The Oakdale school was built by Quakers in 1815 and served the local community, welcoming all children regardless of faith or wealth. 

Early age curriculum included reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic, with geography and grammar for early teenage students. Classes were held year-round except for two weeks during the wheat harvest. 

The school operated until 1903 and was then used intermittently during periods of overcrowding at nearby Lincoln school. In 1926, it was used temporarily to educate students from the nearby high school while it was rebuilt following a fire.

Today, the school is a living history museum that is open to the public and preserved by the neighboring Goose Creek Meeting. It is also part of a living history program for students at nearby Lincoln Elementary School and some home-schooled students.