The first schoolhouse in Dexter was built between 1807 and 1812 on the Upper Garland Road (near the later location of the old dump) by private citizens. It was 24' square of unpainted clapboard with a center chimney. It was moved east along the road in 1819 to a spot near the junction of Upper Garland Road and Carr Road.

Volney Sprague, a local lawyer, remembered that at first "the fires were run in a huge stone chimney and I recollect that the mantel-tree was a large pole on which the stones rested. This would sometimes take fire and Master Norcross would send a big boy out for a shovel full of snow to put it out. In the summer of 1822 this chimney was discarded and a stove adopted; but the funnel was not well secured and set the house on fire. What a commotion among the 60 odd scholars. Each one of us little shavers [he was five at the time] with our own property of cap, books and dinner pail, stood in the road and saw the large boys on the roof amidst fire and smoke, bravely tearing off boards and throwing snow."

Fellow student Maria Jennings also remembered that "we had Master Norcross for several winters. Susan and Catherine Morgan [who lived on the Charleston Road in the Northeast Section of town but came down along a cross road] were two of my schoolmates, nice girls and good scholars, but poorer even than we were, for we always had one pair of shoes in a year, and they came to school all one winter with no shoes, only socks made of old cloth.... Our school books were Webster's spelling book and the American Preceptor, English Reader, Columbian Orator, grammar and arithmetic."

About 1824 they were moving the building west again when it got stuck in a swamp, but they used it anyway. Volney Sprague says that the area was "most dense woods and thickly inhabited with mosquitos, and O, such big ones. With us scholars during the summer term it was a fight where the blood flowed freely, but it was our own, and at night what there was left of us crept home and recruited for the next day's fight."

In 1845 they finally got around to replacing the old school. The new one was built on land belonging to Horatio Carr, across the road from his house, a portion of Lot 14, Range 4, which he deeded to District # 2 on February 3, 1845. Dexter had thirteen separate locally run school districts until 1876 when a single town board took over management of them. The rural schools continued for many years, gradually closing as transportation improved and local populations declined.

Typically school was taught by single, often quite young, women who were boarded by nearby families and consisted of two ten week terms, one in the summer and one in the winter, thus allowing the students to help their families in the busy planting and harvesting seasons. Children began school as young as four and sometimes continued to come occasionally up to age eighteen or twenty.

Closed from 1919 to 1939, the Carr School then reopened since, at that time, more children lived closer to it than to the # 8 Russell School they had been attending. The desks from Russell and the teacher, Mrs. Helen Higgins, with her hand bell, were also moved to Carr. The building had been kept in good repair by area residents, who used it for social events, especially dances that were sponsored by the Pleasant Neighbors Club.

On February 22, 1911 "The neighbors of Barton District met with Cora M. Easley for the purpose of forming a Ladies Neighborhood Club. Elected Mrs. Hattie Pullen President, Gertrude Carr Vice President, Fronie Johnson Secretary and Treasurer. Appointed Blanche Stone, Minnie Johnson and Clara Meader as Social Committee. Voted to call the club the 'Pleasant Neighbors Club'. Voted to pay the sum of 1 cent each week for dues. Social Committee announced that each member have something to read on Current Events at the next meeting. Fronie (Carr) Johnson, Secretary." Other members in 1911 were Sara Barton, Laurel Thomas, Mary Bessey and Evelyn Bryant. The By-Laws begin with "No. 1. There is to be no criticism. No. 2. Sociability. No. 3. Home Culture."

This club ran for over forty years and was very important to the lives of all in the neighborhood. At meetings held in homes sometimes and sometimes at the school, the women worked on quilts to raffle off, recited humorous stories and poems, sang and served refreshments. They helped each other celebrate births and weddings, mourned at funerals and gave material assistance to those in need from illness, fires or other disasters. The men were involved too; at the dances, in repairing the school building, and sharing in the frequent communal meals at each other's houses. Children were, of course, included in all these activities.

During both world wars the women did Red Cross work, wrote letters and sent packages to neighborhood boys gone to be soldiers. In the later years they often visited with other clubs such as the Ladies Social Club from the Ridge and the Get-Together Club from West Garland.

In 1944 the building ceased to be used as a school and in 1953 the town deeded it to the Pleasant Neighbors Club. In 1983 the club deeded the building to the DAR and they gifted it to the Dexter Historical Society. In the late 1980s museum curator Richard Whitney led many adult and student volunteers in clean up and restoration efforts. Students also did an archaeological dig in the schoolyard.

In 1998 the society began a successful fundraising campaign which enabled them to move the building three miles to the downtown area and place it on a cement pad in September. The building was then reroofed with cedar shingles, new clapboards were put on and painted, the chimney was rebuilt and a handicap ramp was added. A new ceiling and the walls above the wainscoting were painted, the floor was refinished, and school desks and a woodstove were installed.

Finally, in September 2000 the official opening dedication ceremony was held as part of Dexter's Bicentennial Celebration. Despite a few raindrops over one hundred attendees enjoyed the remarks of the speakers, who included State Representative James Tobin, State Senator Paul Davis, Seth Bradstreet the State Director of the USDA which assisted the move with a grant under Rural Development. Society President Robert Crawford detailed his efforts on the project, including removing many years of animal deposits from the attic. Treasurer David Pearson gave thanks to long list of paid and volunteer workers on the project. After the ribbon-cutting by town manager Robert Simpson, Curator Richard Whitney rang the handbell to call everyone inside to sample the refreshments and to hear reminiscences from five former students at the school.