Advance One Room School: History

Fund-raising, hard work and donations by the CCRTA have made the Advance One Room School
a unique and authentic space to experience a 19th century education in Clark County.

The Advance One Room School, originally built in 1878, was one of over 100 one-room schools in Clark County. Today, less than 50 still stand, and more than half of those have been converted to homes.
In 1999, a committee of Clark County Retired Teacher Association Members (CCRTA) and business people became the One Room School Project Committee. Together, they sought funding and spearheaded the renovation of the building and property and successfully brought it back to its late 19th century historic past.
Now open to mainly elementary and home-schooled students in Springfield City, Clark County, and neighboring districts for field trips, the Advance One Room School is the centerpiece of the CCRTA, whose volunteers provide an authentic sample of education in its day through the use of historic school materials such as slate writing boards, spellers by Noah Webster, and McGuffey Readers.
A collection of donated furniture includes a pot-bellied stove and wooden desks. The yard also contains two outhouses.
For the comfort of all who visit, modern heating exists.

Students use slates and books
from the period.

Though the pot-bellied stove is operational,
modern heating keeps classes warm.

Newspaper Records of the Work by CCRTA

to Bring the Classroom of the Past

to the Students of Today

From the Springfield News-Sun, two articles detail the initial development, remodeling, and furnishing of the Advance One Room School by the CCRTA. From broken windows, holes in walls and floor, the renovation began in 1999. In 2003, the school was complete and ready for students.