USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 63
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THE BRIDGE.
A bridge across the Cedar at Charles City that would withstand wind and flood must necessarily be expensive, and the early settlers needed such a bridge as much as do the people at the pres- ent day; but they had not the means for building it. Hence much exercise of patience was required, in waiting for means to be accumulated sufficient to construct a reliable bridge. A part of the season the river could be " forded," and the rest it could gen- erally be ferried, except when flood-wood or ice or high water alone prevented. Ferry charges were often high, and the indignant citizens would make up a little fund and run a free ferry for a time.
Dec. 19, 1857, a bridge meeting resolved to proceed at once. Mr. Applebee presented a plan. On the 23d, S. Wiggin's plan was adopted. Bridge to be on Mill street. Committee on build-
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
ing-Milo Gilbert, Ira Brackett, P. C. Turner, D. W. Poindexter, R. M. Waller, Samuel Hackley, I. K. Lee and R. W. Humphrey. $2,200 was subscribed, and contract let to Mr. Wiggin, to be as- sisted by P. C. Turner. Length 195 feet; estimated cost $2,086.50. It seems, however, that the work did not go ou, until in January, 1858, when it was started, but was carried away in the flood of that year. It was a huge wooden arch, with a curve of ten or twelve feet.
Dec. 11, 1860, a meeting was held to take into consideration the practicability of erecting a bridge across the Cedar at that place. Plans were submitted by O. D. Spaulding and O. Allbee, and a committee appointed to inspect them and report at the next meeting, December 22, at the Stone Hall. This meeting, low- ever, was held a week later, when a plan was submitted by F. W. Crosby, of Tama County, and a committee appointed to raise funds. But little was done for some time. Other meetings were held, and the work dragged along, and the bridge was not really com- pleted until March 28, 1864. In 1866 the most of the bridge and one pier were swept away, and a new wooden bridge was put up in its place, being completed the last week of March, 1867.
In 1870 a beautiful and substantial iron bridge was completed at this point. It is of the "L. E. Truesdell patent, " an iron double truss, 240} feet in length, two spans, respectively 123} and 117 feet, with a roadway eighteen feet in the clear, and sidewalks five feet in the clear. The bridge is all of iron, except the floor beams and planking.
By contract the bridge was to cost $45 per lineal foot, or $10,822.50 for the whole structure, to be paid for in " Floyd County Bridge Warrants, " bearing ten per cent. interest. W. H. and L. E. Truesdell, of Belvidere, Ill., were the contractors.
The stone work is substantial and well finished, and cost $ 3600. It was built under the supervision of Col. J. P. Knight and Judge A. L. Collins.
This bridge was completed June 8, following, and a test of its strength and solidity instituted which satisfied all parties. In 1882 it was replanked and repainted.
CHARLES CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
For most of the following history we are indebted to the paper prepared and read last year by Miss Willian Knapp, of Charles City, now Mrs. Charles Dexter, of Minneapolis, Minn.
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CHARLES CITY.
In 1855 there were very few families in Charles City, but those few were an enterprising people. They must have a school, and they did. A small house 18 x 20 feet, built and owned by San- ford Harwood, and located about where Judge Reiniger's resi- dence now stands, was rented, Miss Melinda Palmer engaged as teacher, and the little school quietly opened. In the following winter Dr. J. M. Parsons assumed the title of teacher, and gath- ered his little flock in a building situated not twenty feet from the center of this room, or, to be more exact, on the present site of the Savings Bank.
The next summer Miss Palmer's name appeared again as teacher. This was the summer, 1856, when the first school-house was built. Mr. Sanford Harwood had the contract and erected a frame house 26 x 30 feet in size, on the block since occupied by our High School building. Eleven years it was a shelter and a second home for the children, and when it could no longer hold them, it was sold and removed to lots back of Woolley & Snyder's foundry.
In the summer of 1827 Miss L. E. Raymond, now Mrs. Mc- Kinley, was placed at the head of the school, which she tells us then numbered sixty pupils. She describes it as a happy, profit- able term. She was succeeded in the winter by J. M. Brainard, a gentleman who is described as possessing a violin and a lovely little wife.
The season of 1857 was one of great prosperity, and an " acad- emy " was started in Charles City, May 4, by J. M. Brainard, teacher. " Ainsworth's Academy," at present, is a select school of fifty-two pupils, taught by Mrs. Miner.
This closes the first period of development, Up to this time the school was supported by a pro rata tax, each man paying according to the number of children he sent, thereby exempting all the old bachelors and bald-headed men, but now a new law revolutionized matters. It was provided that each civil township should become a township district, to be divided into subdistricts each of which must have a school at least twenty-four weeks in the year. One director elected from each subdistrict formed a board of directors, who should organize and have charge of all the schools in the township district. It was also provided that the schools be sup- ported by a tax on all assessed property. In accordance with the new law, the people of St. Charles Township elected a board of directors in the spring of 1858. May 15 those gentlemen met at the office of Dr. J. W. Smith, organized, and elected Dr. J. M.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Parsons, President ; Harvey Kellogg, Vice-President ; and Dr. J. W. Smith, Secretary ; at that time the most important office. The other directors were A. W. French, R. W. Humphrey and William Harvey, all active men and willing to work for the public good.
With the organization of this board, a new impetus was given to the growth of popular education. Soon after, the board fixed the boundaries of six subdistricts, that part of Charles City lying west of the Cedar River becoming District No. 2, and on the east side District No. 3. We shall confine this history during the second and third periods to the latter.
PUBLIC SCHOP
CHARLES CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
Nov. 1, 1858, we find it recorded in Dr. Smith's well known hand: " B. T. Catlin is employed as teacher in Subdistrict No. 3 at $35 per month, " and also: "Voted that twenty-four days be considered a month. " Mr. Brant Tecumseh Catlin is described as a young man of fine education and gentlemanly bearing. He passed away from these scenes years ago, and now lives in one of the Eastern States.
In the spring of 1859 we pause to record the election of Mr. Asa W. French as Secretary of the School Board, an office which he continued to hold for twenty years. During this summer Miss
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CHARLES CITY.
Mary D. Cheney was installed as school-ma'am over the large tangle of children. In September it is recorded: "Voted, that if the director can hire a room for $3 per month, and a teacher for $3.50 per week, we support two schools in Subdistrict No. 3 the coming winter." For two or three years previous, Misses Olive and Mary Cheney had taught a select school in a small building on the lots back of what is known as the Ely House barn. This room was rented of them for the winter, afterward bought and repaired and the school was divided, Miss Betsey Hunter, now Mrs. Atkins, of Decorah, selected as teacher of the primary department, and Mr. A. W. French placed over the higher school. Mr. French's report at the close of the winter term is the oldest in existence.
The two departments were continued during the summer follow- ing under Miss Mary D. Cheney and Miss Ellen L. Wilbur. In the winter, Mr. E. J. McClelland took Miss Cheney's place in the higher school, the primary having no change. He continued at the head of the school one year, when he went into the southern part of the State, and word has since been received that he is dead.
Feb. 23, 1861, a school meeting was held, when the principal business was to devise means for building a union school-house. For this purpose it was desired to unite Subdistricts Nos. 2 and 3, but a majority of the residents were opposed to union; some were opposed conditionally. A resolution was adopted for locating the school building on that side of the river where the largest sub_ scription should be raised. Estimates of cost of the building were submitted.
About this time C. A. Slocum was engaged as principal.
Next follows, in the summer of 1862, Wmn. N. Witted and Miss Katie Wright, and in the succeeding winter the same gentleman and Mrs. Alma L. Bennett. Nothing, save the names, has been learned of this year's labor.
In the summer of 1863 Miss Ellen L. Wilbur entered the higher school, was married in August, and signs her report with the name of Ellen L. Slocum. Miss Olive O. Cheney was engaged in the primary school the same term, and continued there three years and a half, with the exception of one term. In the winter of 1863 and 1864, Mr. Wm. N. Witted returned and continued in the school during the summer of 1864. Mr. Witted is spoken of highly as a very good teacher. We have learned that after leaving Charles City he went to South America, and there died of yellow fever.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Miss Matilda Smith took his place in the school, and Miss O. O. Cheney having gone East for the winter, Miss Lida Peters was engaged for the little people. This brings us to the spring of 1865. The school law of 1858, previously mentioned, had, with a few changes, become established beyond the fear of a repeal. Good houses were built in nearly all the subdistricts, for which the township district had paid. The increased number of children demanded a new school-house in No. 3. At a meeting of the Board of Directors, Dr. Smith being President, the people of Charles City asked, through him, for a house not costing less than $8,000. " You can't have it, " said the board. "We must, " said Dr. Smith. After much skirmishing it was finally voted to build a stone house, 50 x 60 feet in dimension, two stories high, each story to be fifteen feet in the clear, basement eight feet ; we quote from the record. Limited by these instructions, which the Doctor dared not ask to have changed, he went to Chicago and procured the plans and specifications, which were afterward, with a few alterations, accepted by the board. Bonds bearing ten per cent. interest were readily taken.
ST. CHARLES GRADED SCHOOL.
Probably the first instance in the State of Iowa where a town- ship established a graded school under the general school law, was the building of the magnificent school edifice at Charles City in 1865-'66; and for its erection and completion great credit is due Dr. J. W. Smith, then President of the School Board of St. Charles District Township. Besides devoting much of his time to the work, he advanced $175 from his own pocket for plans and specifi- cations from Bloomington, Ill.
At the annual meeting of the district township in March, 1865, it was voted that a school-house be built, to cost not less than $8,000; and the contract for its erection was made shortly afterward. Then the difficult question arose, how shall the money be obtained to pay the contractors ? The treasury contained less than $1,400, and the law, which limited the levy of taxes to five mills on the dollar, would give less than $2,000 per annum for school-house purposes in the entire township district ; and out of these funds two other school-houses were to be built in other parts of the town. ship. These latter houses were built, one of stone, 22 x 32 feet on the ground, and fourteen feet in the clear, at a cost of
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CHARLES CITY.
$1,400 ; the other of wood, 20 x 30 feet on the ground and twelve feet in the clear, at a cost of $900. These were built at the same time that work on the larger structure in the village was going forward. The financial problem was solved by issuing warrants upon the treasury from time to time, bearing interest at ten per cent., payable annually. These warrants were cashed at par by various citizens friendly to the enterprise, and thus the means were provided to carry forward and complete the work.
Joseph Johnson, of Cedar Falls, was awarded the contract to do the mason work on the large house in the village. The work com- menced June 28, 1865, but the contractor did not proceed as rapidly with it as was expected, and winter came before the walls were up. He concluded his bid was too low and went to Kansas. His bondsmen, however, made good the contract, probably at a slight loss.
The carpenter and joiner work was done by Robinson & Elliott, of Cedar Falls.
The building was completed by Jan. 1, 1867. It is 50 x 60 feet on the ground, and three stories high. The lower rooms, in the basement, are ten feet in the clear, and the second and third stories are each fifteen feet in the clear. The house is surmounted by an exceedingly tasteful tower, or belfry, which gives the whole struct- ure a beautiful and commanding appearance. The material of which the walls are built is a handsome gray limestone, quarried near town. The windows are large, arched and elaborately finished. The plastered walls are all hard-finished, smooth, and white as snow. The wood-work is all grained in imitation of oak. There are six large rooms, each capable of seating from seventy-five to one hundred pupils. The seats and desks were purchased in Chicago. They are made of cherry, and are of two kinds,-one the combina- tion seat and desk, and the other the collegiate desk and chair. Each room is slated entirely around, for black-board work. The reception room is situated between the termini of the two opposite flights of stairs in the second story. Ventilation good, closets large and commodious, and all the work well done.
The contract price of the house, for mason and joiner work, was $10,661.67, which does not include the furnishing bill. The amount paid for stoves and desks and placing the same in the different rooms ready for use, was $1,294.35, making the total cost $11,956.02.
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
During the building of this house labor was dear, new stone quarries had to be opened, and nearly all the lumber had to be hauled from Cedar Falls or Waverly, a distance of thirty to forty- five miles.
The opening of the first term of school in this building was form- ally announced for Monday, Jan. 21, 1867, with D. W. C. Dun- can, A.B., as principal, assisted by a competent corps of teachers. The school opened with four departments,-primary, intermediate, grammar and high school,-the latter comprising spelling, algebra, natural philosophy, chemistry, geology, astronomy, higher mathe .. matics, physical geography, languages, bookkeeping and analysis. Tuition free to all students residing within the township, and $5 to $S per term to others.
GENERAL SCHOOL HISTORY RESUMED.
During the summer, while the work of the new school-house was going on, Miss Matilda Smith continued in the higher school, but in the following winter Miss Shepardson took Miss Smith's place. In those days they fastened the school-house door with a piece of bark, and drew close about the fire on cold mornings. It is also related that at noontime the children might often be seen flying out of the house pell-mell, behind them appearing John Chapman, wildly flourishing a broom. The door would close with a loud bang. and when the bolder ones crept softly up to the window, behold Jolin setting before the fire, poker in hand, enjoying himself alone. Miss Shepardson was a fine teacher for such a turbulent school. In the summer of 1866, Miss Mary E. Stearns, now Mrs. John R. Waller, taught the higher department, [Miss Cheney, as before mentioned, having charge of the primary. These were the last schools in the old houses, and brings us to the close of the second period.
Again we turn to the record-Oct. 6, 1866: " On motion of Mr. Allbee, it was voted to employ D. W. C. Duncan to teach and have supervision of the graded school in Subdistrict No. 3, at $1,000 per year. On motion of Mr. Humphrey, $16 per week was allowed to procure assistants, and it was provided that the principal should be consulted in the choice of assistants." We call attention to this because it is the first time the word principal is recorded, and in- dicates a new dignity.
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CHARLES CITY.
Under Mr. Duncan's supervision five grades were established, taught by different teachers, whose names, had we space, we would gladly give. You will recall a few of them, viz: Miss Louisa Robinson, Miss Ruth Woodin, Miss Grace Davidson, Miss Helen Smith, Miss Laura Warn.
Mr. Duncan remained two years, when in the fall of 1868, S. F. Wood was employed as principal, at a salary of $800 per annum.
He was followed by G. W. Bennett, now editor of the Mitchell County News.
Then came James H. Magoffin, in the spring of 1870. Many pleasant and a few amusing incidents are told of his work here. We must beg leave to give one. It happened one afternoon as a young lady lifted the lid of her desk she discovered a litter of little pink mice. Of course a suppressed scream and a chorus of giggles followed. This called for an investigation on the spot. " Who did that ? Who put those mice in Miss A's. desk ?" and the gentle- manly teacher looked sternly at the bad boys, revolving in his mind what appropriate punishment he should inflict. There was dead silence in the room, when slowly arose a studious youth, who had the reputation of being one of the good ones, and in the low, measured tones of Irving Smith came the words, "Professor, I did." Mr. Bennett was taken wholly by surprise.
Mr. Magoffin's work closed here soon after the formation of the independent district. With that organization began the last period of our history, which must be passed over rapidly.
Charles City was set off as an independent school-district, taking in something more than sub-districts two and three, in the spring of 1871. The first Board of Directors for the district, organized at the council rooms, March 20th ; members, J. S. Root, President, F. Burnham, Henry Pettit, Dr. J. W. Smith, F. T. Swift, J. W. Lehmkuhl. The school could now advance without hindrance. A new stone house was erected on the west side of the river, but was burned when nearly completed. About half-past two o'clock in the morning of Dec. 13, 1871, the fire was first discovered, and then it was under full headway. The loss fell upon the con- tractors, principally Mr. Bridge, contractor for the wood-work, who had an insurance of $1,400 upon it. Chris. Kuhnlee, contractor for the mason work, had no insurance. The total loss was $2,573.96. The origin of the fire is a mystery. The next year it was rebuilt, and is now the best one in the district. It is two stories high, built of beautiful dark gray limestone, with which the county
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
abounds, painted with black cement, and the corners finished off with light yellow stone. It is surmounted with a handsome bell tower. There are two school-rooms, each 24 x 35 feet, having forty desks, iron frame, wood work of oiled cherry. The rooms have large blackboards, ventilators, etc. The wood work is handsomely grained, the work of Taylor. The lower room is fourteen feet from floor so ceiling, the upper fourteen and one-half feet. The halls are commodious, and the stairway wide and roomy. The building is in every way superior to the one burned some time before, and is a splended advertisement for the mechanics who have had charge of building it, and an honor to the School Board that have gone forward with this good work, though they may have had opposition and grumbling to contend with. A. L. Collins was contractor for the whole job ; George Craig the stone work, and did it in his best style ; W. W. Dennis put many neat touches on the wood work.
In the fall of 1871, Irwin Shepard, of Chelsea, Mich., was employed as principal of the schools. He planned the High School course to extend four years of ten months each, making a sum total of forty months ; the requirements for entering the High School were as high then as they have ever been since. In 1878 the school year was reduced from ten months to nine, thereby reducing the course to thirty-six months. In 1879 two terms were taken from it, making it, as it now stands, thirty months long, or but three-fourths of the old course of study.
Mr. Shepard remained four years, taking the class of 1875 through the work he had planned. He then went to Winona, Minn., as principal of the High School there, was promoted to the superintendency of the city schools, and in 1879 became principal of the First State Normal School of Minnesota, a position which he now occupies.
Prof. Shepard was followed by S. F. Farnham, of Oldtown, Me., who remained in charge but one year, wlien he became cashier of the Charles City Bank, and dwells in Charles City to-day. Then a call was sent to Mr. J. C. Yocum, of Boscobel, Wis. He came in the fall of the centennial year, and, happily for the citizens, has remained even to this day. Under Mr. Yocum's tuition a second class of three members graduated in 1878, a third class of six members in 1879, a fourth class of seven members in 1880, and a fifth and crowning cl assof fifteen members in 1881.
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CHARLES CITY.
Three years ago by the advice of Prof. Yocum, an association was formed of the alumni of the school. This society last year numbered thirty-four members.
At the commencement exercises of June 17, 1881, Hon. A. B. F. Hildreth delivered the address before the graduating class, which we would gladly put here in print had we space.
PRESENT STATUS OF THE CHARLES CITY SCHOOLS ..
Buildings .- These are six in number. The principal building on the east side of the Cedar River is of stone, two stories in height with a basement. It contains five commodious school-rooms, one rec- itation room and the superintendent's office, all of which are heated by furnaces placed in the basement. It accommodates the high school, two grammar schools, and two primaries. It is provided with physical and chemical apparatus, an herbarium, a cabinet of minerals, a small zoological collection, and a good outfit of maps, globes, and other appliances for successful teaching. It is sur- rounded by a play-ground containing eight city lots. On the same grounds is a two-story frame house containing two rooms, each accommodating sixty primary pupils.
There is a commodious frame house in the Third Ward which will seat fifty pupils. In the eastern part of the independent district, and belonging to the city system, there is a new school-house, the seating capacity of which is about thirty.
On the west side of the river are two school-houses. The prin- cipal one is of stone two stories high with two rooms, seated for about sixty pupils each. It is well furnished and commodious and is warmed by a furnace placed in the cellar. Its grounds com- prise an entire block, handsomely fenced and containing an abun- dance of fine shade trees. In one corner of these grounds is located a one-story frame, seating sixty primary pupils.
All of the buildings are well supplied with black-boards, maps, globes, charts, etc.
Course of Study, Enrollment, etc .- The course of study covers a period of twelve years, including the high school, and differs in no material respect from the courses found in all well organized city schools.
For several years the annual enrollment of pupils has averaged about 800, with an average daily attendance of nearly 600, and a record of 99.7 per cent. in punctuality. During the year just
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HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
closed (June 25, 1882), the entire enrollment has been 809 with an attendance of seventy-two pupils in the high school department.
The enumeration of the Charles City Independent School Dis- trict in the summer of 1882, gave 485 males and 462 females; total, 947.
That the schools are prosperous and are appreciated by the citi- zens, is shown by the fact that, during the year, 1,538 adults have visited the various departments to witness the daily school exer- cises. The city has been unusually fortunate in electing for its school officers men who take a lively interest in educational affairs, who are wisely economical, and judiciously liberal in the expendi- ture of the public money, and who promote the efficiency of the schools by discouraging frequent changes of teachers.
Present Board of Directors: Hon. A. B. F. Hildreth, President; W. D. Balch, B. W. Stevens, Dr. L. P. Fitch, P. W. Burr and A. R. Spriggs. J. R. Adron is Secretary, and F. A. Roziene Treasurer.
BANKS.
First National Bank .-- The stockholders met at Taylor's Hall Jan. 30, 1871, for the purpose of organization. A. B. F. Hildreth was called to the Chair, and Alex. R. Spriggs was elected Secre- tary. Articles of association were adopted and signed, and the number of directors determined to be seven. The following were then elected Directors: A. G. Case, Jolin P. Taylor, Milo Gil- bert, H. C. Raymond, A. B. F. Hildreth, John Kuck and C. C. Siver. These men elected A. G. Case, Pres .; J. P. Taylor, Vice- Pres .; and C. C. Siver, Cashier. The bank opened for business, April 18 following, under favorable auspices. Capital, $50,000. Present officers: A. G. Case, President; H. C. Raymond, Vice- President; H. C. Baldwin, Cashier. The other Directors-H. F. Lambert, C. P. Ellis, V. G. Barney, R. M. Waller and A. B. F Hildreth.
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