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Similar to so many other sections of the State and Country, St. Francois County took an early interest in the establishment of private schools. No provision had been made for the building of public schools as we know them today, hence private schools supplied what education was taught in the early days. It was customary for these early institutions to be affiliated with some religious denomination or organization. These private schools taught children from the earliest years through what was then called a college education. The curriculum usually included subjects of a classical nature with a great amount of foreign language.

The first knowledge of a private school in St. Francois County was in or near the year of 1805 when Sarah Barton Murphy, early pioneer in this county, conducted a sort of "day school" in her private home. Here were taught the three R's, Bible stories, etc. This school was located in "Murphy's Settlement," now Farmington, opposite the old Carter Spring.

The Carleton College, founded by Eliza A. Carleton in April, 1854, was begun in a small log structure in the country eight miles north of Farmington. In 1859 it became known as the Carleton Institute and was incorporated by the General Assembly of Missouri. In 1878 it was moved to Farmington where Miss Carleton had purchased 16 acres of land and a splendid four story brick building containing about thirty rooms had been constructed for conducting classes. After the erection of the Henry Annex, in honor of Henry Carleton, the school contained a chapel, library, museum and laboratory. In 1915 a new building was constructed at a cost of $36,000 which was financed by subscription. For a period of over thirty-five years this institution was a vital factor in the educational life of not only St. Francois County but Southeast Missouri as well. In 1915 Miss Carleton died and soon after the college was closed. Since this time the Carleton buildings have been used for various purposes including a school for ex-servicemen, a hospital, the County Court House, and as high school. Recently the old building was torn down by CWA labor at which time numerous records were found in the cornerstone perfectly preserved.

Under the Baptists of the Franklin Association, a school was established in Farmington in 1886 in a building which had been erected in 1883 by J. S. Gashwiler, who conducted a school here for several years. E. F. Jennings was in charge of the Baptist school which usually had an enrollment of 75 or 100 students. The school was never considered very prosperous. Twice the school building burned and in about 1900 it was finally closed. It stood where the high school building is now located.

A private school called the Elmwood Academy was started in 1847 on the present site of the Orphanage in Farmington. It was begun as a school for the children of M. P. Cayce and others in the neighborhood. This school was considered the forerunner of the Elmwood Seminary and Presbyterian Normal School, which was opened on this same site in 1886 under the auspices of the Presbyteries of St. Louis and Potosi. In 1890 a new brick structure was completed at a cost of $20,000, all of which was contributed except $500. By the year 1908 the school was fully accredited with the State University. The course of study included English, Mathematics, Natural Science, Moral Science and Logic, Latin, Modern Languages, Music, Art, and a Normal Department. A list of the alumnae (feminine school) shows that over a period of twenty-three years there were a total of eighty-seven graduates. These students came from all parts of the country, as far away as Texas and California. In May 1914 Elmwood Seminary closed its doors and today the splendid four story building is used for the Presbyterian Orphanage.

Published by THE FARMINGTON PRESS, Farmington, St. Francois Co. MO, Fri. July 31, 1936.

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