USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 38
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In Poyner Township the first school was built on section 25, one mile south of Gilbertville.
The first schoolhouse constructed in Spring Creek Township was in the south- east quarter of section 7 on the Waterloo and Spring Creek Road. This school was opened in the spring of 1854. Charles High was the first instructor. Mrs. A. H. Brown taught one of the first schools in the log house located on section 5. The next school was put up in 1854, near the later location of the Masters sawmill on section 14. The first election was held in this schoolhouse on April 3, 1854.
The first school in Washington Township was held at the house of James Newell, one of the early settlers. This was during the winter of 1850-1. William Dean taught the class. The first schoolhouse was constructed in 1852 on land now a part of Chapel Cemetery. The house was of logs and contained crude seats made by splitting a log and fastening pegs in each half .. It is said that the Indians burned this school in 1857, but no verification of the story is to be found. It is a fact, however, that it burned. Another house was built the same year, but also was destroyed by fire in 1862. This second disaster had a tendency to discourage the settlers in building another, but several sterling citizens, namely, D. W. Jordan, Stephen and Hampton Ford, John Harlen, E. G. Young, V. Thomas and William Helm, supplied the logs to build a third house, which was done. This structure served its purpose until 1872, when a stone building was put up in section 14. The old house was removed to the M. L. Jordan farm and was later used as a home by Ira Highley.
The first schoolhouse in Waterloo was a log building, 16 by 22 feet, located on Jefferson Street. It was built in 1853. The first school on the east side was taught by E. O. Hardy in the winter of 1854-55 in the house then occupied by Myron Smith, who constructed it in 1854 and which stood on the corner of Fifth and Water streets on the site at one time of the Key City House. The first school built on the east side was a grout building on Eighth and Sycamore streets. During the first year of the publication of the Courier, 1859, a report was received from the schools of the city. The East Waterloo schools were conducted in an academy which stood on what is now Franklin Street, near Fifth. The higher grades were presided over by O. Bugbee, who received or collected the munificent salary of $26.00 per month. J. B. Hewitt was in charge of the primary grades and he received the same salary as Bugbee. They paid the rent of their rooms from their salaries. In the higher grades there was the following enrollment in the different branches: Reading, 43; written arithmetic, 40; mental arithmetic, 40; geography, 12; grammar, 17; algebra, 3; astronomy, 2; bookkeeping, 4. In the lower grades the enrollment was as follows: Orthography, 48; reading, 48; writing, 12; mental arithmetic, 36; geography, 15.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
In the schools of Waterloo Township, L. Washburn was the principal or head master and he received $30 per month for his services. His assistant was Miss A. Merrick and she received $23 a month. J. L. Barber was in charge of the primary grades, getting $30 a month. The expense of the schools in Waterloo Township during the three months, according to the Courier, was about seven hundred dollars.
A report of the Cedar Falls schools of 1859 was also published. It was shown that in the higher grades there were 115 pupils enrolled and in the primary grades there were 125. Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Hammond were in charge of the higher grades; he received $45 per month and she $25. Miss F. M. Rice had charge of the primary grades and her assistant was Miss A. Barnard. The cost of the five months' term was $680.
From the time of the inception of the first school at Sturgis Falls (Cedar Falls) the march of education has gone steadily forward. In the Courier of 1859 there was advertised that a teacher was wanted. female preferred, in one of the districts of Spring Creek Township.
THE FIELD SEMINARY
Prairie Home Seminary, which flourished in Waterloo from 1862 until only a few years ago, was founded by Miss Anna Field. The Field family came to Waterloo in the fall of 1855 and among the members of the family was Elizabeth Field, who for a time taught in the school at the corner of Ninth and Bluff streets. Anna Field came to Waterloo for a visit in 1860 and then decided, as did her father, Augustus, that the town would be a good location for a girls' seminary. She was then teaching in Georgetown, Kentucky, to which place she returned to remain until 1862, and in the interval the structure which was to house the seminary was erected at the corner of Park Avenue and Wellington Street. It was a pretentious brick building and for many years stood alone, the nearest house being several blocks distant. For the first decade or more of its existence only young ladies or girls were admitted. Later young boys were taken in. The tuition charged was 50 cents a week for instruction, but, of course, in the early days many of the young ladies boarded at the school, some of them assisting in the household work to help pay their way through the school. Failing voice compelled Miss Field to relinquish her teaching. The property where the seminary stood was sold and now there is a row of flats on the site.
Miss Anna Field related that her first view of Iowa was almost heart- breaking. Coming from the hills of Kentucky, the flat prairies of Iowa filled her heart with longing for the Blue Grass State. She came by stage from Cedar Rapids and when the coach stopped at the Cedar Valley House it was dark and the rain was falling in torrents. She was carried from the coach into the hotel by the proprietor, Morris Case.
WATERLOO SCHOOLS
The public school system of Waterloo is all that could be desired. It em- braces two splendid high schools and many grade schools scattered throughout the city, even to the remotest parts, giving every child easy access to them, and
OLD WEST SIDE SCHOOL BUILDING, WATERLOO Burned 1870.
WEST SIDE HIGH SCHOOL, WATERLOO
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
making a consequent large enrollment. Like the churches, these school buildings are modern and spacious, practically all fireproof, being of recent construction. At least two new school buildings have been constructed each year for the past decade. A large manual training building, well equipped, is included in the public school system.
It is a boast of Waterloo people, substantiated by all the evidence of the public, parochial and private schools of the city, that the character and condition of the schools of the city and the county are second to none and will continue to be so in the future years. Wonderful growth has been made and in the next decade this progress will be unceasing. Not only is Waterloo represented well in the schools of her own county, but in the large universities of the state as well. It is impossible to compute the number of young men and women attending school in the state outside of Black Hawk County, but it is safe to estimate that there is a considerable number, probably a higher average than in any other com- munity. The two public school systems in the city are recognized as standards in the state and in adjoining states. Our Lady of Victory Academy is the largest of parochial schools and has an enrollment of nearly three hundred pupils. Saint Mary's High School has nearly three hundred pupils and the Sacred Heart School is growing and will ultimately be the equal of the others. The Emanuel Lutheran School has a substantial enrollment also, and the two business colleges of the city are constantly increasing the scope of endeavor and consequently enrollment shows a fine increase from year to year.
EAST SIDE SCHOOLS
The erection of the Lincoln Schoolhouse was the most notable improvement on the east side in 1913. It is located in Grand View addition, has eight grade rooms, gymnasium, domestic science and manual training departments. It cost about forty thousand dollars. Several other buildings were improved to the extent of several thousand dollars. Among improvements which will occur will be a new building in the Howrey & McWilliams addition in North Waterloo." An increase in enrollment of 603 was made in the year 1913, the records showing a total of 3,039 pupils in 1913.
WEST SIDE SCHOOLS
Perhaps the most important step taken in west side educational circles in 1913 was the occupation of the Washington Irving Building. This structure was completed during the year and occupied in September, 1913. It cost $40,000. A new building in Westfield, similar in architecture to the Washington Irving School, was completed in 1914 and will be known as the Thomas A. Edison School. The increase in enrollment during the year 1913 on the west side was 220 ; total, 2,308.
PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
Besides the public schools there are four schools under parochial jurisdiction, three by the Catholics and one by the Lutherans. An increase of 117 was made during the year 1913.
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At the end of the year St. Mary's had 203 students; Our Lady of Victory Academy had 360: Sacred Heart had 165, and the Emanuel Lutheran had 86.
BUSINESS COLLEGES
Waterloo is equipped with two business colleges as good as can be found any- where in the Middle West. The Waterloo Business College, under the super- intendency of A. F. Gates, was established when the city was still a village. The College of Commerce, under direction of R. E. Eklund, of more recent acquisition. Branches taught are bookkeeping, shorthand, typewriting and allied branches. The total enrollment in the two colleges closely approaches the four hundred mark.
GREEK NIGHT SCHOOL
Much interest has been aroused over the night school, opened under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, to instruct Greek immigrants in the elements of the English language. More than fifty students have enrolled in this class. An instructor is provided, generally in the person of the secretary. and the Greek boys are taught the words of the English language, generally six or seven a lesson.
STATE TRADE SCHOOL
During the year 1913. Waterloo secured an engineering extension course. Ames College, acting under state authority, located the first state trade school in this city. At the last session of the Legislature that body appropriated $25,000 to be used in establishing trade schools throughout the state. Waterloo was decided upon as headquarters for the schools, which are distributed in a dozen other Iowa cities. The school in Waterloo was first under the supervision of Prof. O. HI. Johnson, of Ames. Only night classes are held and various subjects are treated, such as shop drawing, shop mathematics, gas engine manufacture, steam fitting, plumbing and various other industrial subjects. Large classes are enrolled. Sessions were begun in the East High School Building.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL TRAINING SCHOOL
This is operated in connection with the railroad Y. M. C. A. It is strictly an apprentice school for mechanical work and the pupils range from ten to twenty years of age. The boys are paid for their day's work.
THE PRESENT SCHOOLS
The following detailed report is taken from the official records of Miss Margaret Myers, county superintendent of education, for the year ending July 1, 1914:
The East Waterloo City District has 13 male and 88 female teachers. There are 2.536 males and 2,622 females in this district between the ages of 5 and 21 years, and the total average attendance of the schools is 2,508. There are 10 schools in this district, representing a value of $380,000.
WASHINGTON IRVING SCHOOL, WATERLOO
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LINCOLN SCHOOL, WATERLOO
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
The West Waterloo City District has 7 male and 76 female teachers. There are 1,565 males and 1,675 females in the district between the ages of 5 and 21 years ; the total average school attendance is 2,013. There are 7 schoolhouses, valued at $250,000.
The principal school buildings on the east side of the city are: The High and Manual Training School, the Hawthorne School, the Alcott School, the Wash- ington School, the Mckinley School, the John Fiske School, the Lafayette School, the Lincoln School and the McFarlane School. The principal ones on the west side are: The High School, the Central School, the Emerson School, the Lowell School, the Whittier School, the Washington Irving School, the Thomas A. Edison School.
The Cedar Falls City District has 4 male and 25 female teachers. There are 699 males and 719 females between the ages of 5 and 21 in the district, and the total average attendance of the schools is 965 pupils. There are 5 school- houses, valued at the sum of $100,000.
In the Dunkerton District there are 3 female teachers. There are 57 males and 48 females between the ages of 5 and 21. The school total average attend- ance is 57. The single school at Dunkerton is valued at $500.
In the Hudson District there are 4 female teachers. The total average at- tendance of the schools is 75, but the number of persons in the district between the ages of 5 and 21 is 67 males and 50 females. The single schoolhouse is valued at $2,000.
In the La Porte City District there are I male and 10 female teachers. There are 188 males and 179 females in the district between the ages of 5 and 21, and the total average attendance of the schools is 268. The schoolhouse is valued at $17,000.
The Raymond City District has I female teacher. There are II males and 10 females between the ages of 5 and 21 years. The total average attendance is 20. The schoolhouse is worth about $600.
SCHOOL TOWNSHIPS
There are 10 school townships in Black Hawk County. Barclay has 9 school- houses, an average attendance of 127, I male and 16 female teachers ; Bennington has 9 houses, average attendance 118, I male and 12 female teachers ; Cedar, 7 houses. average attendance 63, I male and 10 female teachers ; East Waterloo, 8 houses, 129 average attendance, I male and 12 female teachers; Fox, 9 houses, 68 average attendance, 15 female teachers ; Lincoln, 9 houses, 104 average attend- ance, 1 male and 12 female teachers ; Orange, 9 houses, 134 average attendance, II female teachers; Spring Creek, 7 houses, 99 average attendance, II female teachers ; Union 5 houses, 61 average attendance, I male and 6 female teachers ; Washington, 4 houses, 54 average attendance, 7 female teachers.
RURAL INDEPENDENT DISTRICTS
Black Hawk Township: Jockey Town No. I, I female teacher, 17 average attendance, I school; Maple Grove No. 2, 2 female teachers, 9 average attend- ance, I school; Rose Hill No. 4, I female teacher, 6 average attendance, I school ;
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
Black Hawk No. 5, 2 female teachers, ; average attendance, i school; No. 6, I male and 2 female teachers, 19 average attendance, 1 school; Laurel Hill No. 7, I female teacher, 13 average attendance. i school : No. 8. 2 female teachers, 13 average attendance, i school.
Big Creek Township: Pleasant Grove No. 2, 2 female teachers, 7 average attendance, I school; No. 3. 1 female teacher, 12 average attendance, I school; No. 4 : Highland No. 5. 2 female teachers, 7 average attendance, I school; Enter- prise No. 6. 1 female teacher, 6 average attendance, 1 school; Cedar Point No. 7, 1 female teacher, 6 average attendance, I school ; Strake No. 8. 1 female teacher, 12 average attendance, I school.
Cedar Falls Township: Cedar City No. 1. 1 female teacher. 23 average at- tendance, I school; Benson No. 2. 2 female teachers, 15 average attendance, I school : Maple Grove No. 4. 3 female teachers, 17 average attendance, 1 school ; Eddy No. 6, I female teacher, 21 average attendance, I school : Westerley No. 7. 1 female teacher, 16 average attendance. 1 school: Greeley No. 8. 1 female teacher, 7 average attendance, 1 school; No. 9, 2 female teachers, 10 average attendance, I school: Center No. 10, I female teacher, 9 average attendance, I school.
Eagle Township: Eighmey No. 2, 1 female teacher, 19 average attendance, I school; Pleasant Valley No. 3, I school; Lily Valley No. 4, 2 female teachers, 9) average attendance, I school; Eagle Center No. 5, no school: Starr No. 6, I female teacher, 15 average attendance, I school; Summit No. 7, I male teacher, 5 average attendance, I school; College No. 8, no school; Pleasant Hill No. 9, I female teacher, 7 average attendance, I school.
Lester Township: Oak Grove No. 1. 2 female teachers, 9 average attend- ance; Wapsie Hill No. 2, 1 male and I female teacher, 10 average attendance, I school; Pleasant Vale No. 3. 1 female teacher, 13 average attendance, I school; Pearl No. 4, 1 female teacher, 13 average attendance, I school; Lester Center No. 5, I female teacher, 19 average attendance, I school ; Pleasant Grove No. 6, 2 female teachers, 20 average attendance. I school: Riverside No. 7. 2 female teachers, 13 average attendance, I school ; Pleasant Hill No. 8. I female teacher. 16 average attendance, I school.
Mount Vernon Township: Union No. 1. I female teacher, 12 average attend- ance, I school; Altland No. 2, 1 female teacher, 13 average attendance, I school; Glendale No. 3, I female teacher, 3 average attendance, I school; Bandfield No. 4, 2 female teachers, - average attendance, 1 school; Center No. 5, 2 female teachers, 17 average attendance, I school; Grant No. 6, 1 female teacher, 20 average attendance, I school ; Badger No. 7, 2 female teachers, 13 average attend- ance, I school ; Excelsior No. 8, 2 female teachers, 6 average attendance, 1 school ; Greeley No. 9, I female teacher, 13 average attendance, I school.
Poyner Township: Pleasant Grove No. 1. 1 female teacher. 5 average attend- ance, I school; Liberty No. 2. I female teacher, 10 average attendance, I school ; Gilbertville No. 3. 1 female teacher, 24 average attendance, I school: No. 4. 1 female teacher, 15 average attendance, I school ; Dewar No. 5. 2 female teachers. 36 average attendance, 1 school; No. 6, 1 male, 2 female teachers, 17 average attendance, I school; Mount Holly No. 8, I female teacher, 13 average attend- ance, I school.
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NORTHEAST CORNER QUADRANGLE
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
Waterloo Township: Oak Ridge No. 1, I female teacher, 34 average attend- ance, I school; Greenwood No. 2, 1 female teacher, 20 average attendance, I school; Virden's Grove, I female teacher, 9 average attendance, I school; Pleasant Vale No. 4, no school.
There is a slight decrease in the number of rural schools in the last decade, owing to the fact that many of the rural districts have been taken into the city districts, and that many of the rural districts have combined into one.
Taking the county as a whole, there are 136 rooms in the rural schools and 218 in the graded schools. There are 35 males and 390 females on the teaching force of the county. There are 6,910 males and 6,986 females in the county between the ages of 5 and 21. The total average attendance amounts to 7,573. There are 160 schoolhouses in the county with a combined value of $832,530.00 and there are 15,673 volumes in the school libraries. The total average attend- ance in the rural schools is 1,667 and in the city schools 5,906. There are 134 rural schoolhouses and 26 city houses. The average compensation per month for the male teachers is $125.63 and for the female teachers $57.48. The great difference is made by figuring superintendents' salaries in the male division. There are 138 teachers holding state certificates, 59 holding first grade uniform county certificates, 148 holding second uniform, and 35 holding the third grade. There are 150 teachers in reading circles.
Another feature of the educational work in the county is the uniform price of textbooks. This prevails in every school. Another interesting fact connected with the rural schools especially, is that during the last school year $685.75 was earned by socials. In the report of the year it is said that there are So good schoolhouses, 53 fair and 24 poor. Three were built during the year. There are 24 with suitable heating and ventilating apparatus.
PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
The German Evangelical Lutheran School at Waterloo, established in 1879. has 2 professors, 86 students. The Saint Mary's High School, a Catholic school established in 1899, has 2 instructors and 230 students. The Sacred Heart School, established in 1909 at Waterloo, has 5 instructors and 175 students. The German Lutheran Parochial School in Bennington Township, established in 1893, has I instructor and 25 students. The Immaculate Conception Parochial School at Gilbertville, established in 1876, has 4 instructors and 183 students. Our Lady of Victory Academy, established in 1872 at Waterloo, has 9 instructors and 401 students. Saint Mary's Catholic School of Cedar Falls, established in 1891, has 3 instructors and 70 students. Saint Joseph's Catholic School at Eagle Center, established in 1907, has 6 instructors and 140 students.
THE IOWA STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE
In April, 1868, provision was made by the Twelfth General Assembly to erect a building for the Soldiers' Orphans Home at Cedar Falls at an expense of $25,000, provided twenty acres of land suitable for a site was donated to the state. The Thirteenth General Assembly gave $5.000 more for this building. Forty acres of land located in a most sightly place was so given, which land is
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
the present site of the Teachers College. The board of trustees of the Soldiers' Orphans Home recognized the fact that it was a temporary institution and that before long the three homes, located at Davenport, Glenwood and Cedar Falls, must be consolidated into one and the others abandoned. In providing plans for this new building, the interior was purposely arranged by the trustees so that it could be easily converted into an educational institution if that became necessary. It is easily recognized that this was an effective argument, which contributed indirectly and so far as the General Assembly was concerned, unintentionally, to assist the movement in 1876 to establish a State Normal School at Cedar Falls.
THE FOUNDING OF SCHOOL AT CEDAR FALLS
lowa thus far had no united policy regarding either the necessity or im- portance of normal schools as a part of the public school system. Many of the more prominent educators were not even in sympathy with such efforts and the majority of the leaders of the people were yet doubters, if not opponents. Thus the preliminary movements thus far mentioned had been deliberately starved out and their abandonment caused no protest from those largely in the majority. The normal department at the university had been a fair success in consideration of the limited support it had received and the interference it had suffered, yet restriction after restriction happened in the management of this department until nothing remained but the kind of instruction and training that was chiefly suitable to senior students in the college department. It was just at this time that the Fifteenth General Assembly organized for business. Senator E. G. Miller of Black Hawk County was a believer in normal schools. He had lived in Wis- consin and had a personal knowledge of what that state was doing in training teachers. The first time he saw the building which was then used at Cedar Falls for the Soldiers' Orphans Home the thought came to him "This is the place for a state normal school." He thought it would be an easy thing to make the people of Iowa see the merit of the plan and utilize the soon to be vacated public building and at the same time take a long step forward in the cause of education. The problem proved more difficult than he had anticipated, but the project he proposed was also cordially supported by the House members. R. P. Speer and Charles B. Campbell from Black Hawk County. After consulting freely with Alonzo Abernathy, then superintendent of public instruction, and other educators, he prepared and introduced Senate File No. 207 on March 3. 1874. Early and late was this measure advocated by these energetic supporters, but a canvass of the field revealed the fact that it could not pass and the bill was not pressed to a vote during that session.
THE SIXTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Very fortunate indeed was the cause of education in the election to the House for the next Assembly of H. C. Hemenway of Cedar Falls, as this added to Senator Miller a most effective and successful legislator. With any man of less intelligence, less aggressive and less enthusiastic than Mr. Hemenway the measure would have failed. February 1, 1876, Mr. Hemenway introduced
SCIENCE HALL AND GYMNASIUM
TRAINING SCHOOL BUILDING
Ī
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY
by leave House File No. 248, a bill for an act to establish and maintain a school for teachers. This bill was referred to a committee on schools and on February 26, 1876, this committee through the chairman, W. M. Brooks, then president of Tabor College, reported as follows : "Mr. Speaker: Your committee on schools to whom was referred House File No. 248 beg leave to report that they have had the same under consideration and have instructed me to report the same back to the House, with the recommendation that it be amended as indicated in the bill and that with these amendments it do pass." Passed on file.
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