Barnett School

The first Barnett school, was a one room log building built in the 1800's and was located in southwestern Crittenden County near Tolu.   It stood on the property of William Barnett.

Later Mr. Barnett gave the school trustees enough land to build a new school building.  It was located just east of the original log building in a corner of his land.  

                                                 Barnett school before it as torn down.

In 1879 the school census showed 22 students attending.  Julius Newman was the teacher.  Some family  names in the area were Ferrell, Hardin, Dooley, Belt, McMaster, Tinsley, Lawrence, Curry, Davis, Kemper, Hardesty, Hale, Glore, Croft, Stone, Kimsey, Stone, Barley, Lynn, Wright and Turner.

In 1913 a church was built on land deeded by Buckner Croft and joined the Barnett School lot.  The church was named Barnett Chapel due to the Barnett School being there and widely known.

In 1948 the school ceased operation, along with several other one-room schools in the area, and consolidated with the Tolu School.

In 1949 the members of the Barnett Chapel church voted to build a new church where the schoolhouse stood.  

The school building was sold to Russell Hardesty for $300 and the Barnett Church, as is is now, was built on the old school lot.

As with so many of our old schools, they are almost forgotten now, a thing of the past, and most all who attended gone also, leaves nothing to carry on the wonderful memories of these one-room schools.