USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 36
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The Hampton postoffice was made a money order station in 1869. The first order was issued by Stearns & North, payable to Westfall & Hines, of Dubuque, Iowa, amount $50. The first order paid was presented by George A. Lambert, of Iowa Falls, amount $50. At the inauguration of rural postal routes, several were established in the county, Hampton being the main office at first, and for several years past the city has had a free delivery system.
HOTELS
The inn or tavern, always early set up for the convenience of the wayfarer, was a prime necessity in the pioneer towns of this great country of ours. The prospector and land seeker needing shelter would always find the latchstring on the outside of the settler's cabin door, which meant a welcome and a place to stay over night or as long as his business detained him; and this without any com- pensation to his host. For the stranger from the outside world was looked upon as a grateful gift, sent by Providence, to retail the hap- penings in the east. Mayhap, he came from the settler's own state, and best of all, his neighborhood. Little sleep would be indulged in by the household until the wee small hours of the night. Every word of the stranger was considered as a letter from home and the tales would be absorbed with avidity by his audience, eager for any intelligence from the homes they left behind them. The traveler might be an adept in story-telling. This made him a guest of the
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family and on his departure he was given Godspeed and a hearty in- vitation to come again.
When villages sprung up one of the first buildings to be erected was for the traveler and frequently given a high sounding title; at times the hostelry was known by the name of the landlord.
The first hotel in Hampton was built by John E. Boyles, a story- and-a-half frame building which stood on Fourth street, between Reeve and Main. The carpenter work was done by Andrew J. Cannam and James Hogan in the spring of 1857. Boyles was the cheerful and accommodating boniface of this inn for a while, and in the years of its existence following there presided over its destinies and the creature comforts of its guests James Guthrie, A. J. Can- nam, Mordecai Dodge, J. E. Hunter, Abner Adams; then again J. E. Hunter, A. J. Cannam and lastly, John Collony, whose adminis- tration was cut short in 1876, when the historic old building was destroyed by fire.
Andrew J. Cannam was the landlord of Hampton's second hotel. He was a Franklin county pioneer, coming to the county seat in 1856, where he followed the carpenter's trade until 1864. He was known far and near as one of the most popular hotel men in the state and became one of the successful men of the town. He first opened a hotel in what was known as the Barger building, in 1864. In 1875 he put up a large frame structure on South Reeve street. opposite the city park, in which were thirty-one rooms. Here he held forth for four years, when he disposed of the property and retired, only to again take charge of the hotel in 1881, remaining as its landlord until 1883, when J. H. Rule took charge. The Cannam House some years ago was changed in name and is now known as Hotel Hampton. There have been many landlords at this old hos- telry ; the present one is J. T. Stephens, who serves his patrons as well as the facilities of a primitive house will permit.
The Phoenix Hotel was opened in 1865, by E. S. Stiles, in an old frame building that had been moved from its original site to the corner of Fourth and Main streets, and gave way, in the spring of 1912, to the new and handsome Windsor building. The original Phoenix had for many years served as the residence of Chauncey Gillett, and from time to time after its removal was accommodated with additions that spread the hotel over the ground to a consider- able exent. The Phoenix was a very popular hostelry and lasted longer than any of its predecessors.
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The largest and most pretentious business block ever erected in Hampton is the Rule block. This structure was built in 1880 at a cost of $50,000 by a local corporation under the name of the Hampton Building Association and was named the Beed block in honor of George Beed, who was president of the company and owned a majority of stock in the building. The Rule block stands on the corner of Reeve and Fourth streets and in dimensions is 132X120 feet, three stories with basement, and is built of brick. The first story con- tains a bank, six store rooms, barber shop and bath rooms. The second and third stories are used for hotel purposes. At the time that this block was erected it was one of the finest and best business blocks to be found in northern Iowa and had the distinction of being the only building in the state north of Marshalltown heated by steam. The first landlord was D. P. Simpson who was in charge only three months; next came Frank L. Taylor, who remained for three years; then came A. J. Cannam, who managed the hotel for several years, and he was succeeded by John H. Rule, now of Bel- mond, who was successful during a several years' lease of the property. In recent years the hotel has changed landlords frequently.
HOUSES OF ENTERTAINMENT
There have not been many buildings in Hampton put up for pub- lic use. Probably the first one of this character was the old Methodist frame church building, which was purchased in 1893 by A. M. Bailey and moved onto the lot adjoining and east of the Public Library site. This was known as Bailey's Hall and conducted as a place of amusement several years. The building was finally bought by a stock company, comprised of local men. That part of the build- ing used by the church as an assembly room was detached, placed to the rear of the main part and converted into a stage. A horse-shoe gallery was built, and when the remodeling had been completed Hampton had a fairly presentable theatre (known as the Olympic) , which existed ten years and was then dismantled.
Harriman's Opera House was built by Dr. O. B. Harriman in the '70s and still stands on the corner of Fourth and Main streets as a monument of his enterprise. This is a brick building, stretching and facing a long distance on Main street. The hall is in the second story and still is used on occasions for entertainments.
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In 1912, a modern, splendidly constructed and handsome opera house was built and is a part of the Windsor block. This building was made possible by members of the Knights of Pythias lodge, who formed a stock company and sold shares to any purchaser who desired to become identified with the improvement. The Wind- sor was finished, in 1913, on the site of the old Phoenix hotel and is the finest structure in the city. The material is pressed brick with stone trimmings and dimensions 66x128, two stories in height, with basement. On the first floor, on the Main street entrance, is the opera house, having a wide and deep entresol to the doorways of the auditorium, which has installed opera chairs. On the north end of the hall is the stage and scenery; a horse-shoe gallery is on the south. Here one sees as pretty, convenient and comfortable a little playhouse as can be found in the state. Its seating capacity is about six hundred and fifty.
Above is the home of Windsor Lodge, Knights of Pythias, built and arranged after plans selected by members of the lodge. These rooms are charming and attractive in their appointments and are so arranged as to meet almost any purpose desired by those concerned.
On Fourth street is a lobby, which incloses the entrance to offices and the basement. In the latter the Franklin County Recorder took up its home in May, 1913, and no country newspaper in the state is more comfortably located than the Recorder. East of the entrance is a store room. The Windsor building cost in the neighborhood of $40,000.
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and this is an era of fraternalism. Men, and women too, for that matter, realize that they can be mutually helpful by cooperation and affiliation. Fraternities are "night schools," if you please. Men meet together in their various societies for a common purpose and believe in cer- tain common principles. Reference is made, of course, only to such societies or fraternities as respect the law, reverence God and love men. Such institutions are a benefit to society. The members are better citizens, better husbands and better men. They are improved mentally. Fraternities bring members of the different classes of society together on a common level, which tends to remove preju- dices and jealousies and make men more contented and happy. Their ceremonials cause them to forget their sorrows for the time being, and all believe that it is better to whistle than to whine and better to laugh than to cry.
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The order of the Knights of Pythias has been represented for thirty-one years in this city by Windsor Lodge, No. 71. The lodge was instituted in 1882, by A. E. Menuez, S. D. G. C., assisted by Grand Chancellor E. H. Hibben, of Marshalltown; J. E. E. Mark- ley, Duncan Rule, O. R. Hall, D. J. Stewart, and J. H. Hawkins, of Cerro Gordo Lodge, No. 70, of Mason City; E. L. Swift, of St. Almo Lodge, No. 55, of State Center ; E. R. Jones and B. J. Statler, of Cosmopolitan Lodge, No. 38, of Marshalltown. The charter members consisted of seventeen persons: F. L. Taylor, N. W. Beebe, D. W. Henley, B. S. King, W. A. Church, C. S. Guilford, J. B. Gray, S. M. Stephens, E. Harmon, Jr., J. H. Neff, I. L. Stuart, J. T. McCormick, John McNeill, S. E. Hall, John M. Heming- way, H. L. Harrison and S. M. Jones. Of this number thirteen are living today, although but three-Messrs. Beebe, Hemingway, and Stuart-are now residents of Hampton. Windsor Lodge has a mem- bership of 200.
FRATERNAL BODIES AND SOCIETIES
In 1866, Anchor Lodge, A. F. & A. M., was granted a dispen- sation and under its authority the lodge was organized with the fol- lowing charter members and officials: J. T. Stearns, W. M .; G. W. Nash, S. W .; James Thompson, J. W .; J. F. Robbins, treasurer ; H. C. Graves, secretary.
It will be seen by a glance over these names that the early mem- bers of the Hampton Masonic lodge were of that class of men who took a prominent part in building the town and shaping its course.
On June 6, 1867, the lodge was granted a charter, taking the number 191. The officials selected to complete the permanent or- ganization follow: J. T. Stearns, W. M .; E. S. Stiles, S. W .; Dr. O. B. Harriman, J. W .; U. Weeks, treasurer; H. C. Graves, secre- tary.
The first meeting place of the lodge was in an upper room of the old stone schoolhouse which stood on Reeve street facing the public square, and for some years past its headquarters have been in the Meyers building.
A dispensation was issued to Anchor Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, July 22, 1873, and its first regular convocation was held December 31st. R. S. Benson was the first high priest; Nial Mc- Donald, secretary. A charter was issued to Anchor Chapter, No.
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69, Royal Arch Masons, October 21, 1874, at which time R. S. Ben- son was elected high priest; and Nial McDonald, secretary.
Franklin Chapter, No. 77, Order Eastern Star, was instituted November 29, 1889. Its first officials were: Mrs. J. H. Hutchins, W. M .; E. S. Patterson, W. P .; Mrs. Dora B. Parks, A. M .; E. V. Baldwin, treasurer; M. L. Tidd, secretary; Mrs. Joanna Upson, C.
Hampton Lodge, No. 218, I. O. O. F., was chartered by the grand lodge, October 19, 1871. Albert Pickering, George A. Lam- bert, Robert Jeffers, John Bolton, Charles D. Mattock and M. G. Rogers were the initial members, who chose for the official body : Albert Pickering, N. G .; Robert Jeffers, V. G .; Charles D. Mat- tock, secretary; M. G. Rogers, treasurer.
The lodge now numbers about eighty members and has an auxil- iary chapter of the Daughters of Rebekah. Hampton Encamp- ment, No. 78, was instituted May 7, 1875.
Hampton also has a lodge of Modern Woodmen, which has a strong membership.
THE HAMPTON CHRONICLE BUILDING Erected in 1904 on Fourth Street
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SECOND HAMPTON SCHOOL BUILDING Erected in 1865 on South Reeve Street
CHAPTER XXIV
EDUCATIONAL-SCHOOLS OF HAMPTON AND THEIR ADVANTAGES- FIRST SCHOOL TAUGHT AND THE SCHOOLHOUSES-PRESENT SCHOOL BUILDINGS-DISTRICT SCHOOLS AND THEIR PROGRESS.
In the winter of 1856-7, S. H. Van Kirk, a man of education and refinement, taught the first school in Hampton, in a small building which stood on the corner of Reeve and Second streets. The few pupils were given instructions for about three months, their par- ents having subscribed a certain amount of money for that length of time. Mr. Van Kirk became well known throughout the com- munity and for several years served the county as its official sur- veyor. The improvised school building later went into commission as the Whitney House, a hostelry well patronized in the early days.
The first schoolhouse erected at the county seat was ready for occupancy in the spring of 1857. The building was not much more than a shanty and cost a little over one hundred dollars. There were no desks. The absence of- all the conveniences known to the present generation was one of its salient features. An old drum stove, stuffed with knots of wood, in a measure gave to the dimin- utive room cheer and comfort, but the lack of comfortable seats, sufficient light, blackboards and the like was not conducive to com- fort and general satisfaction. However, the children acquired the rudiments of an education and were fitted for better things that were coming their way. A young lady, Clara Wyatt, still in her teens, taught this primitive school.
The second schoolhouse was built in 1858 and paid for out of public funds. It was a small frame affair, built on Third street, and it is the prevailing impression that the frame of this building became a part of the residence of B. F. Kline, which still stands on Fourth street, one block west of the high school. At any rate, the old structure stood on the site of the Kline residence.
In 1865 Hampton had outgrown the old schoolhouse and a grout (concrete and stone) building, two stories in height, containing
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four rooms, was erected on the ground now occupied by Gray's and the Robinson buildings on Reeve street. It was thought at the time that Hampton would never be large enough to fill the four rooms with pupils; therefore, the south half of the schoolhouse was rented -the lower room to the county and the upper room to the Masonic lodge. However, long before another building was erected it be- came necessary to rent extra rooms for school purposes.
In 1876, a splendid tract of land was purchased by the city near the foot of East Fourth street, on the southwest corner of which a three-story brick building was erected at a cost of about $20,000. The lower four rooms in the building were not intended to be oc- cupied by pupils, but it was only a few years until it became neces- sary to finish them and use this space for school purposes, although they were never comfortable or convenient on account of the large furnaces that were in them. To relieve the pressure on the accommo- dations of this building, a schoolhouse was erected on the west side in 1883, which now is filled to its full capacity.
The east side building, in September, 1892, was repaired and with apparatus installed brought the cost of the property up to about $25,000, all of which was lost by fire, the building being practically destroyed February 15, 1893. Fortunately, the sum of $16,200 insur- ance placed on the building and fixtures was recovered and formed a substantial nucleus for a new structure.
The present school building which took the place of the burned structure was dedicated Friday, January 19, 1894. Work on its con- struction commenced in the fall of 1893. The contract price was $27,000. It is a brick edifice consisting of two stories and a base- ment, the latter being four feet below the surface and six feet above. The lower story has a thirteen-foot ceiling and the upper is sixteen feet in height. There are three large rooms in the basement, six on the first floor above the street and four beside the high-school room on the upper floor. The ground dimensions are 881/2 feet. fronting on Fourth street, and 103 feet in depth. The heighth is 42 feet from the ground to the cornice, and the tower 110 feet. On the two street sides the material is of brown pressed birck with stone trimmings. When finished the total cost of this splendid building amounted to $32,000. This includes fixtures.
And now in this year of grace, 1913, the school authorities are facing another problem similar to those which have been met by their predecessors. Although Hampton has not very appreciably grown in
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population, it seems the number of school children and modern plans adopted for their advancement in rudimentary lines of education and advanced ideas, apparently have made it necessary to increase the space and facilities for carrying on the school work in a manner com- mensurate with the present scientific methods of instruction. The ex- tension course of study in the high school and the addition of new subjects in the curriculum have necessitated more room and special equipment. The high school is much more complex than formerly and in order to be modern and progressive it is necessary, so it ap- pears, to make more room and acquire more equipment to meet these changing conditions. To further this end, an election was held on January 2, 1914, for the purpose of voting on the proposition and issu- ing bonds in a sum not to exceed $60,000 for the purpose of construct- ing and equipping a new high-school building. A further sum of $7,500 to be issued in bonds was before the voters for acceptance or rejection, to be used in rebuilding and equipping the east side school building, and $2,500 for the purpose of rebuilding and equipping the west side schoolhouse. The proposition was carried by the fol- lowing votes : For issuing bonds in the sum of $60,000 for new high- school building, 359; 140 against; for issuing bonds in the sum of $7,500 for the purpose of rebuilding and equipping east side school- house, 383 ; 99 against; for issuing bonds in the sum of $2,500 for the purpose of rebuilding and equipping the west side schoolhouse, 392; 87 against the proposition.
As will be seen all three propositions carried. This was the first election held here in which women voted and, although the weather was stormy, 171 of them went to the polls and cast their ballots, 151 favoring the issuance of bonds and 20 voting against their issuance.
The approximate enrollment in the Hampton schools is six hundred pupils. About one hundred and forty of these are students in the high school, the remainder being enrolled in the various grades and the kindergarten. The kindergarten is at present held in the basement of the public library build- ing, the work being conducted by one teacher and an assist- ant. In the west side building there are five grades maintained and as they are much smaller here, three teachers only are necessary for the work. In the east side building there is a separate teacher for each grade from the first grade to the eighth, inclusive. These grades will average forty or more pupils. The first and second grades occupy rooms in the basement of the building, the remaining grades
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being provided for on the first floor above. The upper floor of the building is used entirely by the high school for assembly and recita- tion rooms, with the exception of one small room, now used for the school library, and another for the superintendent's office. There are five full-time teachers in the high school, and the superintendent also teaches some classes there. There are also four teachers of special subjects, who devote part of their time in work among the high-school students and the remainder with the grades. Altogether there are twenty-two teachers besides the superintendent.
In the grades the common branches are taught complete, and in addition thereto a good course is offered in vocal music, drawing, penmanship, manual training and domestic science. The first three mentioned subjects are taught to all grade pupils in the regular grade rooms and all pupils are required to avail themselves of these ad- vantages. The two latter subjects are taught in the grades, fifth to eighth, inclusive, in specially equipped rooms in the basement of the east side building. Boys are required to take the manual training, and girls domestic science, which in the grades consists largely of plain sewing.
Three courses are offered in the high school and the student is free to elect whichever course he prefers. The college preparatory course requires two years' work either of Latin or German, and four years' work in Latin is offered. This course is designed more especially for those who desire to enter college, with the expectation of adopting a liberal arts course. Some students, however, select this for its general practicability. A normal training course was organ- ized in 1912 and is designed to prepare students for teaching. The school receives from the state $500 yearly for maintaining the normal training department, and the Hampton high school was one of the first in the state to be appointed for this work. Graduation from this course grants to the student a first class certificate without further examination. Agriculture as a branch study was also introduced in 1912 and much benefit to the student has already been accomplished.
RURAL SCHOOLS
One of the first things to occupy the attention of the early settler after he had built his cabin and gotten a foothold in his new posses- sions, was the employment of a teacher to instruct his children in at least the three Rs. The first schools maintained were more on the-
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order of private institutions, the persons presiding over them being paid by voluntary subscriptions of the parents. These pupils were taught in a room set apart for the purpose in the cabin of a settler. Then, maybe, an abandoned building would be in a way prepared for the reception of teacher and pupils, and finally came the schoolhouse and the division of each township into school districts.
From the time of the first development of the county and the or- ganization of the first school district, the number of districts increased very rapidly and educational facilities became more and more ef- ficient. Every decade that passed showed a marked contrast to the preceding one. In 1870 there were 1,889 persons in Franklin county between the ages of five and twenty-one years, 985 males and 904 females, and of these 1, 129 were enrolled in the schools of the county, of which there were fifty-six, one being graded. There were two brick, four stone and thirty-eight frame schoolhouses at that time. Male teachers received an average wage of $36 a month; the av- erage wage of the female teacher was $27.
The first person to teach a class of pupils in Franklin county was Miss Octavia Smith, who afterward became the wife of H. J. Mitch- ell. In June, 1854, the settlers of Reeve township had decided to have a school, so they hired Miss Smith to teach, and for her ser- ices she received the munificent stipend of $1.50 a week. At the time she was a miss of sixteen summers and instructed her pupils in a small log building, which was torn down, removed to Maysville, rebuilt and converted into a blacksmith shop.
In 1855, the settlers in Reeve township got together and put up a schoolhouse of logs they had themselves gotten out of the woods. The building stood near the old Reeve cemetery on the farm of Ben- son Toll. William Boyles taught that school in the winter of 1855, and among his pupils were Orson G. Reeve, Martin B. Jones, now a citizen of Hampton ; David Creighton and his sister Margaret, who became the wife of J. S. Mulkins; and William Shroyer. In the fol- lowing summer, Miss Octavia Smith taught here and had among her pupils Orson G. Reeve and two of his sisters. The building itself was a very primitive affair. When William Boyles first appeared as the pedagogue, he brought a set of maps. He also had a list of the names of state capitals, their population and the principal rivers of the country ; these were set to music and sung by the pupils-a primi- tive, though effective, way of impressing the children's minds with the geographical attributes of their own country. By looking at the
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histories of the various townships, the reader will find some interest- ing details relating to the various pioneer schools of the county.
For many years past Franklin county has expended vast sums of money for educational purposes. The townships all have their dis- trict schools, good buildings, some of which are well equipped with facilities for advanced students. There are now twelve school town- ships, eight city, town and village districts, thirty rural independent districts and one hundred joint districts. The average number of months taught to the district is 8.2; number of teachers employed, 267; average compensation, $46.88; total number of pupils enrolled in 1912 was 3,656; average daily attendance, 2,508. There are 144 schoolhouses in Franklin county, valued at $133,985. The value of apparatus is $8,574; and number of volumes in the various libraries, 6,492.
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