Schools served as a focal point of activities for rural areas, and many Ouachita Mountains communities had at least a one-room school by the turn of the twentieth century. Early on, settlers often held school in local houses of worship. Education was a local responsibility, and meager funding levels persisted well into the twentieth century.

The school at Buckville was the area’s largest and usually included first through eighth grades. At times though, classes were held for upperclassmen. This meant that most Buckville students graduated from high school at either Hot Springs or Mount Ida. Among the teachers remembered to have taught at Buckville include Ina Austin, Junius Austin, Darrell Baker, J.R. Barnes, Fannie Beam, J.M. Blakely, Alva Shaw Bradley, Ethel Bradley, Ludie Bradley, Bill Brown, Mr. Burgess, Tom Burton, Ebbie Chitwood, M.V. Cobb, Julie Coleman, Bernice Harper, Florence Harper, Lucille Simpson Housley, Rosie Housley, John McConnell, Sam McConnell, Robert Melton, Mearl Meredith, Ina Miller, Wallace Miller, C.C. Montgomery, Katie Neal, Mr. Pearson, Will Pittman, Jim Pitts, Pauline Brown Pitts, Grady Qualls, Alpha Rowland, Flora Scrimshire, Custer Smith, W.T Smith, Tom Sullivan, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Westfall, Ruby Talley Wilson, and Henry Young.

Buckville School, circa 1906

Back row, left to right: Ada Bradley, Martha Boyd, Clara Trantham, Mattie Williamson, Forrester Hatmaker, Jim Shuffield, Jim Thompson, Earl Sexton, Will Pittman, Ross Williamson. Third row: Alice Bradley, Tiney Bradley, Annie Sexton, Carrie Shuffield, J.M. Blakely (teacher), Big Jeff Bradley, Earl Talley, Lewis Thompson, Elmer Mahaffey. Second row: Ludie Bradley, Bessie Shuffield, Lula Blakely, Willie Smith, Henry Young, Jim Pittman, Ernest Talley, Joe Bradley, Arthur Blakely. Front row: Ethel Bradley, Lela Blakely, Mamie Shuffield, Elster Blakely, John Shuffield, Freeman Pool, Jim Talley, Vell Shaw, Roy Pool

Buckville School, circa 1908

Back row, left to right: Tiny Bradley, Effie Howell, Effie Pittman, Ada Bradley, Avis Housley, Big Jeff Bradley, Ethero Ault, Lewis Thompson, Joe Bradley, Charlie Miller, Howard Beard. Next row: Josie —-, Clara Pittman, Ludie Bradley, Bessie Shuffield, Lee Ault, Coyl Ault, Henry Young, Ernest Talley, Burley Sexton. In between rows: Will Pittman (teacher), Emma Reid Scruggs, Lula Ryan, Ethel Bradley, Mamie Shuffield. Behind front row: Mary Howell, Annie Pittman, —-, Delphie Robbins, John Shuffield, Freeman Pool, Roy Pool, Jim Talley, —-, Willie Sharp, Frank Scruggs, Cleve Williamson, —-, Kelly Sexton, Joe Williamson, —-, —-. Front row: Ruby Talley, Bennie Talley, Estelle Howell, Vela Pittman, Mildred Hatmaker, Hattie Mae Shuffield, Lida Talley, Ollie Thompson, Eva Pool, Vera Pool, Mack Williamson, —-, Dave Bradley, Vander Bradley, Martin Pool, Clyde Sexton, —-, Norvel Williamson

Buckville School, circa 1909

Back row, left to right: Pearl Spiva, Emma Reid Scruggs, Wood Howell, Velle Shaw, Carl Miller, Dret Hill, Henry Hicks, Earl Crawford, — Murders. Second row down: Mamie Shuffield, Ethel Bradley, Zoe Webb, Ludie Bradley, Joe Bradley, Clarence Turner, Jim Talley, Joe Williamson, Frank Williamson. Third row: Flora Scrimshire (teacher), George Murders, Willie Sharp, Freeman Pool (behind), R.D. Scruggs, Jurdy Hicks, Henry Young, Cleo Williamson (eyes), Odas Ryan, Jule Parson, John Lynch, Wallace Miller (teacher). Third row: Eva Pool, Hattie Shuffield, Vera Pool, Ruby Talley, Ollie Thompson (behind), Ruth Talley (next to Ollie), Mary Howell, Ola Miller, Ernest Hall (behind), Mildred Hatmaker, Roy Pool, Parthenia Hicks, Mervin Bradley, Jodie Miller, Lida Talley. Row beginning in front of Ollie Thompson: Pearl Shaw, Virgie Shaw, Ida Pool, Thela Hall, Lena Hall, Estelle Howell, —-, Marion Williamson, —-, —-. Front row: Dempsey Sharp, Dewey Sharp, John Shuffield, Mack Williamson, Ernest Shaw, —-, Jim Hatmaker, Norvel Williamson, Marcus Shuffield, Dave Bradley, Vander Bradley, Frank Scruggs, Paul Talley

Buckville School, circa 1911

Front, left to right: Ruby Talley, Ida Pool, Virgie Shaw, Hattie Mae Shuffield, Estelle Howell, Allie Thompson, Mary Howell, Vera Pool, Eula Shaw, Eva Pool, —, Marian Williamson, Pearl Shaw, Sadie Hall, Lola Sexton, Jewel Sexton, Cecil Talley, —, —, Waldo Pool, Jeff Bradley, John Joe Shaw, Julie Coleman (teacher). Row of boys beginning behind Sadie Hall: Dave Bradley, Mack Williamson, Vander Bradley, Carl Blakely, Ellie Johnson, —, —, Martin Pool, —, —, Jim Hatmaker, —. Second row: Jim Blakely (teacher), —, —, —, —, Henry Young, —, Joe Bradley, Mamie Shuffield, Mary Beard, Emma Scruggs, Mildred Hatmaker, Ruth Talley, Ethel Bradley, Lela Blakely, Kelly Sexton, Roy Pool, Joe Williamson, Jim Talley, Frank Scruggs, Carroll Beard, Frank Housley

Buckville School, circa 1913

Front row, left to right: Virgie Shaw, John Joe Shaw, Waldo Pool, Jeff Bradley, Raymond Thompson, Ollie Thompson, —- Blakely, Sadie Hall, Vernon Blakely. Second row: Eula Shaw, Pearl Shaw, Ida Pool, Eva Pool, Mildred Hatmaker, Lela Blakely, Vera Pool, Martin Pool. Back row: Elster Blakely, Mrs. Fannie Brown (behind), Velle Shaw

Buckville School, circa 1921

Front, left to right: —Ryan, Rex Mahaffey, —, Harley Bradley, Harvey Bradley, Lester Hollowoa, Eugene Bradley, J.D. Mahaffey, Ervin Hicks, —, Wilbert Williamson, Vell Hall, Mason Williamson, Tolbert Housley, Russell Chitwood. Second row: Laura Williamson, Etta Sword, Virdie Reynolds, —, —, Dorothy Lena Johnson, —Sword, —Reynolds, Helen Howell, Ruby Nichols, Elizabeth Sexton, Jewell Hicks, Lucille Pool. Girls on laps of older girls: —, Oldean Housley, Lola Hollowoa, —, Louise Parson, Evelyn Hall, Edna Earl Chitwood, Ruby Pitts. Middle row: Jennie Beard, Bonnie Mahaffey, Rosie Housley, Eula Shaw, Ollie Thompson, Alva Williamson, Ruby Talley, Virgie Shaw, Willie McElrath, Marian Williamson, Sadie Hall, Martha Sexton, Gertrude Bradley, Geneva Chapmond, Jewell Sexton, Pauline Miller. Fourth row: Paul Talley, Jeff Bradley, Elza Housley, Albert Murders, Jim Hatmaker, Martin Pool, Albert Bradley, Marcus Shuffield, John Joe Shaw, Waldo Pool, Allen Bill Housley, Marion Hatmaker, Henry Williamson, —, —, Dick Williamson, Owen Miller, Homer Hatmaker, Everett Hatmaker, Clarence Sexton, Willie Johnson, Sherman Sword, Alva Shaw, Wilma Williamson, Dora Lena Shaw, Lola Sexton, Dollie Chitwood, Hazel Mahaffey. Back row: Ralph Hall, Ellie Johnson, Wallace Miller (teacher), Jim Pitts (teacher), Ernest Jordan, Cecil Talley, Floyd Halsell, Mervin Bradley, —Young

Buckville graduates, 1921-22

Front row, left to right: John Joe Shaw, Eula Shaw, Marian Williamson, Virgie Shaw. Middle: Jim Hatmaker, Rosie Housley, Ollie Thompson, Ruby Talley. Back: Martin Pool, Elza Housley, Paul Talley, Albert Bradley

Buckville School, circa 1927

Front row, left to right: Maudine Johnson, Kathleen Bradley, Lucille Pool, Pauline Shuffield, Vera Pool, Chester Jennings, Riley Sexton, Albert Jennings, Grady Pitts, Ernest Jennings, Dick Pennington, Lewis Bradley, Don Sexton, Emogene Trammel. Second row: Lillian Williamson, Inez Pitts, Therman Pitts, Dick Williamson, Harley Bradley, Fred Wilson, Joe Robert Mahaffey, Lola Hollowoa, Velma Sexton, Mathie Wilson, Pearl Hazel Talley, Ruby Pitts, Marie Williamson, Alajean Bradley, Elaine Bradley. Third row: Ermer Bradley, Bill Jennings, Vell Hall, Eugene Bradley, Johnny Evans, Skeet Wilson, Jesse Meredith, Lester Hollowoa. Back row: Allene Bradley, Gene Parson, Harvey Bradley, Evelyn Hall, Louise Parson, Margaret Trammel, Laura Williamson, Jim Pitts (teacher), Ruth Pennington, Helen Howell, Oldean Housley

Buckville School seniors, circa 1930

Standing, left to right: Jake Loyd, Orville Sharp, Tolbert Housley, Silas Sharp, Margaret Trammel, Hazel McRee, Hazel Bradley, Laura Williamson, Cecil Loyd, Velma Loyd, Louise Parson, Charles McClelland. Seated: Manuel Bradley, Frances Thompson, Junius Austin (teacher)

Buckville Girls’ Basketball Team, circa early 1930s

Left to right: Lola Hollowoa, Laura Williamson, Hazel Bradley, Louise Parson, Velma Loyd, Hazel McRee, Frances Thompson, Oldean Housley. In front is Junius Austin (teacher/coach)

Buckville Girls’ Basketball Team, 1937-38

Madalina Pool, Alajean Bradley, Ruby Pool, Jessie Bradley, Elaine Robbins, Rosalind Johnson, Rosemary Wilson, Orlene Pitts. Note school building in background.

Buckville School, circa 1940

Front: Janelle Chitwood, Verdell Buttrum, Pauline Brown Pitts (teacher). Second row: Tommie Jean Digby, June Wilson, —-, Sue Chitwood. Third row: Bradley Johnson, Grady Pitts, Chrissie Bradley, —-, LaVaughn Bradley, —-. Back: LaNell Hall, Imogene Benson, Mervan Benson, Mearl Hollowoa, —-, —-

Buckville School, circa 1941

Front row: Chrissie Bradley, LaNell Hall, Bradley Johnson, —- (boy behind), Grady Pitts, Ida Doris Chitwood, C.C. Montgomery (teacher). Middle: —-, Emogene Benson, Mervan Benson, Junius Pitts, A.L. Johnson Jr., Arlene Pitts, Bobby Nichols, —-, DaVern Bradley. Back row: Pauline —, Jo Lavern Chitwood, —- Tabor, —- Tabor, Glen Comstock