09/10/2026
UPDATE: It appears that there were indeed two schools in Cass County with similar names. We appreciate the clarification provided by both Dan Lacy and Alvin Poisal for their help.
The photo of the school is of the Zion School. "Zion School was located in Township 44, Range 32, on the eastern portion of Section 30. In the earlier numbering system Zion was known as District #2. The last year students attended the Zion was the 1945-46 school year. The children then attended Freeman School. Students in this area today attend Midway Cass R-1 School as Freeman was annexed June 11, 1957.
Betty Jean Weller Hocker attended Zion 1937-45. She began attending Zion when she was five years old. Hocker took the eighth grade exams and then graduated from Harrisonville High School. She recalled that as a senior in high school, a board member came and asked if she would be interested in a job as a teacher at Oak Grove. She went to summer school and passed the county teacher's examination and taught that fall. Hocker had to complete nineteen hours of college credit in order be eligible to teach.
There was a shortage of teacher as the men were involved in war and many women worked in industry. Her mother had attended Zion, and she had heard stories about the building of a new school. She did not know what year this was done, but she recalled that Frank Duncan took two teams and wagons to get the lumber at Garden City for the new building. The old school house was moved to the Stark farm and was used as a corn crib."
Rural Schools of Cass County, Missouri Vol. 3, pg 88
"Mt. Zion School was located in Township 44 Range 31 central southern boundary of Section 2 just southeast of Harrisonville. Mt. Zion was known as District #6 in the earlier numbering system. The last year for students was the 1966-67 school year. Mt. Zion district is now included in the Harrisonville Cass R-IX district.
Alvin Poisal, student at Mt. Zion 1959-63, recalled his school days with fond memories. Mrs. Markley, teacher, noted Poisal had spelled Harrisonville incorrectly and said he could not go home until he could spell it correctly. At the time that caused him great concern as Harrisonville was a long word. On snowy days, Thomas Flint, teacher, spent the afternoon with the students sledding. That was really fun especially since the previous teacher would never engage in such activity. Poisal lived three and a half miles from school but always walked to and from school. One year the snow was really deep, and his dad took him on the tractor. Of course the tractor had no cab or heater, so it was really cold. School was never dismissed due to weather.
It was always an honor when the teacher let a student ring the bell to call the students to class or allowed a student to take the chalk erasers out and pound them to get the chalk dust out. One time the stove just did not warm the building up, so the class went across the road and took up class in a student's living room. Writing sentences on the board was a common means of discipline. The blackboard was an important tool for instruction as there were limited resources for paper and workbooks.
One year there were so many students that a second teacher was hired and just made do with the available space. Donald Stewart, County Superintendent, came once or twice a year to check on the school, teacher and instruction. The teacher would always be anxious that things went well at these visits. Mr. Stewart would always leave the students with a problem for them to work, and he would check with them on his next visit. Poisal's family moved one year, and he was concerned that he couldn't check his answer when the superintendent came again. There were few library books so the bookmobile was a big treat. Mrs. Markley, teacher, and Poisal had birthdays on the same day, and she would visit him on his birthday years after she was no longer his teacher."
Rural Schools of Cass County, Missouri Vol. VI pgs 72-73
Photo from the CCHS archives
Desks from the Mt. Zion School in the CCHS collection
Harrisonville Schools
