by Mrs. Emmitt Humble
Dated from L. D. Burns and Enola Burns, May 16, 1893, to the trustees of the district No. 20, and in the
consideration
of five dollars in hand containting one half acre to be the same more or less.
It is located half-way between Kentontown and Piqua on the Thomas turnpike.
Some of the lumber to build the school house was donated from the woods of L. D. Burns.
It was named Thomas after William Thomas, who had a very large family that lived near by.
Some of the teachers who taught there are:
Mr. John Sims, Miss Emma Swarts, Mrs. Joe Wells (Minnie Fooks), Mis Mary Phillips, Mrs. Thomas Taylor
(Florence Wells)
Mrs. Sam Throckmorton(Lina Neal), John Burns, Joe Mullikin, Mrs. William Moses(Anna Craycraft), Mace Coy,
Albert Wood,
Mrs. Odas Bradley(Mae Fooks), Mrs. Chan Thompson(Bessie Moore), Mrs. Melvin Barnett(Nettie Moore),
Mrs. Raymond Linville(Nora Trooper),Thelma Williams, Mrs. Marshall Zimmerman(Marshall Fowler), Elizabeth
Berry,
Leota and Emma Lou Colyer, Virgil and William Fryman, Claud Adkins, Gladys Shepherd,
Mrs. Russell Brumagen(Carrie Shepherd), Mrs. Alton Mitchell(Elizabeth Wells), and Miss Nellie Lundrigan.
Mrs. Nellie McConnell (Nellie Bradley) told me of an important event that happened when she was going to
Thomas School.
Mr. Albert Wood was the teacher, There was going to be a wedding at the home of Joseph Mastin,
Mr. Wood dismissed school at noon and he and all the school group, approximatelyforty students,
walked a distance of 1 1/4 miles to this home to see the wedding.
This was Joseph Mastin's daughter, Grace Mastin who married Charles Neal.
They were married by a Methodist minister by the name of Allan.
The children had never seen a wedding and they called it the thrill of a life time.
From the ones that have attented Thomas School. I can recall four ministers of the Church of Christ,
namely; Emery McConnell (deceased), Aubra McConnell, Lucian Taylor Robinson Jr. and Barry Barnett.
We have had several nurses, elementary school teachers, Home Economics majors, and many have served in the
armed forces.
One, George William Thompson, gave his life for his country.
The Thomas School was discontinued and was sold to Sidney Fooks April 15, 1955.
After Sidney's death it was sold to John T. White, who converted it into a dwelling,
and is now occupied by Earl Johnson and family.
In July 1971 the Robertson Co. Review printed four special editions of the paper for the Mt. Olivet
Centennial.
this picture and information come from~ Issue #4 headline:"Why the Name Deming High School".
Articles on: History of Robertson Co., Schools, area churches, local Civil War soldiers, Doctors, and ect.