USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 50
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In the year 1861 the number of schools in Fairbank had increased to four, with 179 pupils in attendance: Buffalo had two sehools, with fifty-six pupils; Ilazleton had six schools, with 253 pupils; Madison seven schools, with 173 pupils : Fremont had two schools and fifty-four pupils; Byron had four schools and 101 pupils; Washington nine schools, with 315 pupils; Perry one school and
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forty-five pupils; Westburg had neither house nor school as yet. Sumner had two schools and forty-two pupils; Liberty, eight schools and 297 pupils (three of these schools were taught in one building) ; Middlefield had three schools ; Newton, eight schools; Homer, two; Jefferson, seven ; making a total of seventy- six schools in the county; forty schoolhouses, with an attendance of 2.090, out of a total of 3,138 school children. The total value of school buildings at that time was reported as $6,999. There were four brick buildings, two of stone, twenty-four frame and ten log.
Then the war broke out, and progress was in a measure retarded, especially in the building of schoolhouses, but nevertheless there was a steady growth, as shown by the report of 1864, which records the number of school children had increased to 3,435, and the number attending school, 2,855-the number of schools, 120, and houses, 59, valued at $14,688. In 1865, immediately after the war, the number of school children had increased to 4,062; 3,040 attending school, 106 schools, 64 houses, worth $17,000. Since then the progress has been gradual and permanent. In 1867, the first Union Schoolhouse (whatever that means) was completed, and the first graded school organized in Independ- ence. Skipping the intervening years with their natural and steady progres- sion, the terms of school then were short and hence necessarily incomplete- about three months was the extent of each term. About the middle of March the winter term closed and about the first of May the summer term commenced. School closed with appropriate exercises, just such . as we now have. Mr. Wiltse was the teacher in the early sixties and had been very successful and satisfactory to everyone. Miss Anna Kinsley had charge of the primary school on the east side of the river and Louise Bryant on the west side. Even at this time the idea of longer terms was being advaneed. The editor of the Guardian proposed and strongly recommended, that Independence should build a good Union graded school, hire the best of teachers by the year, and the school taught at least eleven months, as was customary in the public schools of the large cities. Already the appreciation of public schools and universal education was gaining advocates.
The officers of the public schools of Washington Township comprised a district board, consisting of president, secretary and treasurer, with sub-directors from the various districts, seven in number. In the year 1862, W. G. Donnan was president; Edward Brewer, secretary; R. Campbell, treasurer.
Independence at this time was considered to be very well supplied with schools, having the district or Union School, one on the West Side and one on the East Side, a select school, kept by Rev. William Poor and a young ladies' seminary, by Mrs. Woodward and Miss Homans, known as Oak Wood Seminary. All these schools were well attended and this shows that the inhabitants took a laudable interest in education. Also a school was conducted in the upper story of the A. H. Fonda (now the W. M. Woodward) Block. Mr. Wiltse was the first teacher. Miss Kinsley taught the East Side primary and Louisa Bryant on the West Side. Many other private schools were conducted in the early days and all seemed to prosper. Another private school, known as the English and Classical Institute, was conducted by Reverend Boggs (the Presbyterian minister) and Rev. J. D. Pering, a graduate of the University of Indiana. This school was for young men and the branches taught were the common and higher
.
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English branches and Latin and Greek languages. The tuition for a twelve weeks' term was $4.50 and $5.50. Mary Dickinson opened a private school in Independence-teaching the common branches-tuition was $3.00 a term. A Mrs. Wells and a Miss Redfield also conducted private schools over the stores. At Littleton, Rev. F. D. Caldwell had opened a school for young ladies and gentlemen, known as Pleasant Grove Seminary, with himself and two other teachers. As one of the indneements to this school, as stated in the Guardian, besides Mr. Caldwell's fine qualities and ability was "the pleasant and pic- turesque scenery, the mild and salubrious climate, the good society, the men strong Lincolnites, women ditto, and everything else propitions for the estab- fishing and upholding of a good school." Messrs. Baldwin and Calvin con- dneted a private academy for instruction in all branches of English studies and special preparatory work for college. Another "select" school was conducted by Prof. Brighee, and at one time he had 103 pupils enrolled for the fall term. C. II. Taylor had a penmanship school, the course was twelve lessons for $1.50. Mrs. Redfield was another of the early instructors of a private school and prob- ably there are some whom we have omitted, but the general impression that school advantages were extremely scarce is disproved by this partial list of the most prominent private schools.
Examinations for teacher's certificates were conducted after institute and also every month and conducted publicly ; and it was customary for the school directors to eome to these examinations to secure their teachers. During insti- tute the teachers were generally entertained by the generous and hospitable residents. In those early institutes often the president and county superin- tendent, with some assistance from the teachers present, conducted the classes and the lectures were given by prominent and learned men of the county and proved to be as instructive as many of the imported products. To show the advancement in school discipline we cite this incident. A Mr. Smith was the teacher for the winter term in 1862, and serious and continual trouble arose between himself and the scholars to sneh an intolerable degree that it threatened to break up the school, so he was forced to resign and his place was filled by Mr. Wiltse. But the peculiar circumstances were that the parents and even the newspapers upheld such proceedings and corruption of discipline and remarked that everybody was admirably suited with the change and thought things would be perfectly harmonious thereby, and so far as we were able to judge, it was purely a matter of personal prejudice against Mr. Smith and the fact that they preferred Mr. Wiltse.
In 1863, and two or three years thereafter, the Teachers' Institute convened at Quasqueton, then it was transferred back to Independence, where it has met continuously until 1914, when the new school law went into effect.
Not until 1864, did the School Board of Washington Township lengthen the school term from six to eight months and an extra summer school in District No. 3, at the house of Mr. Caldwell.
In 1863 Independence had three schools, the Union School, taught by Mr. Calvin, the East Side, taught by Mrs. Gillett, and the West Side, by Miss Garrett. The first real move toward the erection of a good publie schoolhouse, "suitable to the needs of Independence," was the announcement in the Sep-
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tember 22d issue of the Guardian, that a public meeting would be held at the courthouse for this consideration.
In 1865, Jesup had a large, commodious brick school, two schools were taught at Fairbank, one on the East Side and one on the West Side, and one at Otterville-a splendid school in a miserable house, was the general verdiet. In 1870, another schoolhouse was built at Jesup, at a cost of $6,000.
The number of schoolhouses in the county (in 1872) had increased in eight years from 124 to 142, and the one log schoolhouse had disappeared. The value was $116,700. At that time but one log schoolhouse remained in use. The number of school children was 6,416, and 243 teachers employed that year. This, compared with 1850, when there were but three schools, all log buildings, or with 1858, when there were 27 buildings and 29 schools, and 2,445 school children in the county and only 1.015 attending, and in only two districts was there more than one term taught during the year. Of the twenty-seven school- houses, fifteen were frame, three briek, one stone and eight log.
For some years the Teachers' Institute was held twice a year, in the summer and the winter (generally in February), and usually conducted in the Inde- pendence public schools, which necessitated the schools being closed. At such times the teachers were entertained and the schoolhouses and all the apparatus were loaned for their use. Then it became the custom to hold Township Insti- tutes. One was held at Winthrop for the accommodation of teachers in Byron, Fremont, Middlefield and Liberty townships, one at Fairbank and one at Quas- queton, Brandon and at Mudville.
The theory that there is nothing new under the sun gains weight with a person delving in history. The county high school is not a new one as might be supposed. In 1870, a state law bad been passed that such a school could be built provided that a majority voted for it. In 1870, at the Buchanan County Teachers' Institute, which convened at Independence, in November, 1870, the project for a county high school was launched. Resolutions were adopted by the institute-petitions were circulated and the county papers were earnestly supporting the proposition. Very interesting debates on the question were launched and although these furnished excelllent reading matter, it did not seem to influence the general public at least in its Favor, for when the proposi- tion was voted upon in 1873, it lost, the vote standing 256 for and 1,954 against. In 1880 there were 6,745 school children and 285 teachers.
The Buchanan County schools have progressed, not by any rapid strides, but with a slow, steady growth, and average up with the rest in the state.
In February, 1897, after a service of almost a quarter of a century, Supt. W. E. Parker resigned. At that time he had the distinction of having the longest continuous service record of any superintendent in fowa, and had proved himself to be one of the most faithful and zealous workers in his profession. Failing health compelled him to take this step. In slight appreciation of his tireless devotion and faithfulness to the performance of his duties, the county officers presented him with an elegant gold-headed cane.
Mr. Ed Lillie, an active member of the Independence School Board, was appointed to fill out Professor Parker's unexpired term. Mr. Lillie served most efficiently for four years, introducing many new features and ideas, which attracted the interest of people to school interests. On December 4, 1897, a
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County Teachers Association was organized. Eighty teachers were in attend- ance. The county was divided into seven districts with a manager for each district. These county conventions and district meetings were very profitable. Superintendent Lilllie was succeeded by M. J. Goodrich in 1901, who continued in office for three years. After Goodrich, P. C. Arildson succeeded to the office in 1906, and the present incumbent, G. R. Lockwood, has been in the office for four years. He has inaugurated many excellent and progressive ideas for ad- vancing the school system, among which are the county spelling contests, publie graduations from the country schools, the exercises being conducted in the Independence High School: county directors' meetings and elementary agri- enlture, with corn tests and prizes for gardening.
According to the report of the county superintendent for the term ending June, 1914, there were 147 schools in the county, and but one new one built last year: several others are in contemplation. Thirty-five of this entire num- ber have modern heating and ventilating systems. In the graded public schools there are 51 teachers in the county. and 1.482 pupils, and 372 pupils in the high schools, a total of 1,852.
There are 203 teachers in the county : an average wage of $49.27 for women and $79.61 for men.
Total enrollment in the county is 4,551, and average attendance is 3,351, and the average cost of tuition per month for each pupil is $3.14. The total valua- tion of the schools in the county is $282,434. Total number of volumes in libraries of schools in the county. about twelve thousand. Only one consolidated school in the county and that located at Brandon. It employs five teachers and there are 121 scholars.
In 1913, at a meeting of the county school presidents, the county superin- tendent was voted an assistant, to have charge of the office when the superin- tendent was otherwise engaged-heretofore it was necessary to elose it.
CHAPTER XX
FRATERNAL AND SOCIAL LIFE
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE-TEMPERANCE-RELIGIOUS-SOCIAL-LITERARY-MUSICAL
-AGRICULTURAL
MASONIC BODIES
Before a railroad had reached Buchanan County or the valley of the Wapsipinicon had been settled by the thousands who now occupy it, the few Masons of Independence and vicinity determined to avail themselves of the benefits of the organized form of Masonry. They accordingly petitioned the grand master for a dispensation, which was granted by John F. San- ford, grand master, April 16, 1856, and the lodge worked under the dispensa- tion with the following officers and members, who were the petitioners for the dispensation : John Bogart, W. M .; John C. Ozias, S. W .; John Smyser, J. W .; John W. Westfall, secretary ; P. H. Plais, T. W. Close, I. S. Freeman.
On the fourth day of June of the same year the Grand Lodge of Iowa granted a charter to the said brethren, under the name of Independence Lodge No. 87. At that date the names of 2,114 Masons were borne on the rolls of the several lodges in the state. This lodge was regularly constituted under the charter, by P. M. Keeler, on the 18th day of June, 1856, and so prosperous had the lodge become, that they had built and furnished a new hall, which was, on the 31st day of December, 1857, dedicated to Masonic uses by District Grand Master L. B. Fleek. This hall was occupied by the lodge until 1872, when it was torn down for the purpose of erecting other build- ings.
The new hall. which had been erected upon the ruins of the old, being con- pleted, the same was duly dedicated to Masonie uses on the 24th day of June, A. D. 1873, by Joseph Chapman, grand master of Iowa. This hall was among the largest in the state, and was furnished in a substantial man- ner, and the lodge was supplied with all the necessary furniture for the work of the lodge.
This lodge room was occupied less than one year when the fire fiend having a special spite against the City of Independence laid in ruins the greater part of the business portion of the city ; and, with the rest, the Masonic Hall. The loss to the Masonie lodge by this fire was about fifteen hundred dollars, upon which there was an insurance of $1,000. All the property of the lodge was burned, except the records and a part of the jewels. This fire occurred on the 25th day of May, A. D. 1874.
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The present membership of the Blue Lodge is 156.
In December, 1909, the Independence Masonic lodges purchased the John Wengert lots on East Main Street, on which were located the T. O'Toole gro- cery establishment and also a frame storeroom just west of the O'Toole place. The consideration was $1,800, which was considered a bargain, as the property is located in the business section of the city. It was the intention of the Masons to ereet thereon a handsome Masonic Temple for the accommodation of the local lodges of that order.
The lease of their present quarters in the Burlingham & Phillips estate buildings, on Main Street, expired in 1913, but it was afterwards concluded to remain in their present quarters and the lots were subsequently sold to John Wise.
The Masonie brethren have occupied their present quarters since November, 1874. The lodge was organized in 1856. and so prosperous had they become. that they built and furnished a new hall which was dedicated on December 31. 1857. This hall was torn down for the purpose of erecting other build- ings. A new hall ereeted upon the ruins of the old was dedicated to Masonic uses June 24. 1873. It was destined to be occupied for less than a year, when the fire fiend, which had an apparent spite against Independence, laid in ruin the greater part of the business section of the city, and with the rest, the Masonic hall. This fire occurred on May 25, 1874. and on November 18th of that year, the lodge commenced its labors in the hall now ocenpied by them. In the inter- vening time the Masons had met in the Wilcox Building, which was located farther west on that side of Main Street and for a short time, whenever it was absolutely necessary, it had convened in what was known as Stoughton Hall, located on East Main Street. They now occupy one of the most attractively furnished and completely fitted lodge rooms in the city.
Aholiab Chapter, No. 21, at Independence, lowa, commenced work under dispensation issued by E. W. Eastman, G. I. P., December 25, 1857. and their first meeting was held January 2, 1858, with the following officers:
G. Warne, 11. P .; J. B. Thomas, C. 11. : J. M. Westfall, K. : E. Brewer. P. S .: W. O. Smith, S .; T. B. Bullem, R. A. C.
The other members were J. Smyser. J. C. Ozias, I. M. Miller and B. D. Reed.
On the fifteenth day of October, 1858, a charter was granted to said chapter. and the same was duly constituted by Kimball Porter, grand king, on the twen- ty-fourth day of November, 1858.
The chapter has had its home in the same hall with the lodge, and there- l'ore shared in the losses by fire in common with the lodge.
There are, in 1914, eighty-five members of the chapter.
Kenneth Commandery of Knights Templar at Independence was organized under a dispensation issued October 10, 1877, to W. G. Donan, Il. S. Ames, H1. O. Dockham, B. G. Taylor. E. Brewer, J. A. Poor, J. S. Anderson. D. S. Deering, E. W. Conable, Il. Ely, R. Creighton, J. P. Perey, R. S. Undyke, and J. Rhodes.
The commandery worked under a dispensation one year, and on the seven- teenth day of October, 1878, a charter was granted, and the commandery was mim- bered thirty-two on the register of the grand commandery and was duly con- stituted by F. Neeley, R. E. G. C., on the fifth day of November. A. D. 1878.
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with the following officers: W. G. Donnan, E. C .; J. A. Poor, G .; E. W. Con- able, E. G .; J. S. Anderson, president ; R. Brewer, treasurer; D. S. Deering, recording secretary ; B. G. Taylor, S. W .; H. S. Ames, J. W .; E. O. Craig, St. B .; J. H. Plane, Sw. B .; H. O. Dockham, W .; A. Woodruff, sentinel.
At present there are fifty-eight members.
Captain Holman, a past member of this lodge, once held a state office, the nature of which is not known.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
On May 3, 1879, a number of men met at the law office of Seth Newman for the purpose of organizing a subordinate lodge Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Newman was made chairman, C. A. Gilliam, secretary and H. P. Brown, treasurer.
A petition was secured and the matter of a name arose. Among the names suggested were Crescent, Protection, Empire, Occidental, Orient, Vincent, Iowa and Wapsie. A ballot was taken and Wapsie was the choice, but on May 4th, at another meeting, it was decided to change the name to Creseent, the lodge thus becoming Crescent Lodge, No. 46. J. A. Vineent was elected, P. C. C .; Seth Newman, C. C .; W. Westerman, V. C .; G. B. Warne, prelate : C. A. Gilliam, K. of R. & S .; R. M. Campbell, M. of F .; H. P. Brown, M. of E .; O. D. Burr, M. A .; S. S. Toman, I. G .: E. S. Wilcox, O. G .; and J. S. Woodward, O. M. Gillett, and B. W. Tabor, trustees.
The lodge rented quarters of the I. O. O. F. in the third story of the MeGowan Building until 1884 or 1885, when the rooms now ocenpied by it were rented.
In 1894 and 1895, R. B. Raines was elected grand master of exchequer and in 1901, O. M. Gillett was elected grand chancellor.
The lodge has always been one of the showy fraternal and social organiza- tions of the county and now have 120 aetive members.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS
Independence Lodge, No. 142, 1. O. O. F., was organized at Independenee, July 25, 1866, with but six members, viz .: W. Il. Barton, P. G .: E. A. Alex- ander, W. P .; T. J. Marinus, Joseph Evers, Eli Ozias and M. Winters. A charter was granted on the 17th of October, 1866. Their first officers were: W. II. Barton, N. G .; E. A. Alexander, V. G .; Eli Ozias, secretary; Joseph Evers, treasurer.
On May 25, 1874, this lodge lost its charter, books and regalia in the great fire of that date. They immediately obtained a place of meeting. sent for regalia and went to work, and by autumn of that year were occupying an ele- gantly furnished hall. On October 22, 1874, a new charter was granted.
The local lodge of Odd Fellows is one of the strongest secret organizations in Independence. At the time of starting this small lodge of six members took upon itself an obligation of $600 for paraphernalia and lodge furniture.
For five years after organization it occupied what was known as Stoughton Hall. From there it removed to the third floor of the Wileox Building, near the river, where it remained until the fire of 1874, which destroyed all that
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Isiness portion of the town and in which it lost everything, with the misfortune to have had but small insurance. After the fire the lodge moved into the rooms adjoining its present quarters, which were occupied until it could gain possession of and fit up the rooms which it now occupies. An encampment was organized in 1872 and with the subordinate lodge suffered total loss of its records and paraphernalia in the fire.
In 1895 the lodge bought the old Oxford Ilotel on the south side of Main Street, in the second block east from the bridge, and began at once to remodel it for a permanent home. Nearly all the partitions on the second floor were removed and the most approved plans for lodge purposes were followed. The lodge room proper is located in the rear of the building and is pleasant and spacious (being 34 by 52 feet ), ample room for all floor work in the degrees. From this room double doors open into the ante and paraphernalia rooms in front, both large and spacious enough for all purposes. One is devoted to the nses of the subordinate lodge and the other to the encampment. At the east of these rooms is the reception room. When the rooms were completed they were perfeet in all their appointments. The ground floor comprises two store buildings which are rented by the lodge. The lodge paid $3.800 for the prop- erty, and expended about $800 in improvements.
At the completion of the improvements a grand celebration and house- warming was held. A fine musical and literary program, speeches, and a bounteous supper was given, to which the general public were invited, and an immense crowd participated in the festivities, probably the largest at a banquet in Independence. Nearly five hundred ate supper at the hall and the net receipts amounted to about $110.
The Manchester K. of P. Band furnished a fine program of music.
There are at present 128 members of this lodge in the city.
INDEPENDENCE ENCAMPMENT. NO. 56. OF I. O. O. F.
This order was organized here January 14, 1873, with twelve members, viz. : L. W. Hart, Ira Alexander, M. B. Tims, A. F. Williams, J. W. Johnson, O. M. Pond, W. G. Beels, C. B. Kandy, A. JJ. Bowley, S. R. Shipley, W. Francis and William Wood. The officers were: O. M. Pond, C. P .; L. W. Ilart, I. P .; A. J. Bowley, S. W .; M. B. Tims, J. W .; Ira Alexander, scribe ; A. F. Williams, treasurer. The lodge was instituted by S. S. Winnall, chief patriarch of the state.
MYSTIC WORKERS OF THE WORLD
The Mystic Workers of the World, Independence Lodge, No. 944, was organ- ized in January, 1910, with twelve charter members. The present officers are the following :
Prefect, Irena Thompson : monitor, Eva Day; secretary, Leslie C. MeGill : banker, G. M. Saunders; marshal, Ilda Russell; warder, R. R. Crew; sentinel, Marion Bates : and three supervisors. William Flock, Ella Flnek and Eva Day.
The membership at present is seventy-nine.
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THE BOAT CLUB
That Independence was becoming a launch center there was no denying. One had but to gaze upon the once placid waters of the beautiful Wapsie to see its waters churned to a froth or listen-the once peaceful quiet was broken by the almost continuous put-put-put of a gasoline launch. Any, time of day or night the river was studded with the fastly moving "water-bugs." In 1909 this sport had reached its zenith of popularity; some thirty-two launches were owned in Independence. The old-fashioned rowboat was either relegated to the "beach" or was rejuvenated into a modern sea-faring cruiser by the simple addition of a gasoline engine. To be sure, the rowboat and canoe had lost none of their one-time attractiveness to fishermen and romantie youthis, but for all around family purposes and pieniekers the process of pushing water past one with a pair of awkward wooden arms was entirely too slow and too much like exertion. Hence the innovation was gladly accepted and enthusiasm for the pleasures of boating was never so intense.
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