LONESOME HILL SCHOOL Circa 1900 – near Phillipsburg, MO

This is another photo that was given to me by a cousin in 2000.  It shows the teacher and students at the Lonesome Hill School near Phillipsburg, Laclede County, Missouri.  That is my great uncle, Jode McMenus, standing in the middle of the back row, holding a switch of some sort.  He taught school for several years before he went into business running a general store in Rader, MO.  I have inserted a cropped and enlarged scan of him below.

Also below is another cropped and enlarged scan of the student standing immediately to the right of Jode.  I believe it is Margaret Moore who was the grandmother of the cousin who gave me this photo.  She was always known as Aunt Mag and she married Jode’s brother, John McMenus, a few years after this photo was taken.

The little girl in the front row, 6th from the right end is holding a slate which says Lonesome Hill.  There is something written above which I cannot read, probably the date.  The little boy on the left end of the front row is holding a slate which says, “BEST BOY IN SCHOOL.”

Here is Jode.

Here is Aunt Mag.