The ruins of the Pipe Creek Township District 8 schoolhouse, commonly known as King’s, are hidden behind brush and growth near Frankton, Indiana. I haven’t found a lot of information about the place, but it originally stood on the land of G.W. King1. That’s how the institution got its name.
Charles King was the teacher of the schoolhouse in 19052. Fourteen years later, Brenda Swann of Princeton, Indiana, accepted a contract to teach there. After meeting with her class during her first morning, she left and was never seen in town again3! What happened to her is a mystery.
Several days later, Ms. Swann was replaced by Ruth Ream, a teacher from Jennings County. A movement to abandon the schoolhouse was started after Swann’s departure, but it was quickly quelled4.
It appears as though the King’s schoolhouse closed sometime prior to 1920 upon the completion of a consolidated Pipe Creek Township school at Frankton5. The following year, the former schoolhouse was auctioned off by the township trustee along with the District 4 and District 5 schools6.
According to Google Earth satellite imagery, the King schoolhouse was still standing as late as 2003. Unfortunately, it was in ruins in 2005. It appears as though some portions of the building still remain in 2024, but they’re only visible during fall or winter through the thick brush that surrounds it.
Sources Cited
1 Kingman Brothers. (1880). History of Madison County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Chicago, IL.
2 Township Schools Started With Excellent Prospects (1905, September 18). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 1.
3 School Teacher Did Not Like the Country School (1919, September 20). The Alexandria Times-Tribune. p. 1.
4 New Teacher (1919, September 25). The Alexandria Times-Tribune. p. 1.
5 Grant, D. “Remember when?” (1989, September 14). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 6.
6 Notice of Sale of School Property (1921, July 2). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 7.
