The Van Ness District was organized about in 1840, as we read Nathan Boynton’s biography that his wife taught the first school in the township. The building was temporarily constructed of boards; was located in the NW ¼ of Section5, and she had only fourteen pupils at that time. The following nine people were taught by Mrs. H. Boynton: Emily, Caroline, Charles and Clarissa Daily; Sara, Colista and Senith Boynton, Julia and Leahman Coates.

Also, the late Mrs. (Josephine VanNess) Pheiffer went to this school. The ground where the first building stood, on which the present building stands, is a portion of the Harman farm. This schoolhouse served its purpose until 1869. It was getting so old, that the children would often watch the lizards that would come up through the cracks of the floor. Also, the wolves would sometimes follow the children to school, they were curious what the children might have for them to seat. At school if they came to close by the door the teacher would take the hot poker and tough their noses, that they did not like, so they would leave in a hurry. They leisurely followed the Indian trail, the children’s path into this dense forest.

According to Mrs. Pheiffer’s register, the following teachers taught when she went to the old school:

Mr. Fallass’ term was finished in the spring of 1868, the hold schoolhouse was moved across the road on the VanNess farm where it was used for a buggy shed. The new building was constructed immediately and sufficiently completed so that Jennie Davenport could start the summer term in June, 1868. Mr. H. Fallass followed the winter term in the new school in 1869.
The following are the list of children who went to the old school when Mrs. Pheiffer did. When Josephine VanNess finished her schooling, at the age of 15, she qualified to teach. She also tutored her own children and Mrs. Dr. Haralson, her daughter, could read the primary reader at the age of 3 years. The following children were her schoolmates.

The four that went to the new school in the earlier day, were Mrs. Cynthia (Mulholland) Brown, Mrs. (Harmon) Lee, Mr. Henry Goodhouse and Mr. Ernest Albright.

Several generations of the Daily family and Boynton family went to the VanNess Schools.
The school is the same building, it has a foundation built years ago. In 1947, this school was voted into the Byron Community School unit. After which the building held only kindergarten to the 3^rd grade.