Possum Trot was the popular name for the school house in Phillips School District No. 84, created on February 11, 1890, by dividing off the northern portion of Mount Gilead School District No. 5. The one room school stood on the southwest corner of North Pearson and Dove Road, not far from a nearby stream to the west. About 15 students, ranging in age from 8 to 13, attended the school, which was open about 60 days each year because they were required to work the family farm during most of the year. Students paid tuition of $1 to $3 per month, used split logs for benches and slate boards for writing, and studied reading, spelling, and grammar. The teacher typically held a 2nd or 3rd grade certificate and earned $30 to $45 per month. In 1905, the school closed and the district was divided between Mount Gilead School District No. 5 to the south and Sam's School District No. 6 to the east.