ARKANSAS — Fifty-three members and guests of the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society from six Arkansas counties met Oct. 3 at the old Wiseman Red School House for the society’s quarterly fall membership meeting.
The business meeting concluded with the election and installation of officers for 2011, which included president Roger Harvell, vice president Rich Fischer, secretary Jennifer Grimes, treasurer Margaret Banning and member-at-large W.J. “Bud” Cooper. The installation service was conducted by Mildred Cheatham, immediate past president. Mildred and her late husband, Charles, both served terms as president of the society.
Lifelong resident and society member Betty Burns Brunson presented the program, detailing the history of the Wiseman area. Her research outlined the settlement of the Wiseman community from the first homestead settlement in 1844 to the closing of the final general store in 1984 and the consolidation of the local schools into the Rural Special District No. 1 in 1930. The “little red school house” closed its doors in 1950 when students were bussed to Violet Hill.
Visitors enjoyed a tour of the three-room school house.
The society invites everyone interested in genealogy and/or history of the Izard County area to join.
Annual membership dues are $20 per year, or $200 for life membership, and includes copies of the quarterly The Izard County Historian.