In 1900, there were over 200,000 one-room schools in the nation; by 1981 only
1000 were still in use.
The District 66 school, also known as Fairview, was one of these schools. The
school was originally located 6 miles southwest of Aurora. Fairview was one
of 99 districts in Hamilton County.
The first notice to form District 66 school district was published on March
23, 1874. At that time, there were 10 school age children in the district and
by 1881 there were over 60 children in the district. The school closed in 1954.
Schools like Fairview did not have the conveniences that many of us take for
granted. For example the heating system was a stove, like the one seen in the
photo. A favorite item to many of our visitors is the ceramic water cooler with
a tin cup shared by the students. The furnishings in the school are the original
furnishings and give an authentic glimpse into school days gone by.
The school was dedicated at the Plainsman in October of 1981, as part of the
Country School Legacy Program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The school is open to visitors from April to October. Specialized programs utilizing the schoolhouse are available with advanced notice.