Hydesburg School

     Some believe that the establishment of a school building in the area was as early as 1822, with no official records; it is hard to determine an exact year.  However, settlers believed educating their children was very important.  Mr. Rudisill, an early settler, taught his own children and a hired man to read and write in his own home.  Other Hydesburg families pulled together and split the salary of a teacher in order to have an educator in the area for their children.  Several men like Allen Gallaher, William P. Birney and William Bishop were believed to be the first teachers in the area who eventually became important in other occupations.

     The mention of the earliest school building is from an account in an 1875 St. Louis Christian Advocate which states there was a small schoolhouse in Hydesburg in 1822.  It is a matter of record that in April 1855, the Hydesburg school board advertised for bids for the construction of a 20- by 28-foot school building of brick or stone.  This building when completed was more adequate than the first little building.  It was used for many years. In the 1920’s the Hydesburg school became a part of a consolidated district along with Rensselaer, Huntington, and Spalding (other nearby school districts) with grades 1 to 8 attending existing buildings and grades 9 through 12 attending high school at Rensselaer with all grades administered by a superintendent at Rensselaer.  The high school at Rensselaer existed until 1947 when students were transported to larger schools.  In the early 1960s grade schools were closed, and pupils were transported elsewhere.  The school was purchased & the building was razed.

Location Information
Section 9
Township 56
Range 5
Latitude:  39.6683779
Longitude:  -91.469597