USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading Events in Johnson County, Iowa, History > Part 22
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA
Wood was appointed to fill a vacancy. This completed the first regularly constituted school board of Iowa City under this law.
The proposed "colored school" was given up, or indefinitely postponed, if we may judge from a resolution adopted in June, 1858, in which the "colored children were instructed to attend the schools of their respective districts until objections be urged by white families sending to said schools."
It is interesting to note that at the second regular monthly meeting of the board a committee was appointed "to present plans for a High School," and it appears that this was in harmony with a vote of the citizens on May 17, 1858, although no record is found concerning the vote in detail. This was also about the time when the "common council," as it is termed, sent a communication through their attorney, Rush Clark, pro- posing an "agreed case" to be submitted to the Supreme Court for the settlement of the following questions: "First, on the constitutionality of the present school law; second, on the ap- plicability of this law to Iowa City; third, on the legality of the election of this Board of Directors." To this a reply was prepared by the president and read to the board, but, unfor- tunately, it was not recorded.
Without regard to the legal situation the board proceeded to recommend the employment of a principal for the new high school at sixty dollars per month, and immediately began to search for someone who could fill this important position. It appears, however, from the records, that no special individual was employed for the place until the following year, when M. B. Beals was chosen principal of the high school depart- ment and also of the second ward school. An entirely new board was chosen on April 11, 1859, consisting of Ezekiel Clarke, president; John S. Reed, vice president; William Reynolds, secretary; Theodore Sanxay, treasurer; B. S. Holmes, Henry Murray, and M. B. Cochran, directors.
During this year plans were prepared for grading the schools, at the suggestion of William Reynolds and Dr. Coch- ran. There was placed before the board the need of a "city superintendent," but after consideration, the movement was deferred "for the present." The chief question during this period was the equipment of the district with buildings and
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furniture without making the debt burdensome, and it was in- formally proposed, at the meeting of the new board in March, 1860, to suspend the school for part of the year until the in- debtedness could be discharged. This was about the time the state was trying the same plan in suspending the operations of the University for the same purpose, or until a fund could be accumulated.
In a report of the high school principal, Mr. Beals, in April, 1860, the number of pupils in his department was given as thirty-five girls and thirty-five boys, with an average atten- dance of forty-six and one-half. Today, fifty years after, the high school, with its so much higher standard, enrolls four hundred and twenty. However, it was by no means certain in 1860 that the policy of continuing a high school was fixed, for a motion that "the high school be continued," made by Dr. Henry Murray, was put to a vote. H. S. Welton became the principal of this department in 1860 and served until Jan- uary, 1861, when, owing to disagreement concerning contracts and a ten per cent reduction due to cashing orders for pay, he tendered his resignation, "verbally." Contracts were so drawn that either party could terminate them by giving two weeks' notice, and this provision was the first grievance, which was protested against by the city teachers. On the claims of Mr. Welton it is concluded that he had the authority of the supervisor of all the schools, since he asked for extra compen- sation "as superintendent," although he had no official recog- nition in this position. This illustrates the manner in which this position came to be recognized, and finally a separate and distinct office. The office is formally mentioned for the first time in estimating the expenses for 1863, in which an allow- ance is made for "1 superintendent 8 months, at $75 per month, $600."
From 1862 to 1867 there is a period of no record in the first volume of minutes, since the closing record of 1862 is imme- diately followed by 1867. How it happened to be thus does not appear, although strict search has been made for the inter- vening history.
J. Madison Williams was employed as city superintendent in 1867, at a salary of $1,000, and it is interesting to note here that C. P. Rogers, afterward for twenty-two years superin-
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tendent of the Marshalltown schools, was principal of the third ward at the same time. During the summer of 1870 it was voted to discontinue the office of superintendent, as in the opinion of the board, the schools could be conducted without one. The problem of continuing a high school was still un- settled, the records indicating a disposition to readjust the work by cutting out some of the upper grades, since on Sep- tember 19, 1870, "On motion of Mr. Van Fleet grade 10 was discontinued."
In 1871 a new superintendent was employed, indicating that one year's experience without one was not satisfactory. Mrs. H. S. Lane was placed in this position on two months' trial at $900. Mrs. Lane continued in this office until 1873, when she was succeeded by Miss Sarah Loughridge, who was paid $600 per year for the superintendency of the city schools. S. D. Cook held this position in 1874, and he was succeeded in 1875 by A. A. Guthrie. During the latter administration the high school was for one year in charge of John J. Seerley, since a member of congress from the first district of Iowa.
A. A. Guthrie continued as superintendent and also as scere- tary of the board until he was succeeded in 1884 by W. A. Willis, now owner and principal of the Iowa City Academy. Mr. Willis remained in this position until 1891. He was fol- lowed for one year by Mr. Jackson, who was succeeded by W. F. Cramer, who is now in charge of the Red Oak schools. S. K. Stevenson occupied this office for nine years after his long service in the county superintendency, and following his resignation to enter the practice of law A. V. Storm was city superintendent one year, going from this position to the Iowa State College at Ames, to become director of schools in the department of agriculture. The present superintendent, H. E. Blackmar, followed Mr. Storm, and has continued in this office for four years.
A custom not now common, so far as official action is neces- sary, appears to have been practiced for a number of years, whereby a select committee of citizens was appointed by the board to visit the different schools and comment on the work. Each year the lists were recorded. A typical one may be taken from the committee of 1878. For the first and second grades the members were: "Lovell Swisher, Mrs. Will Lytle,
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Mrs. Walter Lee, Mrs. D. F. Stow; third and fourth grades, Rev. E. T. Hiscox, Mrs. Chas. Lewis, Mrs. C. P. Bacon, Mrs. A. Beach; fifth and sixth grades, Prof. T. S. Parvin, Mrs. John W. Jayne, Mrs. G. H. Pinkham, Mr. J. C. Cochran; seventh and eighth grades, Louis H. Jackson, Rev. W. B. Craig, Miss Sue King, W. H. Hubbard; high school, William Lytle, Mrs. John P. Irish, Mrs. D. S. Barbow, C. L. Mozier, and P. A. Dey."
This committee was requested to "visit, examine, and file with the secretary of the board a report embodying such sug- gestions as may occur during such examination." 261
A visitor of 1859 makes use of the following language after a formal visit, probably on his own responsibility: "First ward school under the superintendence of Mr. Hawes, the sec. ond under the direction of Mr. Beals, and the third in charge of Mr. Goodrich, with their accomplished lady assistants, are a corps that are rendering most efficient service in the cause of education." There was much more enthusiastic commenda- tion, concluding with the mention of the fourth ward under the supervision of Mr. Childs, since, "his school was no ex- ception to the views expressed."
At the present time the independent school district of Iowa ยท City has eight buildings, not including two rural schools that recently came under the jurisdiction of the board of education. The total enrollment of pupils reaches sixteen hundred, with four hundred and twenty of high school grade. Fifty-seven teachers are employed to instruct these, which includes special- ists in music, art, and manual training, and the departments usually found in a high school course, which is fully accredited in the association of colleges.
Closely allied to the independent district and at times cover- ing the same territory are the district townships of East and West Lucas, formerly called when combined Iowa City town- ship. Since the law of 1858 provided for this organization also, it is proper to mention it here. On May 15, 1858, the board of education of Iowa City township assembled for the first time. There were present at this meeting, "President John McCaddon, Vice President I. V. Dennis, Secretary L. Robinson, and S. H. McCrory, the treasurer, as officers, in addition to the directors; from district number three, Samuel J. Kirkwood; number five, S. H. McCrory ; number six, Cyrus
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Sanders; number seven, Abel Stephens; number eight, Lyman Allen; Iowa City and Newport township, J. J. Mendenhall; number nine, Wm. T. Crouse. The committee on credentials, composed of Cyrus Sanders and S. H. McCrory, reported all of the above members entitled to their seats."
At this first session a committee was appointed to ascertain the need of redistricting the township. The three members were Samuel J. Kirkwood, S. H. McCrory, and J. J. Menden- hall. Cyrus Sanders and Lyman Allen were also made a com- mittee to furnish a plat of the districts as first established.
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Each director was made a committee of one to determine the amount of money necessary to raise in his district to carry the schools for the usual period. He was also empowered to hire and contract with a teacher for "not to exceed four months' time."
Allen, Mendenhall, and Dennis were the authorized commit- tee "to select sites for school houses," to report plans and further, to make contracts for buildings, subject, of course, to the approval of the entire board. They were called the "Build- ing Committee," and the meeting closed its forenoon session with this appointment. It may be supposed that this was no ordinary meeting, for it appears to have continued the entire day, since the committee on redistricting reported in the after- noon. The details of the boundaries need not be quoted here, but the entire township was arranged in ten districts, James G. Hill having been appointed as sub-director in the tenth. The numbers of the districts were now changed, and names associated with the first members were accordingly made to correspond to the new arrangement. To one accustomed to the later law it appears strange that the president, John Mc- Caddon, was not a director in any district.
Ed. Lanning was named as director in district number two, James Borland in number four, Cyrus Sanders was not changed as to number, remaining in six. Samuel J. Kirk- wood's district was now called number seven instead of three.
It may be observed that the rules adopted in 1858 by the committee appointed for that purpose do not differ materially from the rules of today. There were nine sections relating to the duties of pupils and teachers, and one giving an oppor-
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tunity for parents "to appeal from the decision of the teacher, or board."
The wages paid teachers at that period were estimated to average twenty dollars for female, and twenty-five for male teachers, but the figures do not quite support that statement, for E. Alling was paid $71 for sixteen weeks, and Mary Bowen $40 for the same time, although it appears that $32 was paid for her board at the home of Abel Stephens for the sixteen weeks. Other items give some further idea of the current wages. In August, 1859, Miss A. Pinney was paid twenty dol- lars for teaching one month in district number three; Chas. Tuthill, twenty-four dollars for six weeks in number five; Miss A. Markham, sixteen dollars for one month; Miss E. Blake, twenty-five dollars for one month; Miss E. Chalfant, thirty dollars for two months.262
The schools in various sections of the county may be said to have a similar beginning, but local interests may add to the general statement more of the details, and something of the present condition.
The first school in Big Grove dates from 1841, as taught by Mrs. Fanny Pratt, on the line between Big Grove and Cedar townships, or about the location of section thirty-one, the fee being one dollar for the month's tuition. The first house for school purposes was built here by the volunteer efforts of the citizens of the community in 1842 on the southwest quarter of section twenty-three, and some say twenty-five. These build- ings were the same as in other parts of the county and it is not necessary to describe each in detail, as one answers for all, the same logs, the same fireplace, big enough to play at hide and seek almost, and the one log left out to cover with the oiled paper to make the opening for the small amount of light needed.
It was in 1847 that the log house was built in district number five. The seats were of slabs, and the floor puncheon. All the windows were put on the south side, probably as a caution against the cold winds from the north. Here, in 1848 and '49, Jackson Johnson was the teacher. The following year "Mr. Galloway from Maine," the hunter who kept a shotgun behind the door to capture the unwary prairie chicken, even during school hours, was the pedagogue in charge. The next year,
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1850 and '51, Lemuel Templeton presided over the destinies of the log house, and the pupils who came there.
Stone is convenient, or was in 1866, in Big Grove, as the old livery barn in Solon may suggest, and a school house was built of this material on section thirty-five in that year. The board of directors at this time was composed of three men, J. G. Crain, Fidel Kessler, and Joseph Beuter, and it was from the quarry of the last-named gentleman that the stone was taken. This house stood for about forty years, when fire destroyed it, so much so that the old walls were sold for fifteen dollars, while a new one, costing about $1,000, took its place. The last teacher in the old building of stone was Miss Ella Kessler, now Mrs. Ben Cambridge. The first one in the new was Miss Mae Campion, now Mrs. Raymond Miller.
District number six of Big Grove township had a log build- ing in 1853. It had a slab roof, and the floor was good old mother earth, the fireplace of split sticks and clay, but one window, seats of plank sawed at a mill near by, and wooden pegs for legs. The door was hung on wooden hinges, with an old-fashioned latch of wood. Here, fourteen pupils came from miles away, some of them, and their books were very few in- deed. This house was removed in 1856 and a frame house placed there the same year. In 1904 the building at this loca- tion also burned, which required another change in structures. This district is fortunate in having, most of the time, a spring of clear water in the school grounds.
Another school that is quite old is one called the "stone Academy," or number one, in which the township meetings were formerly held.268
The schools of Solon date their establishment in the graded form about 1878, and soon after this they passed from a single room to a building of more pretentions dimensions. The district has had its present building about thirty years.
The first school in the settlement in the northeastern corner of the county is said to have been taught by Daniel F. McCune, in a log house of course, on section three, near the claim of A. C. Sutliff. the usual plan of cooperation and volunteer labor was necessary to erect the building, which was completed in the winter of 1844 and '45. This had the added or special feature of hewed instead of round logs, which gave it a degree of re-
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finement not always found in the houses of that day. It had the customary slab seats and big fireplace, with seating capacity for eighteen or more, whom Mr. McCune taught for ten dollars per month. The center school of the present township of Cedar was erected in 1874. Here the public school meetings and elections are usually held. Many years ago the house was used for church services.264
The first school in Penn township has been referred to, and the date 1842 is probably correct. The teacher, Benjamin Har- ner, doubtless was known to the man who furnished these
OLD SCHOOL BUILDING, NORTH LIBERTY
facts. This house burned during the school session, and in 1843 one of hewed logs was constructed. This again, in 1849, was remodeled and improved. Miss Frost taught here in 1843, and "took her pay in barter," which was to be equivalent to eight dollars per month, and her board was secured among the patrons.
Not until 1860, was a frame house for school purposes erected in this vicinity, of North Liberty. Later, in 1865, a two-story frame house was planned for the village, which fur- nished room enough to partially grade the school, and Miss Elizabeth Bowman is said to have first taught this new school.265 It appears further that the two buildings stood on the same ground formerly as located in North Liberty. The two-story building referred to had a lodge room in the upper story. The two houses were finally disposed of for residence purposes, and in 1899 the present building was erected, con-
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taining three rooms, the upper, or high school room furnishing accommodations for pupils of the township, the principal of the school being really an employe of the entire district ac- commodated. Through entertainments given by the school a suitable bell has been purchased for the village building.
In 1868 J. K. Hemphill donated one-half acre of land for a building in district number four in Penn township to be used for school purposes. Before this building was erected, pupils were required to attend at Coralville. Harry Hemphill built this house and J. K. Hemphill was the first sub-director. The house was moved, later, from its site on the half acre, and be- came known as the Danner school.266
As early as 1842 a school was kept in the township of Ox- ford by the wife of the Indian gunsmith, Mrs. Berry, who lived in the upper end of the grove once bearing his name on the land known afterward as the "Cook farm." It is said that the name of Berry is perpetuated by the little stream flowing through the town of Oxford, but the present map of the county gives it an entirely different appellation. The next movement toward the development of schools was in the winter of 1851-2, when a school was conducted in a room of a private house, taught by Miss Anna Mason, a sister of Mrs. Lewis Doty. This was the second school kept in the township. In the fall of 1852 steps were taken to build a school house, which by the private enterprise of four men was completed on a site near the later home of L. R. Wolf. The building was a small structure of logs, made as comfortable as the circumstances would per- mit. It continued to be used until 1861, when the house in district number two was built. The persons concerned in erect- ing the log house were Lewis Doty, Thomas Heifner, Chas. Mason, Sr., and Benjamin Williams, probably the same man who owned the house where the private school was kept. At that time there was no organization of any district and no tax was available for school purposes. When the log building was "raised," as all such were at some time, it was christened "Edgewood," from its location, and it was so known for many miles distant as the Methodist meeting place. It may be stated that school districts were indefinite in extent at that date, the pupils coming from any distance, and as long as they chose to help bear the expenses.
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In 1855 the second school house was built on the state road near the farm afterward owned by Peter Brant. This was a public school. There were now three districts in the township, the first being on the bottom where the building had been
ST. MARY'S SCHOOL, IOWA CITY
erected by private enterprise, and the third district had made all the necessary preparations for building with the material on the ground, when it was discovered, to the embarrassment of the situation, that the treasurer had proved a "traitor to his trust," and the funds had been squandered, causing the project to be abandoned. The plans had been to have the building where the school house in number seven was afterward built.
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The house near the Brant place was destroyed by fire about 1869, and a new one was erected some distance farther west. The old building was the most noted in the township, since it was the place of holding the country "lyceum," the literary headquarters of the vicinity. These gatherings made the social life of a neighborhood more than endurable in the days gone by and the "debater" long for more worlds to conquer. At this particular place, it is said that a local physician, Dr. G. M. Proctor, usually took the lead. It appears that he was the first resident physician.287
The Rapid creek school of Newport township, or number five, as it is known on the records, began early at the home of Mrs. Douglass, who gave, in 1844, permission to the children for many miles about to assemble at her home, then a log cabin, for instruction. It was not until 1857 that the frame building was erected from lumber sawed by the man who owned the land. Mr. Felkner and Mr. Yarbrough carried the lumber "up the hill from the creek." The shingles were made by hand, as many were in that day. To this house children came from three or four miles distant, numbering sixty-five or more dur- ing the winter season. But misfortune came, since one cold winter night the teacher left some kindling on the front of the stove to dry, and this led to the destruction of the building. The few books, which were so much prized, were wholly de- stroyed, and only the foundation was left to mark the place where the building stood. It was then that the new house was made of brick.268
The first school house in Union township was located one- half mile south of the present Unity Presbyterian church, and it is said that the first services of this congregation were held in the log school building located here. District number one in Union had a building near the present poor farm in 1856, or about that time. Another that was in the western part, and formerly in the original Washington township, made the three that were the only school buildings for many years. These were of the old type that have been described so many times by those who took part in their erection or in the role of a pupil who carried away the recollections of the structure itself in a very vivid way; the one log left out for the placing of the window glass or oiled paper as the case might be; the old stick
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and mud chimney ; the big fireplace that took in such a big log; the slab or split log benches with the pegs to hold them up; the desk, if it may be so named, against the wall over which the pupil swung his feet when facing the teacher, and reversed the process when he wished to "do his sums." 269 All these things are described by the pioneer, who participated in the life of the time. Number one in Union township erected a new build- ing in 1860.
In the customary log cabin, located on section thirty-five in Hardin township, the first school in that neighborhood, was taught by Margaret Montgomery, who was afterwards Mrs. Roop, of Washington township. She was paid one dollar and a half per week and boarded around with her pupils. The first house was not made for school purposes, but one was soon built by money raised among the patrons, amounting to $125, with which a frame building was constructed. The same build- ing was afterward part of the improvements of the first settler, A. D. Packard, who made a wood shed out of it. He was in- strumental in making many improvements in the township, as may be found in other connections.
South of here, in 1854, Woodland school, in the extreme southwestern corner of the county, began its mission, in a brick building. This building was later torn down and in the economy of construction found a place in the foundations of two new houses, one called Oakland, and the one named above.
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