Public Schools  Liberty Township

The first school at Mt. Pleasant was located near Honeyman’s Ford and was a log building. They second building was made of wood and the land was purchased from the Connaway family. The building for a time was used as a school and a church until the Mt. Pleasant Church was built. The school consisted of one large room which housed eight grades. The building was heated by a wood stove in the center of the room. The older boys would carry water from a nearby spring until money was available to dig a well in 1870.

  In 1923 school was conducted at Mt. Pleasant for three months and then the students were transferred to Dunlapsville. Many rode horses because there was no other form of transportation. The building still stands today on the corner of Indiana 44 West and Mt. Pleasant road. It is now a private residence.

There have been two schools at Pea Ridge. The first was erected in 1855 and the second in 1881. The first building was 1/4 miles west of the second and was painted white and had two front doors, one for girls the other for boys. One of the things remember about the school that there was only one cup to get a drink from a nearby spring. When they moved to the second school there was a well and everyone brought their own cup. When Dunlapsville school was completed in 1923 the students were transferred there.

Beech Grove was located on the farm of Milo Stanton in Section 13, Liberty Township. Later the frame school was moved to the farm owned by John C. Johnson which was west of the Stanton farm. Another frame building was built and evidentially the second building was replace by a third building, this one built from brick. William Houghton and his daughter were mentioned as teachers. School was discontinued at Beech Grove about 1922.

Taken in part from an article written by Clara Brookbank.

The Hill School located in District 4 was a frame building painted white, with desks for pupils, maps, a globe and two entrance halls. The land was owned by the Hill family and was located on the Alquina-Dunlapsville road. In 1880 the Hill school merged with Dunlapsville.

5. Dunlapsville School - Liberty township

  Dunlapsville began as a public school October 19, 1874. The building had formerly housed the Dunlapsville Presbyterian Academy. The first teachers the public school was W. D. Ellis. The first graduation exercise was held June 25, 1881and this was the first graduation in Union County and probably was the first in the State of Indiana. There were five members in that class. The original building was used until it was razed to make way for a new building. The corner stone was placed on October 12, 1923.

  This building was a one and one-half story brick, with four classrooms and a basement gym, library, kitchen and cafeteria. There were eight grades with two to each classroom and teacher.

This arrangement changed during the years 1965-66 when only grades one through four were taught. Beginning the second semester of the 1966-67 school year Dunlapsville was closed and all students transported to Liberty. This was due to consolidation.

  Dunlapsville students were given the choice upon graduating from the 8th grade. They could either go to Liberty or Alquina High School which was in Fayette County. The building was purchased at auction by an individual and for a few years it became Treaty-Line Museum. Many of the buildings that are located on the former Dunlapsville school grounds would have been destroyed by the Brookville Lake project had not the owner had them moved to the museum.

6. Hickory Grove is located in eastern Liberty Township is believed to be the first school in Union County built under the Caleb Mill Program which provided that schools were to be tax supported and free to all. The school was built by William Crist in 1853 for $472. It opened in 1854 with Thomas Wright as the first teacher. A second Hickory Grove School was built on the same site. The building is still standing.

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