The first schoolhouse in the Kunkle area was a wooden frame building erected about 1856 on the east side of County Road 17, one-half mile south of town. A brick structure was finished in October 1881 on or near the site of the frame school, which by 1911 was replaced by a two-story wooden frame building.
On March 20, 1911, the roof of the frame schoolhouse caught fire. The students evacuated the building, and most of the books and two organs were saved before the structure burned to the ground.
Classes were held in the Rogers buggy shop until the brick school shown in this photo opened for classes on December 16, 1912, at the northwest edge of town.
By 1919 a number of surrounding one-room schools were consolidated with Kunkle to become the Kunkle Rural School District; the existing north wing was added to the school in 1919-20 to accommodate the additional students.
About this time, Kunkle received a high school charter and awarded diplomas for more than 30 years. In 1956, the Kunkle schools were merged with the Bridgewater Township and Pioneer school districts to become the North Central School District.
The Kunkle school and grounds were sold at public auction on November 27, 1993, to Don Ackely of rural Alvordton for $43,000. This circa 1912 vintage image of the Kunkle school is from the Kevin Maynard collection.
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