Before 1933 a number of schools from the outlying regions were consolidated into what is now the School of the Osage. Some of the incorporated rural districts included Dogcreek, Elm Springs, Bagnell, and the Bowlin School, which was housed in a cobblestone building located just to the left of the road now leading to Osage's football field.

Two-room grade school on School of the Osage Campus.
Used until a centralized grade school could be constructed

This building was razed when the final additions were made to Osage's present building in 1952. The building used today was constructed in large part in 1933 and 1934 of stone and brick by the Epple Construction Company of Columbia, Missouri, and designed by Bonsock and Pearce, architects from St. Louis, Missouri. The school had beautiful grounds, shrubbery, and flowers, which are maintained to this day. By 1945 the library had grown to one of 3500 volumes, there was a fully equipped gymnasium, and two large playgrounds, all of which was quite unusual for a school of its size.

First new building for high school for School of the Osage,
Miller County Consolidated No. 1

The cafeteria was in a separate building (the old Bowlin School building) and it served a hot lunch for a nominal fee. Cooking was done on a very large commercial wood stove, and whenever food was needed for social functions in the school building, huge iron pots and kettles of hot food were carried by hand from one building to the other and back.

Most community social functions were held in the school building, in addition to the educational activities of the district. Such events as music festivals, speech contests, basketball tournaments, community dinners, and dancing instruction classes were common at the School of the Osage. Early in its history, within ten years of its construction, an active PTA was formed and began holding monthly meetings to promote better understanding between parents and teachers. The PTA also assisted in the publication of the first POW WOW, the school's yearly annual, in 1947. By this time the high school had a total enrollment of 144 students and a grade school enrollment of 151 students.

In the 1930's and 1940's no school in the Tri-County Conference had a football team, and basketball was the main sport for boys. Both girls and boys had a softball team, however, and there was a boys' track team as well. (At that time there was a track all the way around what is now Osage's grammar school building, as well as several tennis courts; the courts were used in winter by students and in summer by tourists.) In 1938, the elementary wing of the school was added...at that time, all the elementary schools began to come to Osage on busses instead of attending out in the country. The new gymnasium was built in 1952 and the first game was played in it that fall. At the same time, the addition which now contains the cafeteria, typing room, home economics rooms, was also completed.

School of the Osage after additions in 1938 and 1952

In 1969 the students and alumni founded the first scholarship to be established at School of the Osage, the Burl and Helen Henderson Scholarship. Over a year's work was done in contacting former students for donations, including some who were serving in Vietnam at the time. Each year the scholarship has been presented to a deserving student. This scholarship was named in honor of Burl Henderson, principal and athletic coach at Osage for 24 years, and his wife, Helen Henderson, an English teacher at Osage during that same time. Coach Henderson led the Osage Indians basketball team to 24 winnings seasons, and 5 state playoff berths! The following is an excerpt from an article describing the Eldon Tournament in 1946:

"Conway was our next opponent. They were all tall long-legged boys who were plenty good ball players. Osage had Conway at the half, and then Conway started in really playing and won by a margin of 15 points. By losing this game it put us in third place. We had to play Eldon. Eldon won by a 6 point margin, 52-47; that made two years in succession that Eldon won third place from Osage by a 6 point lead."

Journalistic styles may change some, but perhaps Osage's rivalry with Eldon never will! There was no booster's club yet, but fans were very loyal, and it was said that there would be nobody left to put out a fire in Lake Ozark if one had started during the playoffs!

In 1945 the First Annual Band Clinic was held at Eldon, with nine schools represented; 3 of the 105 students attending were from Osage. The program was an all day one and a representative from Streep Musical Company gave a talk on the selection of instruments. In 1947 a total of 80 students took part in the Osage Musical Festival and again in the Tri County Festival at California. There was a combined total of 22 #1 ratings given at the two festivals, of which Osage received 12.

The first graduation exercises were held in 1934 at School of the Osage. Twelve members of the senior class received their diplomas and took their place in history as Osage's first alumni.

Members of the first senior class to graduate from the School of the Osage in 1933-34.
Standing L-R: James Miles, Lois Dean Caldwell, Garland Payne, Alta Cotton, Marion Clayton, Phyllis Robinson.
Sitting: Canell Thornsberry, Norma Smith, Velma Boots, Glen Lupardus, Brooksy Bowling, Theora Robinson, D.C. Hickman, superintendent