Morrisville
Missouri
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Marion C. Early R-5 School District
Our School's Mission:
Recognizing each student as a unique individual, we believe that education should provide an opportunity for the maximum development and optimal growth of the student's mental, physical, and emotional capacities. Through education, each student should develop proper attitudes and ideals, prepare for family and community responsibilities, be and effective citizen in our democratic form of government and be able to make a smooth transition from public education to adulthood.
History:
The school system in Morrisville had its beginning ahead of the town itself, conducting classes in the first log Methodist Church soon after the latter was put together in 1838, out on the prairie one mile east of the present town. A frame public school house was built and eight years of elementary education was taught. High school education became available in the fall of 1872 when the Morrisville Institute first opened its doors. The public school building was destroyed by a fire in 1880, it was quickly replaced with another frame building. Students got their first experience with a public high school in the fall of 1918, when classes began in a vacated college building.
After three years the college reopened an academy in the building. The college closed its doors for good in 1925, and put up all of the land and buildings for sale. Marion C. Early, a former citizen of the community, offered to buy the entire college plant and give the public schools a clear title to it if they would agree to organize a consolidated school district. An election was held on June 23, 1925, and they voted to organize a consolidated school district. Mr. Early bought the college, which consisted of four completely modern buildings on the original five acres of ground. He then bought an additional ten acres for use as a playground and athletic field. Among his gifts to the school were a complete set of modern equipment for the laboratory and a full stock of books for the library. To thank him, the district was named the Marion C. Early Consolidated Schools. The College Hall became the high school building, the girls' dormitory was converted the elementary school, and the Club House became a house for the school principal and the superintendent.
The story was told of one man who came to Morrisville to look over the school buildings. While peeping through a basement window he spied a suspicious piece of equipment that he judged to be a whiskey still. He went back to his neighborhood and reported that they were making whiskey in the school basement.
The supposed distillery was an old printing press. In 1927, lightning struck the high school building and it burned down. News of the fire caused some in the area to think that the whiskey still had blown up. Nevertheless, a bond election carried. With the help of Marion C. Early, a new fireproof brick building costing $80,000 was built in 1928. Soon after, the rural schools joined the district. In 1941, a new elementary school was built, with an addition in the early 1950's. A regulation baseball diamond was laid out in that period with lighting added later.
In 1942, Marion C. Early passed away at the age of 77 years and 10 months. He was buried in the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis. In 1949, Polk County was divided into six consolidated districts. Morrisville, the first consolidated district in the county, was among the first to vote for the new plan which allowed them more territory. A field house was built in 1959, after that the old gymnasium was made into a shop for industrial arts department. By 1976 the school had gotten an "A" rating. A new cafeteria and a music room were financed in 1977 through a bond election, also a new covered arena was built that year for students to show their animals.
In 1989, two elementary classrooms, a junior high building consisting of five classrooms, an industrial arts shop, and a library was built. Also during that year, the old industrial arts shop and classroom was remodeled into a four-part home economics classroom and lab and the circle drive was built. More recently, a new all-purpose facility has been added to the Elementary school, and additional classrooms have been added.
Recognizing each student as a unique individual, we believe that education should provide an opportunity for the maximum development and optimal growth of the student's mental, physical, and emotional capacities. Through education, each student should develop proper attitudes and ideals, prepare for family and community responsibilities, be and effective citizen in our democratic form of government and be able to make a smooth transition from public education to adulthood.
History:
The school system in Morrisville had its beginning ahead of the town itself, conducting classes in the first log Methodist Church soon after the latter was put together in 1838, out on the prairie one mile east of the present town. A frame public school house was built and eight years of elementary education was taught. High school education became available in the fall of 1872 when the Morrisville Institute first opened its doors. The public school building was destroyed by a fire in 1880, it was quickly replaced with another frame building. Students got their first experience with a public high school in the fall of 1918, when classes began in a vacated college building.
After three years the college reopened an academy in the building. The college closed its doors for good in 1925, and put up all of the land and buildings for sale. Marion C. Early, a former citizen of the community, offered to buy the entire college plant and give the public schools a clear title to it if they would agree to organize a consolidated school district. An election was held on June 23, 1925, and they voted to organize a consolidated school district. Mr. Early bought the college, which consisted of four completely modern buildings on the original five acres of ground. He then bought an additional ten acres for use as a playground and athletic field. Among his gifts to the school were a complete set of modern equipment for the laboratory and a full stock of books for the library. To thank him, the district was named the Marion C. Early Consolidated Schools. The College Hall became the high school building, the girls' dormitory was converted the elementary school, and the Club House became a house for the school principal and the superintendent.
The story was told of one man who came to Morrisville to look over the school buildings. While peeping through a basement window he spied a suspicious piece of equipment that he judged to be a whiskey still. He went back to his neighborhood and reported that they were making whiskey in the school basement.
The supposed distillery was an old printing press. In 1927, lightning struck the high school building and it burned down. News of the fire caused some in the area to think that the whiskey still had blown up. Nevertheless, a bond election carried. With the help of Marion C. Early, a new fireproof brick building costing $80,000 was built in 1928. Soon after, the rural schools joined the district. In 1941, a new elementary school was built, with an addition in the early 1950's. A regulation baseball diamond was laid out in that period with lighting added later.
In 1942, Marion C. Early passed away at the age of 77 years and 10 months. He was buried in the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis. In 1949, Polk County was divided into six consolidated districts. Morrisville, the first consolidated district in the county, was among the first to vote for the new plan which allowed them more territory. A field house was built in 1959, after that the old gymnasium was made into a shop for industrial arts department. By 1976 the school had gotten an "A" rating. A new cafeteria and a music room were financed in 1977 through a bond election, also a new covered arena was built that year for students to show their animals.
In 1989, two elementary classrooms, a junior high building consisting of five classrooms, an industrial arts shop, and a library was built. Also during that year, the old industrial arts shop and classroom was remodeled into a four-part home economics classroom and lab and the circle drive was built. More recently, a new all-purpose facility has been added to the Elementary school, and additional classrooms have been added.