
JERRY PRYOR DONATION
Central School, Carterville’s high school, was the pride of the town when it was new in 1904. This image is on a linen postcard.
Old News
of the Webb City Public Library
Carterville school system took a big step with construction of Central School 118 years ago
- Webb City Area Genealogical Society
- January 3, 2023
Thanks to Jerry Pryor and Julie Riley, we have a collection of Carterville school photos to share.
The brick Central School building was constructed in Carterville in 1904 after the old wooden frame school house was deemed inadequate.
Elmer Boyd, a Carterville contractor, was in charge of the construction, which cost about $26,000. It was one of the best equipped schools in Jasper County at this time. The new school was ready for students on Jan. 9, 1905. It contained 12 classrooms, a library, superintendent’s office and an auditorium that seated nearly 650 people. The bathrooms were located outside of the school, as was a water shed for drinking water. In later years, gas heat, electric lights and water fountains were installed and restroom facilities were added in the basement.

This postcard shows views of the high school, junior high and gym. (Jerry Pryor)

In 1923, bricks from the abandoned North Heights and Johnstown schools were used to construct a new gymnasium located east of the Central building.
A new junior high school building was built between the gymnasium and the Central school in the 1920s. These buildings were torn down in 1963 to make way for a new school.
In 1968 the Carterville School District consolidated with Webb City to form the Webb City R-7 School District. The old Central school building was razed in 1971 to make way for a new kitchen and lunchroom addition for the 1963 school building.

1909 Carterville Room 6 – Jerry Pryor’s mother, Marguerite Robb, is in the fifth row back, third from the left. Hugh Hatcher’s father, Era Hatcher, is in the second row, fourth from the left. On the front row, fourth from the left, is “Dink” Garner, who was well known in Carterville for many years.
