Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, February 26, 2015, Page 11

From "Snapshots of History" by Mike Avitt:

"When rural schoolhouses were first built in Ringgold County, they were built where the need was the greatest. But eventually districts were formed and education became organized. It was decided to place a rural school every two miles so a pupil would never have to walk more than a mile to school. My notes say [July 1890. . . ] is the time frame when the schools were placed about every two miles. . . ."

Tingley Township was divided into nine school districts. Eighme School was closed by 1950.

Quoting Mike's article, "As gravel roads and school buses made rural schools obsolete, they were sold. . . .The ones that were sold were sold one at a time until October 22, 1951 when Cozy Corner [Tingley Twp. No. 3], Eighme School [Tingley Twp. No 9], and Bridge Academy [Tingley Twp. No. 4] all sold at public auction for around $600 each. Sales were common during the 1950s."

Tingley Township was divided into nine school districts. The Eighme School was closed by 1950.

Back Row, left to right: Evan DAVENPORT, Harold BALL, Doyle RUBY, Miss Velma HEATON, Margaret DAVENPORT, Dorothy BIRD
Middle Row, left to right: Jerald SHULL, Raymond BALL, George DAILEY, Lyle SHULL
Front Row, left to right:Reva RUBY, Delmar SHULL, Roger MORRISON, John DAILEY

The last day of classes for Eighme School was on January 20, 1941 with Roger MORRISON of Tingley, the sole pupil, and Maxine MAIN, teacher. Eighme School is located on its original site, located eight miles north of the east intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 169, on the west side of the highway.

Ray GUESS and family who lived on the Mrs. Mary DeWITT farm south of town moved to a farm near Kellerton last Sat. By them moving it closed Tingley Township School No. 9 as it left just one pupil enrolled. Miss Maxine MAIN was the teacher

-Tingley Vindicator, Thursday, January 23, 1941

Kindergarden Class, Eighme School No. 9
Left to Right: Roger MORRISON, teacher Velma HEATON, Roger Delmer SHAWAL

RURAL SCHOOL HOUSES ARE SOLD

Three country schoolhouses, located on the pavement near Tingley sold at auction Monday afternoon. Cozy Corner No. 3 was sold to Fred BIRD; Bridge Academy No. 4, one mile west of Tingley, was bought by the V.F.W. of Mount Ayr for $625, and the Eighme school house was bought by Herb BASTOW for $665.

-Diagonal Reporter, Thursday, October 25, 1951

The Eighme, Tingley School No. 9, still stands on the west side of Highway 169, approximately eight miles north of Mount Ayr. I wasn't sure what kind of condition the school was on the inside. I waded through shoulder-high weeds, stuck my camera through the small opening, seeing nothing but darkness and a window. I aimed the camera toward the window and took a shot, hoping that the flash would illuminate what was inside. The above right photograph revealed that the wainscoating was still intact, as were the windows.