USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume I > Part 59
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In the room lately occupied by Miss Houston a private school on Seventh street in the Fourth Ward:
Mr. Charles Stratton, Principal.
Miss Sallie Houston, 'Assistant.
These schools will be free to all pupils in the district; but the Directors will expect the larger pupils in the Fourth Ward, especially the boys, to go to the Brick School House.
The following list of Text-books has been adopted by the Board and will be used in the schools of the district:
McGuffey's Speller and Readers.
Monteith and McNally's Geographies.
Pineo's Grammars.
Ray's Arithmetics.
Davies' Algebra and Geometry.
Rightmyer's Copy Books.
Cutter's Physiologies.
Norton and Porter's First Book of Science.
Parker's Philosophies.
Willard's U. S. and Universal History.
Quackenbos' Composition.
The course of study will be confined to the English branches.
DAVID NORRIS, H. R. LOVEJOY, W. H. DICKINSON, Directors. .
On the 3Ist of August, 1861, the board adopted a regulation governing the conduct of teachers and pupils. Among them is the following, suggestive of the war spirit of 1861: "Any scholar carrying fire-arms or other deadly weapons shall be suspended and reported to the board." Rule 3 says, The Regulator in the establishment of Parmelee & Bro. will be the standard time-piece for the District.
The following notice published in the Register in July, 1863, recalls the former method of teachers' examination.
SCHOOL NOTICE.
All persons desirous of teaching in the public schools of the City of Des Moines, West Side, are hereby requested to present themselves for examination at a meeting of the Board of Directors of said school district to be held in the Brick School House in said city on the 15th day of August, 1863, at 9 o'clock, A. M. M. S. DICKERSON, Sec.
This examination was conducted in the presence of the full board. The questions were asked by Messrs. Ingalls of Muscatine, Wade of Boonsboro,
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
EAST . DES MOINES HICH SCHOOL
EAST HIGH SCHOOL
WEST HIGH SCHOOL
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
Atkins and Barrows of Des Moines, to whom the board later tendered a "vote of thanks" for their "politeness in conducting the examinations."
During the summer of 1863 the Fourth Ward school building-now called the Crocker school-was erected as a four-room building, at a cost of $4,250, including the lot. Only the two lower rooms were then completed.
At a meeting of the board May 30, 1864, "Mr. Barrows, the County Super- intendent, being present, was requested to make some remarks upon the neces- sity and propriety of opening a high school." A committee composed of Messrs. McClelland, Leas and Dickerson was appointed to examine into the necessity and feasibility of establishing a high school. On July I, it was voted to estab- lish a high school to be opened in the fall in the new Fourth Ward building, and accordingly the sum of $135 was appropriated to finish the upper story, and Mr. Barrows was elected principal of the new high school and sent East to purchase books and apparatus. Such was the beginning of "West High," now the largest high school in Iowa. For several years only one teacher was required and the humble quarters in an upper room of the Crocker building con- tinued to be the "high school" until the completion of the Second Ward build- ing at Ninth and Mulberry streets, now in the Lincoln building. The spacious rooms on the third floor of this building was the home of West High for twenty years. Here under the leadership of James H. Thompson and A. N. Ozias it developed into a real high school.
In 1864 a course of study was adopted outlining in detail the work of each grade and of the high school. Much of the high school course consisted of elementary and grammar-grade studies, the last two years' work only deserving to be called secondary work.
By 1865, the growth of the city to the South necessitated a school beyond the Raccoon river. Here for many years a one-room school was maintained until 1874, when the First Ward, or Washington school, was erected.
At the March election in 1867 a proposition to levy a special tax to erect a fine building in the Second Ward was carried almost unanimously. This really marks the beginning of a new era. The last building erected had cost a little over $4,000. This one was to cost almost $100,000, and before it was completed steps were taken toward the erection of another at Tenth and Pleasant streets to take the place of the "Brick School House"-at a cost of $70,000 -- though the money to build it had to be borrowed at 10 per cent! The corner- stone of the Lincoln building was laid with much pomp and ceremony August 20, 1867.
April 20, 1869, the board was given authority to sell the "Brick School House" at Ninth and Locust, and to purchase a site for a new Third Ward building. The old property was sold for $7,025, and $5,000 was paid for a new site on which was erected, the following year, the large and imposing Irving School, still one of the largest schools in the city.
From 1866 to 1873 the East and West district maintained jointly a school for colored children, but no records of the school appear to have survived.
In August, 1868, the first superintendent of schools, D. G. Perkins, was em- ployed at a salary of $1,200 a year. His supervision extended over four schools, one in each ward. Mr. Perkins was succeeded in 1872 by James H. Thompson who came from Illinois. Mr. Thompson held the position until his death in 1879. To him probably more than to any other man do the schools owe their. fine gradation and his excellent printed reports for six years show the high character of his work.
In 1876 the school population of the district was over 3,000 and the enroll- ment 2,000, with thirty-two teachers receiving $21,983 annually. The Des Moines exhibit of school work at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia won one of the two awards made to the State of Iowa for educational work. The schools were now well organized and a fine spirit pervaded the system. This period was characterized by remarkable interest in school visiting. The Vol. I-27
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
board appointed many visiting committees. Among the names on the record are Mr. and Mrs. Galusha Parsons, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Frisbie, Mr. C. A. Dudley, Mrs. L. F. Andrews, State Superintendent C. W. von Coelin.
The erection of new buildings is proof of the growth of the schools between 1876 and 1890: Hawthorne in '79; Garfield and Howe in '82; Cooper and Frank- lin in '84; Grant in '88; West High, '88; Bird in '90.
In 1876 a private kindergarten was established by Mrs. Lucy Collins and in 1884 it was made a part of the public school system with Mrs. Collins as the first supervisor. In 1890, soon after the completion of the new "West High and Industrial School," manual training and cooking were introduced, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Miller, of the Toledo public schools, having been employed by the board to introduce their methods.
In 1879 L. W. Parish succeeded to the superintendency. He remained until '85, when he in turn was succeeded by Mrs. Luella Wilson, a woman of large ability, who for many years had been the principal of the Irving building. In 188I a teachers' training school was established. It was continued for several years. In 1903 an attempt was made to reestablish it and Miss Olive McHenry, the able principal of the Hawthorne school, was chosen for the work; but her illness and death led to the abandonment of the project.
In April, 1889, the West High school was moved from the Lincoln building into the new building at 15th and Center streets. On the day of its opening, the retiring superintendent of schools, Mrs. Wilson, introduced her successor, Dr. William M. Beardshear, who remained in charge of the schools until the spring of 1891 when he accepted the presidency of the State Agricultural Col- lege.
Frank B. Cooper, professor of pedagogy at the State University, was made superintendent in 1891 and remained at the head of the schools more than eight years. His work and his influence are still felt in Des Moines.
There was substantial growth in the schools between 1890 and 1900, but the most marked growth was in the high school which increased from 260 to over 600. Following are the principals of the high school from its beginning in 1864 to the present time :
Simon Barrows 1864- 7
Richard D. Jones. 1883- 86
G. W. Corlis. 1867- 8 Mrs. Louise Morrow 1886- 89
William Willis I868- 70 Miss Celia Ford. 1889- 91 T. A. Snow 1870- 7I H. T. Kinkead . 1891- 93
Miss C. Mann
1871-
72
William Wilcox
. 1893-
96
James H. Thompson. 1872- 73 W. O. Riddell 1896-1904
A. N. Ozias. 1873- 78 W. A. Crusinberry I904- 06 L. B. Cary 1878- Maurice Ricker 1906- 83
In 1899 F. B. Cooper was succeeded by S. H. Sheakley, during whose super- intendency the school district was considerably enlarged by the annexation of the Forest Home, Oakdale and Greenwood districts. The Forest Home district popularly known as "North Des Moines" included the North High School. Oak- land, Lake Park, Summit and Forest Home schools. The Oakdale district contained the Elmwood. Kirkwood and Pleasant Hill Schools. The Greenwood district had two small schools which were succeeded by the new Greenwood school. In a similar manner two other independent districts were merged into the West Des Moines district, Park Avenue in 1904 and Evergreen in 1006.
Following is a list of the presidents of the West Des Moines School Board from the organization of the district in 1859:
Rev. J. A. Nash. 1859-60 Rev. J. A. Nash I865-68
W. H. Leas. I860-61
Hoyt Sherman 1868-69
J. H. McClelland.
I861-65
W. H. Leas 1869-73
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
C. A. Dudley 1873-76
C. H. Gatch.
P. M. Casady .1876-77
L. M. Mann . 1898-99
L. C. Kurtz 1899-0I
C. A. Dudley
1878-80
L. H. Bush.
1880-85
L. C. Kurtz. . 1901-02
William Musson 1885-89
F. S. Whiting
Elmer E. Farr and C. H. Dil- worth
1903-04
Homer A. Miller.
1904-05
Theodore F. Grefe.
1905-06
Robert J. Fleming
1906-07
Following is a list of the presidents of the Des Moines School Board from its organization in 1907 :
Charles H. Martin
1907-08 James A. Mckinney I9IO-II
John W. Ray
1908-09
Robert J. Fleming. 19II-12
The following named members of the Board have records of honorable service covering many years-many of them eight years and longer :
Rev. J. A. Nash,
W. H. Leas,
J. H. McClelland,
Theodore Grefe,
C. A. Dudley,
Robert J. Fleming,
L. H. Bush,
John Ray,
Crom Bowen,
Charles Martin.
The following is a list of secretaries of the West Des Moines school board:
C. C. Dawson .. 1859- 61 C. A. Weaver
1896-1900 M. S. Dickerson 1861- 65 W. A. Abbett
A. Newton I865- 70 H. U. Keasey
1900- 04
D. G. Perkins. 1870- 71 H. N. Whitney
1904- 06
J. M. St. John 2 1871- 95 A. L. Clinite. .
1906- 09
Charles Saylor 1895- 96 . 1909- I2
In 1899, by vote of the electors, the free text-book system was adopted. In 1901 the Froebel Association maintained the first vacation school, an institute which two years later was taken over by the school authorities. The same year the Penny Savings Association was organized.
Between 1900 and 1903, three new school buildings of the best, modern types were erected, the Greenwood, the Mckinley and the new West High.
East Des Moines-1858-19II.
East Des Moines was not slow to respond to the new impetus given by the location of the State Capitol in her midst. In 1858, a number of public-spirited citizens "on the hill" subscribed liberally for the erection of a school building. A site was chosen and a building erected near the corner of East Ninth and Des Moines streets. In the fall of that year Fred Stone was chosen as teacher and the new school was opened. While the enterprise was sustained by sub- scription fees, its founders intended to exclude no one from attendance. On the morning of the opening, the number of children presenting themselves was a surprise. The congestion was complete, necessitating a temporary suspension.
2 Mr. St. John was secretary of the board for nearly twenty-five consecutive years.
H. L. Preston
1902-03
Lamoine Mott 1889-91
Crom Bowen 1891-93
C. L. Dahlberg
. 1893-94
1894-96
L. M. Mann. 1896-97
Crom Bowen 1897-98
1877-78
Jerry B. Sullivan. . 1909-10
L. C. Kurtz, Homer A. Miller,
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
In a short time the school was reopened, but with certain restrictions limiting the attendance to the capacity of the building. The school year extended over only four months. A summer school was opened with Mrs. Sarah, wife of Rev. William Remsburg, as principal. Mrs. Remsburg had come with her husband from Ohio in 1856, and had opened a private school on the corner of East Seventh and Walnut streets, there demonstrating her ability as an educator.
At the opening of the school, an incident occurred which unhappily developed the now obliterated color line in the school. Two negro children presented themselves on invitation from Mrs. Remsburg. Certain white children objected to their presence, and their parents joined them in protest. One of the most liberal subscribers to the school fund went so far as to demand that the negroes be sent home. In her perplexity Mrs. Remsburg went to the late Isaac Brandt, one of the principal supporters of the school. Mr. Brandt told her to give herself no uneasiness, for he would see that the school lost nothing by the disaffection. Consulting Elijah Sells, then secretary of state, Jonathan Cattell, auditor of state, and John W. Jones, state treasurer, Mr. Brandt obtained from those gentlemen subscriptions which, together, amounted to the sum contributed by the disaffected party. The objector removed his children, and the school went on as though nothing had happened. In the fall of that year, Mr. Stone resumed his duties as principal, remaining only in charge for nine months. The schoolhouse was then sold and moved.
Late in 1859, the independent district of East Des Moines was organized. The meeting for organization was held in the State House with Mr. Sells in the chair and John M. Davis, deputy secretary of state, acting as clerk. The board employed Mr. Woodruff as principal, and Misses Mosier, Tisdale and Pritchard as assistants. The school was opened in the Griffith block, which afterwards became the Capital City Hotel. In 1860, Carl W. von Coelin, after- wards one of the foremost educators in the state, was chosen principal. Miss Tisdale followed as principal, and Mr. Willard succeeded her. In 1865. James Wright, William Mathews and D. E. Jones, a committee on course of study, reported a three-year course. A few years later the school was removed to a building near the C. & N. W. depot. A year or two later it returned to its old quarters in the Griffith block, where it remained until 1866, when the district provided a building for its use. Until that time every effort to provide funds for a school building had failed.
In those days, bond issues for school purposes were illegal, hence the re- luctance of taxpayers to add to their already heavy burdens. For several years, the question of a school building was an open one. The first tax voted was only a half-mill; the next, that of '64, was much larger, as was that of the two following years.
The new brick building completed was the largest and best-built schoolhouse in the western half of the State. Most of the material was hauled from Nevada, then the nearest shipping point. After "boarding around" for seven years, in 1867 the district entered into its own.
With the occupancy of the new building on Grand and Pennsylvania avenues, the district entered upon a new career of usefulness. Albert E. Roberts, chosen superintendent. entered upon his work with enthusiasm and surrounded him- self with excellent teachers. In 1870 he was succeeded by A. W. Stuart, later of Fort Dodge and Ottumwa. The first class graduated from East High was in 1871. It consisted of one member, Elizabeth Mathews. The school con- tinued to prosper until 1872 when, "a spasm of parsimony struck the city." A secret organization known as the "City Guards" had for its mission the cut- ting down of expenses. It obtained control of the city government and the city schools, to the serious detriment of the East side school. In 1873, Superintendent Stuart resigned and was succeeded by Thomas H. Smith, who filled out the remainder of the school year. He was followed by Superintendent Chamber- lain, and he in turn by Superintendent Cotton. Then the board undertook to
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
dispense with a superintendent, putting the work of that official upon the principal. Henry Heaton, later of Cass county, though a competent educator, found his duties extremely burdensome.
In 1874, a second building with four rooms was erected. This, proving too small, was later enlarged. William H. Dixson was made its principal. After serving the district for several years, Professor Dixson removed to Webster City. A third building was erected in 1875, which has since been enlarged. In 1876, Mr. Smith returned to the superintendency of the district. He remained nearly six years, doing much to build up the schools in his charge.
In 1877, the demand for a high school became so strong that a loan of $30,000 was authorized for the erection of a commodious building on Twelfth and Lyon streets. This building completed was one of the largest in the State, and was regarded as one of the most elegant and complete. This school, under the principalship of Isaac L. Hillis, afterwards Mayor of Des Moines, rapidly gained in the number of its pupils, and in the respect and esteem of its patrons.
In 1878, the high school was placed nominally under the principalship of Superintendent Smith, but the actual head was Franc B. Taylor, a brother of the late Mrs. Florence Miller. He remained a year, doing efficient work. His successor was John W. Wolf, who served the district successfully for a few years. Hermann Martin was the next principal. He was highly advanced in mathematics. At one time he performed the notable pendulum experiment of demonstrating the rotation of the earth on its axis. The attempt was success- fully made in the rotunda of the State House. Retiring in 1885, Mr. Martin was succeeded by Frank Plummer. At this time the high school took on new life. The attendance rapidly grew in numbers. The first graduating class under Mr. Plummer numbered nineteen; the next numbered forty-four. Thereafter the number passing out of the school was always large. In 1881 the plan of graduation twice a year was adopted. In March, '81, the present high school was opened. The opening was made the occasion of a ceremonial observance which attracted wide attention. With the school fairly in operation in its new quarters, Mr. Plummer relinquished the principalship.
Elmer E. White was now called to the high school, and for ten years served it faithfully, the attendance steadily increasing. Already before he retired, the edifice occupied by the school was beginning to be found inadequate. It becom- ing evident that something must be done to relieve the situation, a determined effort was made to get possession of State square, a block which had been given to the State at the time the Capitol was located. The district availed itself of an opportunity offered by the State and bought the entire square. The East Des Moines district which bought the property was shortly afterwards united with all the others in the city, then five in number.
In 1880, the East side schools were formally named. The one first built, on Grand and Pennsylvania avenues, was named after the poet, Bryant; the second, Sixth and Racoon streets, after General Curtis, formerly a prominent East-side citizen; the third, Sixteenth street and Capitol avenue, was named after Governor Kirkwood and the fourth, Twelfth and Lyon, after Webster, the lexicographer. A school near the packing house was named Benton, after a former State Superintendent of Public Instruction. A school to accommodate the Swedish-Americans in the vicinity of the Swedish church was named Bremer, in honor of the Swedish authoress.
In 1882, the East side district chose for its school superintendent, Leigh S. J. Hunt, a brilliant educator who, after serving three years, accepted the presidency of the State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. He was succeeded by David Kent, and he in turn by Amos Hiatt, who remained for many years, and was counted an able administrative officer.
In 1882 the Longfellow school was erected on Pine street. In the same year, the Lucas, named after Governor Lucas, was enlarged. . In '84, the Emer- son school was built, at Sixteenth and Maple. This has since been enlarged.
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
A three-room building has been erected on the Webster street grounds called the Alcott school, in honor of the author of "Little Women."
In 1891 Miss May Goodrell, a successful teacher, was promoted to the principalship of the high school. Miss Goodrell surrounded herself with a corps of able and devoted teachers, and was heartily sustained by the loyalty of the student body. East Side High School is now one of the recognized leaders in the State.
In 1907 occurred the consolidation with the West Des Moines schools, re- ferred to later.
In 1910 the question of a new high school on the East side was submitted to the people and was carried, the proposition authorizing a loan of $400,000 for that purpose. This was carried by a large majority. Thereupon, in 1910, the money was borrowed, and the work of erection begun. It is expected that the new building will be opened for the reception of pupils about the beginning of the year, 1912. It is, without doubt, the largest, costliest and most imposing high school building in Iowa. Its provisions for manual training, without de- tracting from the other courses, are more ample than those of any other high school in the State. In fact, it has few equals in the country.
Among the public-spirited men who have presided over the school board in East Des Moines during the past eighteen years are: J. H. Koons, J. F. Burgess, A. K. Stewart, C. J. Lynch, Joseph Deemer, J. Auracher, E. F. Whit- ney, W. F. Johnson, Andrew Burquist, John A. Thomas, A. W. Carlson, George L. Garton and Amos Brandt.
North Des Moines.
North Des Moines, separate and distinct from the West Des Moines school system until the consolidation of 1900, owed its start as an educational center chiefly to the venerable Dr. J. A. Nash, Judge McClelland, J. M. Ross, R. A. Rollinson, and Drs. Royal and Hallett. The first public-school teacher in North Des Moines was H. K. Horning. The first directory consisted of Dr. Hallett, H. B. Mosier and L. I. Williams. The first superintendent of the North Des Moines schools was O. E. Smith, now superintendent of the schools in Indian- ola. He was succeeded by Professor Lacey who soon after the consolidation was retired, the office having been discontinued.
Beginning with W. W. Clifford, with whom the comparatively recent history of the school commences, the principals have been A. W. Brett, W. E. D. Rum- mel, W. A. Crusinberry, Amelia Morton and J. G. Grundy. Among the more recent presidents of the North High School Board are Dr. George Royal, Nel- son Royal and W. H. Penn.
Much of the history of the schools of North Des Moines is merged with that of the city; while the later history, since the consolidation, is part of the general history of the public schools of Des Moines. Time was when the school board was severely criticised for establishing a high-school in North Des Moines; but since Professor Grundy entered upon the principalship of "North High," the school has grown relatively as fast as any high-school in the city. Capital Park.
Capital Park which for years had a separate organization, was merged into the Greater Des Moines system with East Des Moines, in 1907. Of recent years, its superintendents have been Z. C. Thornburg, R. J. Hartung, W. A. Brandenburg and J. R. McComb. With the merger of '07 its high school was discontinued. Among the active men on the former Capital Park school board were: S. W. Baker, W. W. Wise. A. W. Guthrie, D. H. Niebel, A. M. Miller, George N. Frink, Bert McKee and George W. Franklin.
The Consolidated Schools of Des Moines.
In 1904 W. O. Riddell, for eight years principal of the West High school, was elected superintendent to succeed S. H. Sheakley, and in 1907, with the
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CITY OF DES MOINES AND POLK COUNTY
consolidation of all the school districts in the city, he was made superintendent of the Greater Des Moines schools. As city superintendent Mr. Riddell has developed a rare combination of scholarly attainments and executive ability. He commands the respect and confidence of the students, the teachers, the School-Board and the public. The outlook of the schools of Des Moines under his superintendency is gratifying to all who are interested in the education of the masses. For several years the policy of the board had been a progressive one and the wide duties and responsibilities of the greater district developed a still more liberal and progressive policy. There were differences of opinion as to the wisdom of having one large school district instead of many small dis- tricts ; but there can be no difference of opinion as to the awakening effect of consolidation on the school spirit and on school policies. It has brought the city to a period of larger conception and of greater undertakings, a period of better construction, better equipment, better teaching. It has also created a de- mand which the schools will have to satisfy for better results.
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