No one knows when the land for Harrison Township’s District 8 school was deeded. In 1874, a schoolhouse straddled the land of David Williams and Augustus Gaugh, a quarter of a mile west of the modern intersection of Nebo and Royerton Roads1. Seven years later, the school was known as “Buncum” and was taught by Walter Gray2.
The first schoolhouse was replaced by the current structure at the corner of Nebo and Royerton Roads by 18873. The unusual common name of the District 8 school is thought to have originated as a reference to Buncombe County, North Carolina, but the building’s been referred to by nearly every spelling variation: Buncum, Bunkum, Buncom, and Buncomb4. One former student remembered it being called “Buncomb” during its operation. Today bunkum, or bunk, means bullshit nonsense.
Apparently, the schoolhouse was briefly abandoned in 1896 for its students to consolidate into a larger District 6 schoolhouse at Bethel5. Whether or not that’s true, the District 8 school was back in operation as early as the 1904-05 school year6. It appears that the schoolhouse was known as Washington under Pearl Newman’s tenure as teacher7.
Whatever its name, the schoolhouse closed for good after the 1917-18 school year. Chad Rector of Gaston served as its final teacher7. In 1922, a former District 8 student named Emmel Fink bought the abandoned schoolhouse from the township trustee. To convert the school into a home, he divided it into individual rooms, altered the windows, and lowered the ceiling from twelve to eight feet8. It remains in use as a house today.
Sources Cited
1 Kingman, A.L. (1874). Map of Delaware County, Indiana : from recent & original surveys, made expressly for this map, drawn, compiled and published by A.L. Kingman and assistants. map, Chicago, IL; A.L. Kingman.
2 Helm, T. B. (1881). Mount Pleasant Township. In History of Delaware County, Indiana: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. book, Kingman Brothers.
3 Griffing, B. N. (1887). An atlas of Delaware County, Indiana. map, Philadelphia, PA; Griffing, Gordon, & Company.
4 Intermission. (1976, February 7). The Muncie Evening Press. p. T-4.
5 Denny, L.W. (1925, June 5). New School To Be Real Center. The Muncie Morning Star. p. 12.
6 Delaware County Public Schools. (1904). School directory, Delaware County public schools, Delaware County, Indiana 1904-1905. Muncie, IN.
7 Wisely, A. & Shideler, T. (2024, January 27). personal communication.
7 Delaware County Public Schools. (1917). School directory, Delaware County public schools, Delaware County, Indiana 1917-1918. Muncie, IN.
8 Johnson, B. (1876, January 24). Shrieves ‘taught’ an old schoolhouse to be pretty. The Muncie Evening Press. p. 2.
Buncom School is on Nebo, about 100 yards or less, south of CR 500N. Part of my farm is less than 1/4 of a mile to the south.
Yes, I think I mentioned its location in the post and the map I included.
My husband Jim Shrieve and I bought the school house from Mr Fink, in 1973 or 74, and remodeled it extensively, both of our daughters were born while living there.
Great to hear! I’m glad it had remained in such good care. By now, it’s spent many more years as a home than at did as a school!