Nestled three miles west of Anderson, Missouri, the historic New Bethel School offers visitors a unique glimpse into the rural educational experience of the early 20th century. Constructed in 1915 as a two room stone schoolhouse, it replaced an earlier wooden frame structure and became one of the approximately 70 rural schools that dotted McDonald County. Today, thanks to the passionate efforts of the New Bethel School Preservation Association, it stands as a beautifully restored building and a center for historical learning and community gathering.
A Legacy Built from Stone
The origins of New Bethel School are rooted in the dedication of the farming community. When the time came to construct the new building, local farmers, including Floyd and Minnie Croddy, contributed to the effort by hauling stones from their properties. The Croddy family was particularly involved, with Floyd— who was also a skilled well driller—drilling the school’s well, a lifeline for students and teachers. This hands-on construction approach was typical of the era, reflecting the spirit of community and self-reliance that defined these early rural schools.
Operating from 1915 until spring 1948, New Bethel served as a cornerstone of education in the area until the nationwide trend toward school consolidation led to its closure. During its years in operation, the school was central to the lives of local children, as noted by former student Ethel Marinelli, who shared invaluable insights and old class photographs. Judy Chandler Wolfe, another alumna, even provided a grade card from her first grade, confirming the school’s final academic year of 1947-1948.
Restoration of a Historic Landmark
In 2011, Karen Almeter, a retired teacher with a passion for history, and her husband undertook the challenge of restoring the neglected schoolhouse. After purchasing it from Fred Hall, they began clearing away decades of vines, debris and water damage. Half of the windows required complete replacement due to severe wood deterioration, although much of the original glass remained intact and was reused wherever possible.The original Douglas fir tongue-and-groove flooring needed significant repair. Water and termite damage had affected certain areas, but the new wood was a near-perfect match to the original, blending seamlessly with the remaining floor.
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Restoring the hand-pump well was perhaps one of the most complex projects. Almeter was fortunate to find a well driller who was experienced with early 20th-century hand-pump systems. The team replaced pipes, sucker rods and the cylinder, maintaining the original pump head that still functioned. At an impressive depth of 160 feet, the well was once again operational, ensuring the school could be used as authentically as possible without modern plumbing.
Every aspect of the restoration was handled with an eye toward authenticity, from the antique-style flooring to the reproduction of the original hinged partition doors that separated the two classrooms. The efforts paid off, however, as the schoolhouse now shines with historical charm. In January 2020, they installed a wood-burning stove, staying true to the building’s early days when coal and wood provided its only heat source.
Preserving and Celebrating a Bygone Era
With the restoration complete, New Bethel School is now classroom ready, outfitted with vintage students’ desks, a teacher’s desk, chalkboard with an original tray and even a piano. The north room features a period kitchen setup, including an early 20th-century wood-burning cook stove, icebox and iron sink, providing visitors with an immersive experience of rural life from 100 years ago.In keeping with its historic roots, the school operates without modern conveniences such as plumbing, running water or electric lights. Visitors have the opportunity to experience the charm of an old-fashioned water pump and outhouse, both of which bring them even closer to the authenticity of early 1900s rural education.
Events and Community Engagement at New Bethel
Today, the New Bethel School Preservation Association offers a full calendar of events to engage and educate the community. In its eighth year, the annual Heritage Festival held each May is a highlight, featuring demonstrations of traditional skills like blacksmithing, pottery, rope-making, Dutch oven cooking and wood lathe work. Attendees are treated to sights and sounds of a bygone era, from washtub laundry to spinning and weaving demonstrations. This festival exemplifies the Association’s mission to “preserve and teach the old ways,” allowing children and adults to experience life as it was from the early 1910s to 1940s for Missourians. Each February, Historic School Day is held specifically for homeschooled children, immersing them in a day of authentic 1920s schooling. Arriving at 9 a.m., students walk half a mile to the school, pump water and bring in firewood, mimicking the routines of past generations. Throughout the day, they participate in lessons drawn from century-old textbooks and enjoy activities like letter writing with fountain pens and singing to live fiddle music. After a full day of immersive learning, the children leave with a newfound appreciation for their forebears’ resilience and resourcefulness.
Educational Workshops and Community Involvement
The preservation association doesn’t stop with seasonal events; it also offers hands-on workshops aimed at teaching valuable self-sufficiency skills, including sewing, canning and knitting. Karen, with the help of some homeschool families, raised a community garden on the grounds for three seasons, encouraging others to embrace home gardening as a means of sustainable living.
A monthly meeting of the McDonald County Ladies Homestead Gathering and a homeschool group further strengthen New Bethel’s role as a community hub, with children learning crafts such as corn milling, rope making and sewing on a treadle machine; the ladies met there for three years until they needed a larger venue. In 2022, the homeschool group planted two apple trees on the property, an addition that promises to contribute to the site’s educational offerings for years to come. The group’s October meeting theme was “Little House on the Prairie,” and children engaged in activities reminiscent of pioneer life, such as making cornhusk dolls and woodworking with antique tools.
Looking Forward: Expanding the Mission
For Karen Almeter, preserving New Bethel School is about more than maintaining a building; it’s about connecting people with the past in a way that encourages practical skills and a greater sense of community.
As the site continues to grow, she envisions adding more workshops and expanding the school’s offerings to include topics like gardening, bread baking and soap making. Karen hopes visitors leave with historical knowledge and practical skills that encourage self-sufficiency. “I hope they gain an appreciation for the skills and way of life of the past,” she says, “and perhaps learn some skills that will help them to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on commercial goods and servi