USA > Iowa > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Iowa : its people, industries and institutions, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 16
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In Cincinnati township the first attempt at schooling was at the village of Cincinnati, in the fall of 1859, at the private house of J. S. Fountain. This school was taught by Miss Phoebe Holdzkom.
In Taylor township the first school house was erected in 1859 in section 2, at what was the supposed village plat of "Melrose." The next building for school purposes was in section 31. As the township was settled up more thickly, better and more buildings were speedily provided. The school house above mentioned stood on Job Ross' land in section 31 and the first school was taught therein by Miss Hillis, who later went as a missionary to Ceylon, where she died in 1889.
Harrison township, having been settled by a highly intelligent class of (12)
178
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
people, schools have always been fully as high, if not indeed higher than in other parts of the county. The first term of school was in the winter of 1859-60, at a brick school house in section 27. taught by Joe P. Day, The full enumeration in the township was seventeen males and eleven fe- males. Among the early schools was one in Vineland district. The building there was "fearfully and wonderfully" made. It was built by A. B. Vining and J. E. Emerson and was composed of four posts set into the ground. To these posts were spiked boards, leaving one doorway and two windows. There was no floor, save the hard carth, until cold weather came on when a rough floor was added. This was built in 1868 and the first to teach was Mary Cromie (later, Mrs. T. L. Canfield ). In this shanty school house they held some "huge old spelling schools." It is said that these "spells" were a means of welling numerous hearts together, as is shown by the county marriage records.
FIRST SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIALS.
Of the first school board Ethel P. Brown was president and Henry Olmstead, secretary. They were elected in December, 1856, at an election where four votes were cast. August, 1857, the offices were found vacant and the county school commissioners appointed Henry Olmstead president; James L. Roberts, secretary, and Lorenzo Kellogg, treasurer.
The first school in Boyer township was in a building erected in 1857, about one mile to the north of Woodbine's present town site, but ten years before the coming of the railroad and laying out of the town. It was a frame structure twenty by thirty feet. It was also used for church services and in it Rev. Hiram Moore preached the first sermon in the township, on May 17, 1857. The first school was taught by Lewis Vining. David Selleck and German Brown, two pioneers of the Valley, were leading spirits in get- ting this building erected and furnished most of the material. In 1891 the township, outside of Woodbine, had nine good frame school houses, valued at five thousand four hundred and forty dollars.
In Morgan township the first school building was erected in 1859, on the northeast corner of section 26. This was a frame building, though a very rough one. In 1891 there were eight buildings in this township, in- cluding the one at the town of Mondamin.
Magnolia has always been an educational center of Harrison county. The early schools were kept in private houses. The first school building was erected in 1853. This was a log house and its first term was in 1854. The
179
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
next was an ill-made two-story building designed for a graded school. It was built in 1858 and used until 1866.
The famous Magnolia high school. sometimes called the academy, was built in 1869-70, at a cost of eight thousand dollars. In the autumn of 1870 a Mr. Carr taught therein and the following spring, S. I. King, later a prominent attorney of Logan, and now deceased, commenced teaching and continued until the fall of 1872, when Professor J. D. Hornby assumed charge, remaining until the spring of 1878. These teachers received from eight hundred to one thousand dollars for the school year of ten months.
6
A movement was set on foot in 1873 to make this school a county in- stitution, the Magnolia people offering to donate the building for that pur- pose, but the measure was not successful. Among those who have gone forth into the higher walks of life from this Magnolia high school may be mentioned the following :
Attorneys-at-law-Hon. Thomas Arthur, now of the district court bench of this district; Charles Bolter, John Engleman, W. Hayward, John Kine, Law P. Smith and Charles Wood.
Physicians-Dr. Frank Brainard, W. J. Brownrigg, Edgar Giddings, Thomas Hill, John Huff, Newton Rice. Fred Robbins, Frank Stevens and Newton Silsby.
Religious workers of note in the world -- Rev. Dwight Newell Hillis, now pastor of the Brooklyn Congregational church, formerly presided over by the famous American pulpit orator, Henry Ward Beecher; George Main, Walter Mills, John Newlin, Frank Mintun; as missionaries, Mrs. Myra Case (nee Rice), Miss Nellie Prescott and Laura Harding.
Business men-Thomas Arthur, Willis Stern, Almor Stern, William Wood, Charles Adair, Harry Giddings, Gilbert Peyton, Samuel Berkley, Homer Crane, Mortimer Dally, Eli Houghton, George Kellogg, Edmond Maule. David Maule, Charles Roberts, Herbert Taylor, David Main and Leslie Sherman, besides over fifty intelligent, successful farmers of Har- rison county.
EARLY SCHOOLS IN JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
In Jackson township, education was well seen to by the pioneers. A log school building was "raised" by the first settlers who had children to send to school. It was located on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 34 and was built in 1858. Sophronia Niles was the first
.
1So
HARRISON COUNTY, IOW.I.
to teach. Cynthia Scofield, later Mrs. Gus Gleason, and Alice Main were among the early teachers.
The next school in the township was built in 186; in section 26, and was always known as the "Red Schoolhouse."
In Lincoln township the first public school building was erected in 1859 on Mud creek. The earliest teacher was "Doc" Nathaniel Mefferd. At the close of the Civil War the township was provided with two schoolhouses, one in the southwest part at the James Roberts place, and the other on Mud- creek. In 1890 the township had seven good school buildings, with a total enrollment of one hundred and thirty-six pupils.
In Raglan township, the first school was taught about 1858. when a log school building was erected in section 23. Among the early teachers were Paullina Hillis, Miss Riley and Anna Pate, who taught the first school, as near as can now be learned. She became the wife of Henry Alexander. Other teachers were Mrs. John Pratt, Mrs. Yiesley (then Eva Schofield), Amanda Hetherington, later Mrs. George Musgrave, of Logan, and Mary Me Williams, who married Eugene Scofield.
In Allen township the earliest school was in 1872-73 in section 34, by J. C. McCabe. The school house which had been erected in the fall of 1871 was moved a decade later to section 27. Mr. McCabe taught five terms here and related how he seldom had more than five scholars.
The second school house was in 1874 in section 8. It was a frame struc- ture. It stood on Stowe creek. Twenty-five years ago this township had seven schoolhouses and employed a good grade of teachers, and had an en- rollment of almost two hundred scholars.
In Washington township, the first school was taught at Walker's Grove, at a private house, where five terms were held. Then a regular school build- ing was provided, in which Clara Hedges was first to teach. According to old school reports it is found that in 1890-91 there were two hundred and fifty-eight pupils within the township at that date, and eight good school- houses valued at three thousand dollars. Persia schools were not included in this unniber. In 1884 a school building was erected in Persia at a cost of two thousand dollars. The same is still used. The first school in Persia was taught in a room over a store building in 1883 by Mrs. W. J. Brown- rigg. Prof. C. L. Crow taught first in the new school building erected in 188.4.
18I
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
MISSOURI VALLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Beyond doubt, the most important factor of any town or city. in the long run, is the public school system which fashions the mind for the next generation of business men and social leaders, both in and out of church cir- cles. While it is irne that the mass of our education must be obtained out- side of the school room and after "commencement" is over, yet without a good public school training the future undertakings would be almost a hopeless task upon the part of both men and women.
Missouri Valley has always taken a just pride in her educational facili- ties since the pioneer days. An independent school board was formed at this point, in the spring of 1868, when a frame building was at first leased, but in 1871 a fine public school building was erected at a cost of twelve thou- sand dollars as the contract price. This was known as the Second Ward building. Upon the corner-stone laying there were held imposing public ceremonies, under direction of the Masonic fraternity. On the northeast corner of this building was inscribed the words: "O. P. Watters, G. M .- A. D. 1871 --- 1. L. 5871;" also the names of the school board-"J. D. Brown, president : D. A. Babcock. J. R. Zuver, C. H. Cobleigh, Dr. L. D. Mckinley, Dr. G. II. McGavren. W. M. Pelan, F. M. Dance." On the left side of the building is this: "1871-W. Angelo Powell, Architect-Will- jam P. White, contractor and builder."
In 1891 the independent school district of Missouri Valley had school buildings valued at twenty-six thousand dollars, all of a tasty, substantial character that bespoke well for the planners and builders. Here were taught the best high schools in Harrison county, and many of the terms were taught by educators well up in the profession, who. in later years, have made not only a state-wide but a national reputation as instructors in city schools from one end of the land to the other. Twenty-five years ago there were seven- teen teachers employed in Missouri Valley and an enrollment of six hun- dred and sixty-one pupils, which a year later increased to seven hundred.
The condition of the public schools in 1914 is excellent. As to build- ing facilities, let it be stated that the school buiklings consist of three large, well built, substantial buildings, which accommodate the nine hundred pupils in attendance. Twenty-five women and two men compose the corps of instructors.
182
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
THE DUNLAP SCHOOLS.
The early settlers of Dunlap and vicinity were largely of the intelligent class from New York, New England and some of the middle and western states, including a large number from Ohio and Illinois. These pioneers laid well the foundation for the present school system, which is second to none of its class in the county. The first school here was taught by Miss Wood in the old Congregational church (then a new one) in the winter of 1867-68. In the fall of 1868 H. H. Mckinney was engaged to teach in a private building. July. 1868, an independent district was created of twelve' sections of land, including the plat of Dunlap. In June. 1869. the district bonded itself for four thousand dollars, for the purpose of erecting their first school house. This was a two-story frame building, standing on lots one and two of block 25. It was later used by the Catholic people for their school. It was used, however, as a public school building until 1880, when a two-story brick structure was erected at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. Heath & Rheam, contractors from Marshalltown, built this. This building was erected on block fifty-five, bought at a cost of one thousand dollars. At first large stoves heated the building, but in October, 1883, a modern steam-heating plant was provided at an outlay of two thousand dollars.
In 1873, what was known as the "West Side Building," was erected at a cost of one thousand dollars. the same being a frame structure. The pres- ent school building of Dunlap is in good condition.
The first school board of Dunlap consisted of J. Williams, president; J. Whiteley, T. Whiteley, S. Tarkington, George Swartz. L. F. Coldron, secretary, and II. B. Lyman, treasurer. The reports of Dunlap schools in 1890 show that the vahie of all property was estimated at seventeen thou- sand dollars. Four hundred and forty-eight pupils were enrolled. There were then two male and seven female instructors. Today the enrollment is three hundred and eighty-seven, and the number of teachers is sixteen.
In the early eighties there was an attempt to establish a normal school at Dunlap, but after a year's experiment it failed, and all efforts were then concentrated in building up a higher standard of high school. In this the town succeeded, and for years it was known to possess as good, if not in many ways superior, schools as any town in the county.
The Catholic schools of the place have always been conducted on a high plane and are today excellent. Good instructors are always employed and the Catholic element in the vicinity of the town find this a convenient place at which to educate their children.
I83
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
WOODBINE SCHOOLS-PUBLIC AND NORMAL.
With the passing of almost a half century, the town of Woodbine has proven to the world that her citizens have had the best interests of the edt :- cation of her growing young at heart. In the earlier years of the town's his- tory her public schools were fully up to the standard of the times, and for the last quarter of a century the town has been made wonderfully well known and spoken of throughout the state. as the "Normal School Town." To have been a student at either the high school or normal at Woodbine, has almost universally insured well-educated men and women, many of whom have gone out into the great busy world to do battle for the right and true principles of life, as well as to become enterprising captains of industry.
The early schools were held in a frame building erected by the district in 1868. It was twenty-two by fifty feet and stood in the northeast corner of the town plat, overlooking the beautiful Boyer valley, the grounds now fronting the "Lincoln Highway" and wagon road to the north from town. The old frame house is now in use as a blacksmith's shop on Main street. As a school building, it served until ISSo, when one portion of the present brick school building was erected. This was a two-story, well arranged school house, suited to the different departments then taught. This was suf- ficient until 1887, when a large addition was made, and in 1890 still another addition was made, making the complete building a double cross in shape. The total cost of this building was eleven thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars, divided as follows: Nine thousand eight hundred and sixty dollars and the steam-heating plant one thousand eight hundred dollars. This build- ing served the needs of the town and district up to the time when the splendid brick structure, located on school house square. was erected. The number of pupils in attendance in 1891 was four hundred and forty-seven. The enroll- ment in 1914 was five hundred and thirty-six.
Then there were six teachers and in 1914 there were fifteen instructors, including those employed in the normal school department spoken of later in this chapter.
THE NORMAL SCHOOL.
The first time-in lowa that any school outside the state normal at Ce- dar Falls, was designated as a normal school was when the institution was established, or founded, at Woodbine in 1887.
This school grew out of a necessity for more advantages than could be
18.4
HARRISON COUNTY, JOWA.
obtained at the regular graded schools. It was in January, 188;, that Pro- fessors H. A. Kinney, C. C. Matter and W. O. Riddell. teachers of the county, for a number of years, proposed a plan to the people of Woodbine, by which they required suitable buildings to be erected by the district. This proposition met with the approval of a majority, and a substantial brick building, with seven departments, heated by steam, was ready for use the following September. Its cost was thirteen thousand seven hundred and fifty-four dollars. It has always been the property of the independent dis- trict of Woodbine. This school has the advantage of being so connected with the public school that students desiring to become teachers are placed under special normal instructors. While the buildings are heated and other- wise cared for by the district, the teachers are employed by the faculty, though subject to the approval of the school board.
The gentlemen named above, founders of the "Woodbine Normal," made a contract with the school board in 1887, to teach for two hundred dollars per month and Messrs. Kinney, Matter and Riddell were to have all tuition fees paid in by pupils living outside of Woodbine independent school district. A slight change was made in this contract subsequently, and in the summer of 1891 a new contract was made by the board with the then pro- prietors, Messrs. Kinney, M. A. Reed and W. O. Riddell, Prof. C. C. Mat- ter having withdrawn from the original trio of founders. By this new con- tract the three then in charge were to receive three thousand three hundred dollars per year to instruct in this school, for a term of three years, with the privilege of five years, if mutually satisfactory. The proprietors were to have all tuition money during said periods. Tuition is only charged, how- ever, to those living outside the Woodbine district. But with this plan, the proprietors were to pay all assistant teachers employed. This institution is, and has been from the first, one of high ideals, and of a progressive order. It brings to the town of Woodbine many thousand dollars annually (as much as ten thousand in 1891), besides bringing a very desirable class of young people to the town, now second in Harrison county in population. Many of the teachers in south and southwestern lowa and Nebraska have been students here and have graduated from the normal.
Professors Kinney and Reed have been connected with this school un- til 1914, when the former withdrew. Professor Riddell left many years ago and the superintendent of the Des Moines City schools up to 1913, Prof. C. C. Matter died at Le Mars, Jowa, where he was conducting a nor- mal school and business college in the spring of 1895. A sketch of this gen- tleman appears in the biographical section of this work.
185
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF 1913.
From the annual report of the county school superintendent. to the state authorities, dated August, 1913, the following has been extracted :
Teachers. Buildings. Males. Females. Enrollment.
Allen township
9
2
16
168
Boyer township
9
I
IO
165
Calhoun township
5
I
5
157
Cass township
9
20
231
Cincinnati township
6
11
254
Clay township
6
I
5
13I
Douglas township
9
14
162
Jackson township
5
-
IO
134
Lincoln township
IO
I
8
149
Little Sioux township
7
12
132
Magnolia township
12
2
I7
213
Morgan township
6
I
6
103
Raglan township
5
8
171
Taylor township
5
3
90
Union township
9
I
20
213
Washington township
8
I
13
189
INDEPENDENT CITY, TOWN AND VILLAGES.
Dunlap
I
I
15
387
Logan
I
2
1.4
499
Little Sioux
2
I
3
I32
Magnolia
I
I
2
11.4
Modale
I
I
3
1.44
Mondamin
I
I
5
179
Missouri Valley
I
1
1
1
3
2
25
898
Pisgah
I
3
164
Persia
I
--
4
9-4
Woodbine
2
5
IO
536
1
1 1
1 1
1
1 1 1
1
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1 1
1
1 1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
I
1 1
I
1
1
1 I
186
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
RHRAL INDEPENDENT DISTRICTS.
Teachers. Buildings. Males. Females. Enrollment.
Boyer Valley ( Harrison )
I
I
I
23
Mill Creek (Harrison)
--
I
3
North Picayune ( Harrison)
I
I
I
15
Vineland (Harrison)
I
I
I
23
York ( Harrison)
I
J
9
Boyer Valley ( Jeff. twp.)
I
I
4
16
Elk Grove ( Jefferson twp. )
I
37
Harmony ( Jefferson twp.)
I
I
42
Jeddo (Jefferson twp.)
I
I
24
Liberty ( Jefferson typ.)
1
J
37
Reeder's Mills (Jeff. twp.)
I
53
Center (La Grange)
I
I
26
Fairview (La Grange)
I
--
30
Harris Grove ( La Grange)
I
I
2
42
Linwood ( La Grange)
I
I
2
4I
Mount Vernon ( La Grange) -.
I
2
13
Prairie View (La Grange)_
I
--
3
33
Liberty ( St. John township).
2
2
15
Boyer Valley ( St. John twp. )_
2
--
3
33
Pleasant Hill (St. John twp.)_
I
I
24
Pleasant Valley (St. J. twp.)_
I
I
7
Raymond (St. John township)
I
I
22
St. John's ( St. John twp. )-
I
I
37
Willow Creek (St. John twp.)
2
--
3
43
Totals for County ____ 164
29
297
6,487
-
-
-
-
--
-
-
The average compensation for men is seventy-eight dollars and 65 cents and for women, forty-six dollars and forty-four cents. The only denomina- tional school in the county is the Catholic school at Dunlap.
ADVENT OF THE "CONSOLIDATED" SCHOOLS. By Susie T. Daith, County Superintendent.
During the years 1913-14 there has been a marvelous growth in the sentiment favoring the consolidation of rural schools. The independent
187
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
district of Mondamin was the first district in Harrison county to place the mat- ter before the people. The board, pursuant to petition asking for an election proposing to organize a consolidated independent district, directed that such an election should be held. There are thirty-seven sections of land in the pro- posed plan which will combine five one-room schools. The measure carried by a good majority. The people of Mondamin, alert to the demands for bet- ter educational advantages and realizing the advantages of centralization, put themselves behind the machinery of educational progress and organized the first consolidated district in Harrison county, as just stated. The organiza- tion was completed in June, 1914, and the work of reorganizing the school and adapting the work to be done to the demands of the times, was taken up immediately. Preparations were at once made for the teaching of the voca- tional subjects of agriculture, domestic science and manual training. The best equipment was installed and expert teachers employed to take charge of these new departments. The territory comprising the new consolidated district con- sists of thirty-four sections of land with Mondamin in the center of the dis- trict. Eight school routes have been established, by which children outside of town will be brought to the school. The demand has long been felt in the rural community for better educational advantages. Now the graded school, with its added advantages. is brought to the door of every child, permitting him, as well as the child of the large city schools, to enjoy the fruits of a good education. No pains have been spared to make this new consolidated school as economical and as thoroughly efficient as any school in Harrison county.
The first board of education for this consolidated school consists of the following men : 1. D. Gilmore, president; M1. T. MCEvoy. C. G. Cooper. W. A. Robinson, G. II. Wallace, E. E. McClannahan (secretary). and H. D. Silsby (treasurer).
The first faculty consists of : High school -- C. J. Collingsworth, super- intendent ; C. Wayne Hammans, principal : Miss Ethel Woody, assistant; Miss Laura Jones, home economics. Grades-6th, 7th and 8th, Miss Esta Stuart; 4th and 5th. Miss Milda Ericson; 2d and 3d, Miss Florence Stage; primary and Ist, Miss Mary Barry.
OTHERS EMULATE MONDAMIN.
Following the success of Mondamin, came Modale, Willow Creek. Mag- nolia and Beebeetown, all within two months, or since June, 191.4. Modale consolidated district comprises about twenty-seven sections: Willow Creek, twenty sections: Magnolia, twenty-eight sections ; Beebeetown, seventeen sec-
188
HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA.
tions. These schools will be maintained with the idea of giving the children of the community every educational as well as social, advantage required for complete life-living. The attitude of the school will be maintained in strict harmony with the fundamental interests of the community life in which these schools are located. Reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, history and sci- ence will have their important places in this school work. Agriculture, home economics and the varied community interests will be taught in the school and practiced by the children in their homes nights and morning, in conjunction with their daily class work in the school room. The schools will be built upon the principle that the three fundamental human occupations are home making, agriculture and teaching, and an interest in the best obtainable along these lines will be cultivated throughout the school community.
The cost of maintaining these schools will be very small in comparison with their efficiency. The cost will accrue from these cources: Teachers' salaries and contingent expenses, which will inchide coal, kindling, and clean- ing, together with the matter of transportation. The average transportation per month in this state last year was forty dollars.
The actual number of dollars put into these schools will be slightly more than is paid for similar purposes in the present system, but the experience of consolidated schools in every state emphasizes the statement that such schools will have enrolled far more pupils than we now have enrolled; hence, the re- sult is that the education per child will cost less money than it does under the present system. Economy is the wsie expenditure of money. This is true in education as well as in finance.
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