USA > Iowa > Adair County > History of Adair County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 6
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The first school in Lincoln Township was taught at the dwelling of Robert Ewers prior to the completion of a schoolhouse. Rebecca Macy was the teacher. The first schoolhouse in the township was commenced in 1862 and completed in 1863. A school was erected on the southwest corner of Section 3 in 1875 at the same time the district was organized then known as the Independent District. Pre- vious to this organization a rough dwelling had been used. The first teacher was M. W. Haver. During the fall and winter of 1874 a school was erected on the northwest corner of Section 20. The first school held in this vicinity was taught in granary of James Birchard by Lydia Clifford. The next term was taught at the home of Charles Lockwood on Section 18 by the same teacher. William Reynolds was the director at the time.
Another school was built on the northwest corner of Section 24 in the fall of 1870. The first school in this district was held at the dwelling of Joseph Barnett in the winter of 1869 with M. W. Haver as teacher. In 1869 a schoolhouse was built on the southeast corner of Section 16. When the school was first erected this territory was a township district, and in 1870 two terms of school were taught by Etta Steavens. At that time the district was discontinued for lack of scholars and subdivided. A school was built on the southwest corner of Section 25 in the fall of 1868. In the winter of the same
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
year a term of two months was taught by Reno Stevens, for which he received $90, there being five scholars in the class. On the south- west corner of Section 27 there was a house built in 1870. Prior to this, however, a term of school had been taught by Mrs. Stevens during the winter of 1869 in a small shed fitted up as a schoolroom on the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 28. The first teacher in the new school was Edward Morris. A school building was con- structed in the fall of 1874 on the southwest corner of Section 29. . Frank Gilpatrick taught the first term of school in the district in the winter of 1874-5.
The first teacher in Grove Township was a Mrs. Lank, nee Addie Lawson, who taught a term in a private house on Seetion 33 in 1862. She later moved to Guthrie County. The first school erected was on Seetion 4 in 1862. The first school directors of the township were Simon Byers and J. R. Pierce. The other early teachers in this township were: Myrtle Crawford, Mary Allen, Hannah Calkins, Mattie White and Julia Oliver.
The first school in Eureka Township was held in the residence of George W. Snyder in the summer of 1871, the class being taught by Emma Snyder Trowbridge, later Mrs. Fred H. Cears. There was at that time no school building in the township. The district was first organized in the summer of 1870 and the following officers elected: Orlando Howe, G. W. Snyder, Sr., and J. R. Patten, directors: W. R. Snyder, treasurer; A. Wright, secretary. School Distriet No. 1, covering seetions 1, 2, 11 and 12, had a schoolhouse built in 1875 and Clementine Yerkes was the pioneer teacher. Other first teachers of the township were: J. H. Crowley, Jennie Sargent, Stella Madison, Fred H. Cears, George Olmstead, James D. Law and May Faurote.
The first sehool in Richland Township was built in 1858. It cost $400 and was 20 by 24 feet in size. The first teachers in the township were: Hulda Dorn, Lilly Moyer, Sarah Jewett, Eliza Arnold, Nellie Ray. Theresa Greene and Lue McClure.
Some of the first teachers in Walnut Township were: Mary Thompson of Winterset, George Pratt, William Armstrong, John D. Keeney, Sallie Rutt, Joseph Lesher, Annie Sheltins, Mary Duncan.
The first school taught in Harrison Township was in 1857 in a building erected for a storehouse on Section 34. The first school- house was erected in 1860 on Section 34. The first teacher was a Mr. Carr, employed by the trustees of the township. Samuel W.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Pryor was the first director, being elected in 1859 or 1860. There was no county superintendent at that time. Some of the early teach- ers of the township were: Hattie Shober, Sally McCauley, Sally Myers. Cornelius Smith, Emma Rush, Leonard Beard, Maggie Ralston.
The first school building in Lee Township was a small structure erected in 1866 in the center of Section 16, 16 by 20 feet in dimen- sions. About a year following its erection it was removed to the northern line of Section 16, a distance of half a mile. There was no school taught in the building until the spring of 1869, when Eliza Wagner taught the first term, it being the first school taught in the township. During the year 1876 this building was bought by Wesley Rogers and removed to the Town of Greenfield, where it was used as a residence. A new building was erected in its place the same year. Some of the pioneer teachers of this township were: Eliza Wagner, Sadie Dew, W. F. Mason, Esther Ward, John Warner.
The first school teacher in Prussia Township was Jacob Sager. Others were: Miss Sackett, - Walker, Mary Campbell, Anna Shet- ters, Jennie Strauser, Miss Sergeant.
The first school in Union Township was taught by William Kivett in 1857 in a schoolhouse built the same year on Section 12.
1915 SCHOOL STATISTICS Independent City, Town and Village Districts
Adair has 1 male and 8 female teachers; an enrollment of 293 and a total average attendance of 245; there are 2 schoolhouses valued at $34,000.
Greenfield has 1 male and 14 female teachers; 430 enrollment and 363 average attendance; 2 schoolhouses worth $30,000.
Bridgewater has 1 male and 3 female teachers; 91 enrolled and 78 average attendance; 1 $4,000 schoolhouse.
Fontanelle has 1 male and 8 female teachers; 227 enrolled and an average attendance of 187. There are 2 schoolhouses, valued at $15,000.
Orient has 1 male and 6 female teachers; 166 enrolled and an average attendance of 127; 2 schoolhouses valued at $16,000.
School Townships
Eureka: 1 male and 15 female teachers: 115 enrollment; 91 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, value $4,500.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Grand River: 2 male and 10 female teachers; 187 enrollment; 115 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, value $7,200.
Grove: 3 male and 14 female teachers; 182 enrollment; 114 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, value $45,000.
Harrison: 2 male and 14 female teachers; 194 enrollment; 127 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, value $3,700.
Jackson: 2 male and 14 female teachers ; 158 enrolled; 108 average attendance; 9 schools worth $2,850.
Jefferson : 1 male and 13 female teachers; 240 enrollment; 137 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, valued at $8,100.
Lee: 1 male and 11 female teachers; 111 enrolled; 22 average attendance; 7 schoolhouses, valued at $5,178.
Orient: 10 female teachers; 114 enrollment; 90 average attend- ance: 8 schoolhouses, value $4,000.
Prussia: 1 male and 16 female teachers; 153 enrollment; 122 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, valued at $42,000.
Richland: 1 male and 13 female teachers; 151 enrollment; 86 average attendance; 9 schoolhouses, value $4,350.
Summerset: 12 female teachers; 140 enrollment; 84 average attendance; 8 schoolhouses, value $3,600.
Summit: 1 male and 11 female teachers; 124 enrollment: 85 average attendance; 7 schoolhouses, value $3,700.
Union: 1 male and 15 female teachers; 195 enrollment; 95 average attendance; 9 schools, valued at $3,750.
Walnut: 15 female teachers; 194 enrollment; 174 average attend- ance.
Washington: 4 male and 13 female teachers; 181 enrollment; 104 average attendance; 9 schools, valued at $3,250.
Rural Independent Districts
Bailey: 1 female teacher; 7 enrollment; attendance 4; 1 school. worth $1,000.
Harmony: 2 female teachers; 15 enrollment; 9 average attend- ance; 1 $600 schoolhouse.
Lincoln Center: no teachers; 1 $1,000 schoolhouse.
Mount Vernon: 1 female teacher; 12 enrolled; 8 average attend- ance; 1 $600 schoolhouse.
North River: 2 male teachers; 20 enrolled; 16 average attend- ance; 1 $1,000 schoolhouse.
ADAIR HIGH SCHOOL
.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Pleasant Hill : 1 female teacher; 13 enrolled; 9 average attendance; 1 $900 schoolhouse.
Pleasant Ridge: 1 female teacher; 11 enrolled; 4 average attend- ance: 1 $950 schoolhouse.
Prairie Queen: 3 female teachers; 17 enrolled; 8 average attend- ance: 1 $300 schoolhouse.
Washington: 2 female teachers; 17 enrolled; 13 average attend- ance: 1 $500 schoolhouse.
Summit Independent: 22 enrolled; 15 average attendance; 1 $1.200 school.
Casey : 1 male and 9 female teachers; 473 enrolled; 395 average attendance; 4 schoolhouses, valued at $48,000.
Stuart: 1 male and 7 female teachers; 222 enrolled; 193 average attendance: 1 $8,000 schoolhouse.
Total of All Schools
Twenty-six male and 261 female teachers. Enrollment of 4,105; average attendance of 3,219. Number of schoolhouses, 158; value, $424,378.
EDUCATIONAL
The first school taught in the Village of Greenfield was in the winter of 1859 in a room of the same old plank house which was used as a stage station by M. Clark. A. D. Littleton was the teacher of this pioneer school.
The first schoolhouse was erected in the summer of 1861 and in this the first teacher was A. L. McPherson. This building was used for school purposes for several years.
The old schoolhouse was built when the town was a sub-district of the District Township of Greenfield. On April 24, 1877, a peti- tion was presented to the board of directors of the district, asking that sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of Greenfield Township and 12 and 13 of Summerset be set off and formed into an independent dis- triet. This petition was signed by the following: A. J. Mears, T. A. Wilson, H. B. Rust, D. A. Coy, A. M. Hutchinson, J. W. Darby, John Burrell, Joseph S. Bartow, John Pegg, E. R. Olmstead, J. J. Myers, S. M. Shattuck, L. A. Smith, L. W. Devine, A. S. Car- michael, Charles Burrell, G. T. McConnell, M. F. Mills, L. S. Myers and Judson Morgan. In accordance with this petition the question was submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of the district and
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
the election held at Dew's Hall on Saturday, March 10, 1877, and resulted in a vote of 42 to 9 for separate organization.
An election was held for the purpose of choosing the officers of the same on March 24, 1877, and the following were elected: S. M. Shattuck, president; A. R. Dew, secretary; D. Heaton, treasurer; S. C. Vance, John E. Hill, J. T. Harvey, A. Dwigans and J. G. Culver, directors. Dew being absent from the county, J. A. Hether- ington was appointed clerk in his place.
By this time the school accommodations had become so cramped in the schoolhouse that rooms had to be rented in various parts of the town. Therefore, the directors ordered that the question of the district issuing bonds to the amount of $5,000 for the purpose of building a schoolhouse of larger capacity, be submitted to the people. Accordingly, at an election held May 23, 1877, by a vote of 40 to 10, the qualified electors ordered the issuance of the bonds.
The schoolhouse on the south side of Greenfield was built during that summer. The contract for its erection was let to Stickel & Baldrick of Des Moines. The architect was W. K. Ball of Creston. The total cost of the building was $5,230.
In the summer of 1883 another schoolhouse, costing $6,000, was built on the north side of town.
At the first, as before mentioned, Greenfield was one of the sub- districts of Greenfield Township. The following is a list of teachers, with age of service: A. P. Littleton, 1859-60; Julia Taylor, 1860-1: A. L. McPherson, 1861-2; Sallie Valentine, 1862; S. C. Vance, 1862-3; Alice Lee, 1863; C. P. Gilbert, 1864-5; Mrs. Patterson. 1865-6; Doctor Edgington, 1866-7; Wesley Rodgers, 1867-8; Hattie Morris, 1868-9; Joseph McClain, 1869-70; H. J. Morgan, 1870-2; Hattie M. Leonard, 1872-3. From 1873 the schools required a prin- cipal. Dr. E. Spooner was the first. In the spring of 1877 the present independent district was organized. W. A. Pryor was the first principal. The history of the graded schools began with M. W. Haver. Principal C. E. Holland, 1882-4, completed the grading and graduated the first class.
GREENFIELD HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
At a called meeting of the Greenfield Commercial Club held in the courtroom, March 19, 1906, the question of building a new $25,000 schoolhouse was discussed at length. There was a good attendance of the club members as well as a number of other citizens. The meet-
NORTH SIDE SCHOOL, GREENFIELD
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
ing was presided over by O. A. Tuttle, one of the vice presidents of the club. The discussion of the question was entered into by mem- bers of the Commercial Club and others and members of the school board. The testimony of various men was all to the same effect, that the condition of the old schoolhouse was unsanitary and a menace to the lives of the pupils and teachers. J. J. Hetherington talked at some length against the proposition on the grounds of expense to the taxpayers and W. W. Witham made a few remarks along the same line, but aside from these two gentlemen the members present were in favor of the improvement. At the conclusion of the discussion F. B. Wilson offered the following motion which was unanimously carried: "Resolved, That it is the sense of the Greenfield Commer- cial Club that we are in favor of building a new schoolhouse at a cost not to exceed $25,000."
In July, 1906, the school board let the contract for the erection of the proposed schoolhouse on the south ward school grounds. A num- ber of bids were received on the work and upon opening the bids it was found that the firm of McLead & Son, of Cedar Rapids, has submitted the lowest figure for the work, $16,700, so the contracts were accordingly awarded to this firm. The firm of W. R. Parsons & Son Company of Des Moines prepared the plans for the building on which the contracts were let. The architects made a blunder on the first set of plans they made, which called for a building which would have cost not less than $35,000, and a delay of about thirty days was occasioned by the necessity of drawing a new set of plans.
The cornerstone of the new high school was laid on August 31, 1906, the ceremony of the laying being conducted by the Grand Lodge of Iowa, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. The orator of the day was Hon. Edmund Nichols of Perry.
A PICTURE OF EARLY SCHOOLS
Most of the business men and women of today can remember the district schools of forty years ago and how their early days were passed in the small cheerless schoolhouses of that time. Many of them were made of logs and in the center of the small room would be placed a large box-stove, capable of taking wood four feet in length. Most of the seats were made of long boards or of slabs with crossed legs for support. Several boards were placed end to end, one side was fastened to the wall and the whole, supported at an angle, was the writing desk for the big scholars while in front of these,
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
without desks or backs, were other seats for the smaller ones. When writing hour arrived the pupil was obliged to put his feet over the seat and turn around to get the benefit of his desk. There were two school terms, summer and winter, school ma'ams teaching in summer and the school masters in the winter, the former receiving about one dollar per week and the latter ten to twenty dollars per month and "board around." In some of the districts even these stingy salaries were paid in farm produce. An estimate of the amount of fuel to be used was made, and each patron would be required to draw a certain proportion of the wood. The boys were required to take turns in building the fires and in sweeping the schoolhouse. At nine o'clock the teacher would rap on the door-casing to call school. First in order was roll-call, then the first class in reading, then the second elass, the third class and the A B C's. No elasses were called in arithmetic but from all parts of the room would come the request, "Do my sum." The teacher was required to write all copies for those learning pen- manship. Who among the pupils of that time does not remember the copies? "Kings and Queens eat pork and beans:" "Command- ments ten God gave to men;" "A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds;" "Many men of many minds," etc. Teachers were obliged to make all of the pens from goose-quills and during writing hour the snapping of pens on the desks and "Mend my pen!" might be heard frequently.
In those days Cobb's Readers, the English Readers and Hale's History were the principal reading books and counting aloud for the pauses-one for a comma, two for a semicolon, four for a period, etc .- gave a peculiar style of reading not popular at the present day. The Columbian Spelling Book with its wooden covers and Noah Webster's with its pictures of the boy stealing apples with the accom- panying story of the owner trying grass and turf first, then stones, to induce him to come down; the fox and the sour grapes; the farmer and the lawyer in regard to the goring of the bull-these were the spelling books.
Peter Parley's Geography, with the lessons illustrated, the first one with the picture of a boy facing the sun, with his right hand pointing east and his left pointing west, this and Olney's Geography were the principal text books on the subject. In arithmetic, Dill- worth, Adams and Dabol took the lead. Who cannot remember Dabol's
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
"Just fifteen yards of German serge For ninety dimes had I; How many yards of that same serge Would fourteen eagles buy?"
Also
"If to my age these added be One-half, one-third and three times three,
Three score and ten the sum would be; What is my age? Pray tell it me."
Examples in pounds, shillings and pence were given there also in single and in double positions.
In grammar, Lindley Murray's and Kirkham's were used, while the young orator of those days selected from the Columbian Orator, the United States Speaker and the American Manual and there were few boys who did not wax eloquent on Friday afternoons with Hohen- linden. The Greek and the Turcoman, The Burial of Sir John Moore, Patrick Henry's Address. Pitt's Reply to Walpole, etc.
In those days the beech and the birch rods were known by all the mischievous boys while standing on one foot and bending over to hold down a nail with one finger. Standing on tip-toe and reaching a nail-head on the wall, having a split goose-quill on the nose and a paper cap on the head, standing on guard, hair pulling, ear boxing, flogging, etc., were common punishments. Sitting with the girls was dreaded more than it is now.
Spelling schools, arithmetic schools and debating societies took the time of the long winter evenings, and going home with the girls made the evenings much longer and decidedly pleasanter.
CHAPTER VI THE BENCH AND BAR OF ADAIR COUNTY
THE DISTRICT COURT
In October, 1855, the clerk of the District Court of Adair County received notice from E. H. Sears, district judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Iowa, appointing court to be held in Adair County Novem- ber 19, 1855, also ordering that a grand jury be summoned for special term and a petit jury be also summoned, and that the clerk should issue a venire to the sheriff for each of the juries. This order was dated October 13th.
In accordance with this notice the court met at the residence of Azariah Root, in what was then Washington Township, on Novem- ber 19th as specified. There were present E. H. Sears, judge; D. M. Valentine, clerk; and Abner Root, sheriff.
The first business transacted was the impaneling of a grand jury. When completed the following men were listed: Charles Friend, Alfred Jones, William Corr, James Roberts, James S. Ewing, John Ammon, James Ray, Abraham Rutt, Titus Sullivan, John Ireland, John Hillan, William Stinson, Manning Drake, William Thomas and Thomas Hodgson. John Ireland was appointed foreman.
It is said that this first grand jury retired to the cool shade of a straw-stack to consider the business in hand. The first case brought before the court was entitled State of Iowa vs. Larue Norris and was an indictment for larceny. The defendant was called to court, but failed to appear. In consequence, on motion of Boyd J. Stickel, the district attorney, the sureties of Larue Norris, namely William P. Norris and Marshall T. Norris, were declared to have their bond for his appearance forfeited.
The first civil case to come before the court bore the title of John Gilson vs. John Stevenson. This was an action for damages and was continued from this session to the March term, at which time it was stricken from the records by order of the judge.
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
Terms of the District Court were held twice during the following year, 1856, one beginning on March 30th and the other October 5th. The business at both of these terms was very light. At the first term there were present Judge Sears; Theodore Smith, clerk; and Abner Root, sheriff.
On October 5, 1857, the District Court was held at the courthouse in Fontanelle, with Judge Sears upon the bench. Cal Ballard was clerk and Levi C. Elliott was sheriff. There being no district attor- ney present the court appointed S. M. Tucker to act in that capacity. John H. Cooper, a licensed attorney of the state of Kentucky, sought and obtained permission to practice at the bar of this state. The most important case entered before this court session was a divorce pro- ceeding. the first in Adair County. John Cears, by his attorneys, McPherson and Cummings, asked to be divorced from his wife, Phoebe Cears. The defendant failed to appear at the trial, so the court gave decision in favor of the plaintiff.
At the regular term of the court beginning March 29, 1858, upon the application of Henry Kinsinger and Christian Augustine, Judge Sears granted them the necessary papers, and they being duly sworn, became citizens of the United States. These were the first naturaliza- tion papers granted in Adair County. In the case of Munger & Brother vs. William Schweer, the first petit jury was impaneled in this county. It consisted of the following men: B. J. Stickel, fore- man: E. B. Sullivan, James P. Kenny, James Murphy, Thomas M. Johnson, Andros Jenkins, Jeremiah Rinard, Fielding Key, W. H. Easton, John Murphy, S. W. Pryor and J. P. Salmon.
E. H. Sears remained judge of the District Court until the spring of 1859. when he was succeeded by J. H. Gray. The first term of court held in Adair County by the latter commenced upon April 25, 1859. when there were present besides the judge, W. B. Hall, clerk; Levi C. Elliott, sheriff : and P. Gad Bryan, district attorney. Judge Gray held the regular terms of court until October 14, 1865, when he died. He was remembered as one of the most efficient judges of the early times and a man of great business acumen. The vacancy caused by his demise was filled by the appointment of C. C. Nourse, by the governor, and on April 9, 1866, he held a regular term of the District Court in this county. This was the only time he held the court here as he resigned his office on August 1, 1866. Hugh W. Maxwell was elected to the office of district judge at the fall elec- tion of 1866 and was re-elected in 1870, occupying the bench for a period of eight years. He was succeeded by John Leonard. In the
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HISTORY OF ADAIR COUNTY
year 1886 Adair County became part of a circuit, on which three judges were elected to serve in the different counties. At this time the Circuit Court as a part of Adair County became a thing of the past. O. B. Avers, A. W. Wilkinson and J. H. Henderson com- posed the first triumvirate of judges chosen for the circuit of which this county was a part. In 1891 J. H. Applegate took the place of Avers. John A. Storey was on the bench in the year 1896. James D. Gamble came in about 1896 also. Edmund Nichols came to the bench about 1902. The judges now serving on the bench are J. H. Applegate. L. N. Hays and W. H. Fahey. They were chosen in 1914. Adair County is in the Fifth Judicial District of Iowa for the year 1915, this district being composed of the following counties: Adair. Marion, Warren, Madison, Dallas, Guthrie.
John Leonard served only one term and was defeated for re-elec- tion by W. H. McHenry, who served two terms. 1868-76. John A. Storey served as district judge part of one year by appointment of the governor, to fill a vacancy. He afterward removed to Omaha, where he had a successful law practice for some years and then bought a large interest in a national bank of Indianola, where he still resides.
THE CIRCUIT COURT
By the year 1868 the business of the District Court had grown to such an extent that it was nearly impossible for that court to attend to all of it. Accordingly in the year mentioned the Iowa General Assembly passed a law creating a new tribunal, which went under the name of Circuit Court. This newly created court was given the power to try all cases of appeal from justices, mayors and other inferior courts, all civil cases of a certain character, and have general supervision and control of all probate matters. By the law it came into existence on the first Monday in January, 1869, commencing on the 4th of that month. Frederick W. Mott, the first judge, was elected in the fall of 1868.
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