After Harmony Mission closed in 1836 Papinville School was the first school started in Bates County.
Every thing was going good until the Civil War. After the war in 1868 a school was finally built. .
In 1913 there were 38 students enrolled in the Papinville School. In the History of Bates County Missouri book, written in 1918 it gave some interesting facts that were passed by the state legislature and the Papinville school had to follow them. In 1901 the school library law was enacted. It required local school boards to provide school libraries. In 1913 a free text book law was passed. Each child was supplied textbooks without charge. During this year the student enrollment begin to get smaller. In 1949 the two story school was torn down.
The little one room school was used until 1952 with 10 students. Papinville School was closed and the students went to Prairie City School. School was held at Prairie City until 1957 then all students were bussed to Rich Hill. From 1952 to the mid 1970’s the little one room school was used for elections and township board meetings. After the big flood in 1986 a town meeting was held to discuss flood damage to area residents. This was the last time the little school was full of people.
In 1991 the association got together to decide if they wanted to get together and clean up the school and put it on for tours during the Bates County Sesquicentennial. At this time an interest was sparked to see if the association could take over ownership of the school. In April 1992 voters of Prairie Township voted yes to putting the school and school property into hands of the Papinville Historical and Cemetery Association. On July 28 of 1992 the deed was signed by the Prairie Township board members.
The Papinville school was used in the past to educate the students who lived in the area. The school now is used to educate the future as to what the past was like and to recall history of the past. Our hopes are that every person who comes to visit the Papinville School ”little room” will leave with a piece of history in their minds that they will never forget.
Next week will be the story of Mission Branch School. There is a lot of history about these four school in the school history book. Teachers and students pictures and names, memory stories and much more. You may find a picture of your mom, dad, grandpa or grandma. In the Papinville History book you will get the history from Harmony Mission, Civil War, building back Papinville, memory stories and much more. We are a little town with a lot of history. Bring your children out to learn some history about the area where they live that they may never hear in school. Put Sept 27 on your calendar for a afternoon of fun and good home cooked food. Until next week. Submitted By Phyllis Stewart, Activity Director
