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Welcome to the School House Suite

You can enjoy a unique lodging alternative while visiting the Lexington, Missouri area. Stay in the only “one” room rural school house in Lafayette County open for accommodation. It’s clean, quiet and unique.

Sleeping arrangements are dormitory style in the main classroom with three (3) twin beds and two aerobeds available for your visit. Rates include use of a kitchen stocked with coffee, tea, breakfast foods and snacks. Please let your hostess know if you have special dietary requirements.

Rate: $50 per person; ask about group rate specials.

* Sorry, no pets are permitted.

History of the Hicklin School

The Hicklin School, now known as the School House Suite, was built in 1914 by the Lafayette County Rural School Board. Renovations of the building, which included the addition of a full bathroom and kitchen, were completed in 2006 by the Hicklin family, who purchased the school in the 1950’s from the county.

The school is built on land purchased in 1876 for $50 from Young E. Hicklin (b.1842 d.1912). Young was the son of James Hicklin (b.1795 d.1875), one of Lexington’s first settlers; James bought the land on which the Hicklin School stands in 1825.

In 1877, the first Hicklin School was built at a cost of $379. This was a one room building, with four windows on each side and a door in the south end. The windows were painted in order to keep the students focused on their studies. In 1914, a “modern” school, using a plan developed by the Felt Architectural Firm, was erected on the site of the original school at a cost of $1,600. It actually had three rooms: a library, entry hall and the main classroom. The entry hall has now been divided to include a full bathroom.

Over the years, no changes were made to the second school, except for paint, the addition of a basement and upgrades to mechanical systems. Outside, the girl’s privy is still standing behind the building and a shelf for the teacher’s bell is to the right of the front door. Inside, the chalkboard, coat rack, woodwork, floors, windows, doors and built-in cupboards are all original.

The first teacher in 1914 was Bertha Sue Larkin, who returned in the 1950’s to teach again. The solitary teacher was responsible for teaching large classes of students of varying ages simultaneously. There were eight grades to be taught, so each class was a short fifteen or twenty minutes. Homework was always expected and included math, spelling and reading. Somehow the teacher met with everyone and reviewed the various subjects as required by state law.

In 1995, John (Jack) R. Hicklin, Jr. began exterior renovations. In June 1996, many former students enjoyed a reunion at the school. In 2004, the Hicklin School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and work on the interior began. Interior renovations were completed by Mr. Hicklin’s wife and daughter in 2006; Marcia Hicklin, your hostess, was awarded a DAR Historic Preservation Medal for her work on the school.

The School House Suite
19025 Dwarf Lake Rd.
Lexington, MO 64067
660-259-2565, School House Suite
678-637-3700, Reservations