Pupils of Rural Schools Write School Histories
(Washington Evening Journal-14 Sept 1942)
Living Lake School - Living Lake School is located in Section 77 in Jackson Township on the Washington-Riverside road approximately five miles from the City of Washington.
    In the year 1850 there was no school building. Children went to school where Harry Renolds now lives.  Sometimes they had school in their homes.
    They had school in the Joseph Meek home, which is now the Dell Walker home. The school was taught by Miss Cordelia Ross.
    Meeks First Pupils
    The first school house was built either during or right after the Civil War. Miss Sue Meek taught the school a that time. Some of the first pupils came from the home of Joseph Meek. They had eleven children. Of the first students, a few of those who are still living are William George, John Sands, Peter Roberts, Mrs. H. Arthur, Clark Meek, Mrs. Sade Gardner, Marcellus Meek and Mrs. Ella Cherry.
    The first building was located in the same place that the present one now stands. J. A. Meek deeded one acre to the district as long as it should be used for a school house.
    The blackboards were boards painted black. In the middle of the room stood an old cannon stove.  The desks were just benches made of pine. There was a step in front of the room for the platform on which the pupils recited.
        Called Meek School
    This building was called the Meek School because so many of the Meek children went to school there. It was also called the Turkey College for awhile some mischievous boys put several turkeys in the attic on Halloween. The present name Living Lake was given to the school because there existed at the south end of the yard, a small pond which was fed by an ever running spring. Even on the hot summer days the pond did not get dry.. The little "lake" is not here now, for, in tiling the land, the spring was tapped and the water drained into a nearby creek. However, the name still remains, and only those who know the story remember why the school was called Living Lake.
    Some of the first teachers were Susan Meek, Abram Pearson, Louisa Shaw, Robert Kilgore, Susan Wallingford, Amanda Johnson, Bertha Shaw, Belle Dais and Myrtle Pearson.
    The first director was Joseph Meek. The teacher boarded with different families and was paid approximately $5 a week.
    Were No Indians
    There were no Indians about to attack when the school was organized.
    Thirty two years ago the school was torn down and turned about, facing the south. In 1929 ten more feet were added to the south side. at the time of the addition a basement was built and a furnace installed, which was replaced by a new one in 1939.
    The schoolhouse is now moderately equipped. We have electric lights, a furnace, maps, globes, and a sandbox filled with white sand. We have a large basement to play in on rainy days. the children of years ago had few of the things we have today. We have a library, piano, and an electric hot plate which we use to prepare hot lunches.
    The present teacher is Mrs. Phyllis Chambers, and the pupils now are Frances Whisler, Winifred Whisler, Catherine Hermann, Alice Walker and Dorothy Walker.