnake come from a hollow tree. They reported to the teacher who asked the owner of the farm whether they might burn the tree. He consented and many snakes were found.
The teacher in 1940-41 was Vivian Zear. The pupils were Mildred, Ruth and Esther Chorpening, Adolph, Abigail, Rachel and Nancy Perez, Keith, Kenneth, Kermit, and Karel Farrier, Shirley and Junior Dunbar, Clydene and Alber Nicola, Hugh Probst, Sevilla Nelson and Martha Davis.