"The first school classes in Westside were taught in a carpenter shop in 1873. Miss Mattie Snodgrass was the teacher during the winter term of this school year. The next year the district built a one-story frame building, 24x36 feet, and later an addition of 16 feet was built onto this building. There were approximately 40 or 50 students enrolled. Mr. Freeman Knowles was the teacher in 1875. A new shcool was built in 1880. Mr. Freeman Knowles undoubtedly built it, for he had the contract to build a schoolhouse in Westside for the cost of $1,300.

The Independent School District was organized in 1881 with the following board of directors: president, L. Schofield; directores, I. B. Nelson, S. T. Boynton, Carl Wiedling, R. Wagner, and R. B. Taylor; Freeman Knowles, secretary; and Henry Evers, treasurer.

The surrounding rural schools also became a part of the larger school district. These country schools were centers of social and intellectual activity. The History of Crawford County states that "Spelling schools, lyceums, or literary societies, debates and exhibitions occupied many of the winter evenings."

For many years the school administrator was referred to as the principal. The administrators who served the district over the years were George Worcester, 1879-1881; T. C. Branson, 1882-1884; A.V. Storm, 1885-1886; J. L. Rose, 1886-1890; W. L. Heart, 1890-1893; A. C. Chapman, 1893-1895; Brones, 1895-1896; B. G. Hess, 1896-1899; F. L. Hoffman, 1899-1903; Edgar D. Lewis, 1904-1905; R. D. Barr, 1905-1909; O. O. Vognitz, 1909-1915; C. C. Rundall, 1915-1930; and C. O. Waldron, 1930-1956. Russell Pontius, the superintendent beginning in 1956, carried on into the Ar-We-Va Community School District after its formation.

In 1889, the first class graduated from high school in Westside. The six members of the class were John H. Fellingham, Charles T. Ohnsman, LoNette Powell Glasscock, Clara Harris Dean, Lilli Fowler Russel, and Emma Evers Reinking. After graduation, LoNette Powell taught school in Jackson Township No. 7 north of Westside. Miss Charlotte Anderson, a member of the second graduating class, was a lifelong resident of Westside and taught in the district for 50 years."