(Near Sparta, MO) -- Many of us have fond memories of the place where we went to school. But few of us have stories to share like those who went to those old one-room school houses.

You can still see a few of the structures scattered in the woods around the Ozarks.

There's a new effort to save one such place, The Monger School out near Sparta. And a student who went there is giving us a glimpse at days gone by, in this week's Oliver's Ozarks report.

We first met Jeweldene Bateman of Springfield two years ago when she was rooting for American Idol contestant Taylor Hicks.

"I like how he does the Jitterbug. I did that when I was young," Jeweldene Bateman said at the time.

Today, the spunky 92-year-old is championing a new cause, to save her old school.

"Well, it could be fixed up," says Bateman

Jeweldene and her siblings went to the old Monger School near Sparta in Christian County.

"I'd have to walk, about half a mile, up and down the hills," says Bateman.

The school opened in 1882 and served generations of families in the area. At first, Jeweldene wasn't too fond of hitting the books.

"When I'd see my dad going home for lunch, I'd run out the door before the teacher could get me," says Bateman.

"I think it's important to preserve the one-room school houses because there are so few left in the country right now," says Debi Murphy, Bateman's daughter.

Debi is part of the driving force to save the old school. It's showing some serious signs of age these days and some fear that it may not be around too much longer.

"The main thing is to get the foundation stabilized. It's just amazing all these years that it's withstood the storms," says Murphy.
 
That's why Jeweldene's family is working to establish a non-profit organization to raise money and bring the building back to life. It's an effort to preserve the memories of those who made them at Mongor.

"I just hate to see that go away. It's something that's pretty special," says Murphy.

"If you get it fixed up, you could have weddings here and everything," adds Bateman.

Those behind the effort to restore the school are trying to organize some fundraisers this summer to include things like a picnic and country jam sessions at the school.