The Small Community of Drynob Once Had A Church and School

As school starts, we are reminded of school days of yester-years.

The Oakland School, which was located near Drynob, provided education for many who attended there.

The first Oakland School was located close to the Thad Hall Farm.  It was a log building and was called Oakland because the Oakland Store was located near the school.  The log school was very crude.  There were no desks, just carved benches made out of logs.  Laura James Holmes, the Mother of Mrs. Edna Lewis, attended in the log building.  The log building was destroyed by fire and a frame building was erected.

In 1900 the last Oakland School was built in a different location and that school stood on the hill the rest of its days.

Oakland has had many teachers.  Some of them have been:  Andy Lewis, Mr. Mayberry, Ed Lee Wrinkle, Henry Detherage, Albert Hayes, Ada Porter, Mahala Titsworth, Edwin Pryor, Si Green, Ira Peterson, Louise Wright, Lois Wood, Edith Lambeth, Dennis Travis, Evelyn Weber, Mary Meeth, Clark Hooper, Paul Hooper, and Louise French.

Pie Suppers and Ciphering matches were an enjoyment of the students.  Also the last day of school was an important day.

Many times there were six or seven children from the same family attending school, so they took lunch in a big basket and all ate lunch together.

Some of the old directors were:  Thad Hall, John Holmes, Ed James, Press Johnson, John Wrinkle, and Jones Barnett.  Edna Lewis was clerk for many years and Ella Hall was the last District clerk.

Oakland School, District 51, is no more.  It joined with the Gasconade C-4 District in 1964 and stood on the hill, lonesome-like for several years, but has since been destroyed by fire.  The folks of Drynob were privileged to have had a house of worship many years ago.  In the 1880's a Moravian Church was organized at Drynob, a branch of the Moravian Church at Oakland, Mo.

A church was built shortly afterward and was called the Drynob Moravian Church.

Sunday School and Church was held there once a month.

The Weber and Eisenhart families were two of the main supporters of the church.  The Membership of the church became small and few remaining members decided to disband.

The church building was sold to Edgar James in 1913 and he used it as a general store.  In 1915 the building was destroyed by fire, being struck by lightening.

School Photo Caption:

Oakland School - 1919.  First Row:  Alvin Wrinkle, Tony King, Lucille Heafley Harrill, Lois Chambers Bohannon, Farmer James, Dean Johnson, Lawrence Barnett, and Glennis Hall.  Second Row:  Edna Barnett Coffman, Paul Weber, Forrest Johnson, Rufus Chambers, Ruby James Fulbright, Lewis Johnson, Frank Heafley, - Harrill, Truman Chambers, Charley Wrinkle, and Ralph Wrinkle.  Third Row:  Omer Vermillion, (teacher); Otis Johnson, Leon Casey Lathrop, Claude Massey, Velma Wrinkle Chambers, Elma Massey, Mabel Heafley, Edna Holmes Lewis, Pearl Wrinkle, Clarence Holmes, Nellie James, Carrie Heafley, Eula Chambers, Georgia James, and Florence Hall Dougan.

Church Photo Caption:

The Old Drynob Moravian Church met many years.  The Church disbanded in 1910 because of low membership.