Miller County Institute

A History of Miller County schools would not be complete without a story of the Miller County Institute, established shortly after the close of the Civil War by William M. Lumpkin, one of the early educators of the county. Mr. Lumpkin lived to be a very old man, dying at his home in Eldon at the age of 94 years.

In the year 1868, under the leadership of William M. Lumpkin, the community of Spring Garden built a two-story house and Mr. Lumpkin opened a private school called Miller County Academy. He continued to teach for several years and then Edward Henry and Julia Coleman of Springfield, Mo., taught for a year.

After this there was a period in which there was no school. In 1879, H.M. Sutton of Ada, Ohio, and H.L. Moles of Clarksburg, Mo. took charge and changed the name to Miller County Institute.

They continued teaching until Aurora Springs was built up, when H.L. Moles went to that town and H.M. Sutton carried on the school at Spring Garden with the help of W.A. Chalfant. Later he had associated with him, J. Roberts and wife.

Miller County Institute 1896

In 1890 they could no longer accommodate the increased number of pupils. The old building was cut in two parts, one of which was moved 30 feet and the new part built between and joined to them. In 1895, J. Roberts turned over his part of school to George J. Moore of Clarksburg, Mo., and the following year H.M. Sutton retired and W.A. Lumpkin took his place.

Miller County Institute 1897

The next year J. Ivy Lumpkin took charge and continued four years when failing health compelled him to quit. He was followed by A.J. Hensley of North Carolina, who kept at the helm until June 1905. Since that date there was no private school and the property was subsequently turned over to the public school district and in 1926 the house was torn down and a smaller one suited to the need of the district was built of the material.

Miller County Institute 1898

Pupils came to the Miller County Institute not only from Miller County, but also from adjoining counties and many went out from there well equipped to fight life's battles.

From the Miller County Autogram, Tuscumbia, Missouri,
Thursday, April 11, 1901