No system for keeping records existed previous to 1859. In 1865 the first school was built. The earliest schools were built of unhewn logs with board seats against the wall on three sides. The fourth wall had a fireplace and woodpile. As soon as there was a settlement of a few families in the neighborhood a schoolhouse was built. In 1858, a county superintendent was elected, who kept school statistics and records. In 1858, there were about 1,015 students in the county.
In 1857, the Constitution provided for a State Board of Education. The first teacher's institute was held at the courthouse in Independence in 1858. The first school in Perry Township was a log building in 1853. In 1861, Perry had one school and forty-five pupils. Most of the early schools in the county were supported by contributions of the people. Records and papers show that in 1865, a two-story frame structure was located across the street from the current one.
In 1870, a schoolhouse was built for $6,000 north of the old water tower. Grade one through twelve attended with three teachers. In 1888, there were 188 pupils taught by three teachers. The subjects taught in the 1900's were physics, algebra, economics, physical geography, music, rhetoric, civil government, and penmanship. No diplomas were issued before 1887, and only three graduated in 1887.
In 1916, the tuition for a non-residential student was $2.00 a month in grade school and $3.50 a month for high school. There were 8½ acres of school ground with 370 enrolled and 15 teachers. Until the new schoolhouse could be built, grades three through eight were taught in a temporary framed building covered with tarpaper, called “The Old Shack”. .A new building two-story building was constructed in 1916 for grades one through eight. In 1917, the three-story brick schoolhouse, 98x160 was finished with a value of $104,000.
In 1920, a basketball coach was hired. A school band was organized in 1926 and has been functioning since. The county basketball championship has been claimed many times. In 1936 a blizzard closed school for six weeks. In 1937 the high school basketball team went undefeated. In 1921, 1936,1947, and 1953 the basketball team won the county tournament. The Conference trophy was won in 1949, 1950, and 1951. .In 1951, 1955, and 1959 three Jesup Community School additions were built. During 1959-60 there were 483 enrolled in grade school, 236 in high school, with 33 teachers. Enrollment and other stats have increased through the years.
In 1967 the Jesup School added the high school addition. In 1969 the pool was built. In 2004, a new elementary school was built west of the current school. The 1917 Community School building was torn down to make way for a community school building. The new community school building was built in 2005, in place of the two story brick building.
