Ballard,  Bates County,  Missouri

High school came to Ballard in 1920.  The two year program was taught by one teacher, Helen Maxey.  Students met in a farm house owned by William Keirsey.  The next year Mrs. Roberta Clehouse taught.  Students asked to have a junior year added.

OldBallardHigh School, located on Highway 18
East of the Ballard Store

Plans for a new school building were drawn up and in the fall of 1922, classes were held in the new stone and concrete block building, located on the south side of Highway 18.  The building was not completely finished but school opened anyway.

The four year program was taught by Roberta Clehouse-Carter and Miss Gladys Rice, age 19, and still enrolled in college.

The main levels of the school were built of concrete block, cast to resemble dressed stone blocks.  Beads of concrete mortar are prominent between the blocks.

Upper part of school is composed ofconcrete blocks

Lower part of school is limestone.

Rock for the foundation and lower levels were quarried from the George Keirsey farm, northwest of Ballard.  The limestone rock was hauled in and broken up by hand.

Lumber was sawed on Grand River south of Creighton.

A well was drilled to provide water for the school.  Drillers hit water, but also hit natural gas.  This was the only school in Missouri to have gas and water out of the same well.

Source:  History of Ballard