About Barnwell School

The original Barnwell School was located one mile north of the Present school and was built in 1908. A picture of the original school hangs in our front hallway, courtesy of Glenna Caldwell. This was a one-room school with a large potbellied coal heater. It also served as the community center for about nine years. In 1911, the school was moved to the southeast corner of the present school yard. It was later moved to the north side of the school grounds and used for a horse barn.

The present brick building was opened in 1917 as a four-room, two-story building with a full basement. In 1927, the Coal City School was moved to Barnwell to take care of the student overflow. The building was later moved to Taber. In 1941, a two-room school was located at Barnwell for the primary grades. This is now the science lab. Another building that housed only grades two and three was built in 1942, used for twenty years and then moved to Taber and later became part of the Moose Hall. Before this addition was built, there was a belfry on the school with a rope that ran directly into the principal's office and the bell was rung to signal the beginning of school and any recess or lunch breaks. The bell now stands in front of the school.

The rear portion of the brick building was also built in 1942. The building that is now the shed on the northeast section of the school grounds was built in 1946 to accommodate overflow in the elementary grades and then was used as the industrial Arts shop.

The last phase of the building was constructed in 1955/56 and included the central portion of the school and the gymnasium. Many cosmetic changes have occurred to the school over the years and we are anxiously awaiting our renovations to restore some of the grandeur to the building.