USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > The history of Black Hawk County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion > Part 41
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Miller's Creek .- Elizabeth Roberts, March 3, 1870; Hannah Bateman, March 21, 1871.
Mullarky's Grove .- Joshua A. Hooker, March 15, 1858; George L. Zabriskie, May 14, 1849 ; Levi Washburn, September 9, 1861. Changed to Raymond, February 27, 1862.
Raymond .- Harvey T. Hume, December 10, 1863; Geo. Edginton, June 2. 1865; Henry D. Gould, September 27, 1865; Levi B Cook, October 12, 1869; Elva C. Walsh, November 30, 1875.
Filkin's Grove .- John T. Mills, June 17, 1858. Discontinued September 20, 1858.
Perry Valley .- T. W. Boardman, November 13, 1858. Changed to Buchanan County.
East Waterloo .- Roswell Baker, November 13, 1858; Samuel P. Brainard, February 4, 1860; James A. Fry, July 6, 1861 ; discontinued March 27, 1862.
Energy .- Aaron L. Burgess, December 30, 1861; discontinued November 13, 1863.
Finchford .- George W. Collins, November 16, 1870; John Ferguson, July 19, 1872; Milton G. Finch, April 21, 1873.
Sunny Side .- John B. Masters, November 11, 1873; Mrs. Ellen Walker, December 17, 1873; Geo. Frink, November 16, 1874. Now in Buchanan County.
Nantville .- Thomas H. Fitch, September 16, 1861. Late in Bremer County.
ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
Cedar Falls being within the line of totality of the great eclipse of August 7, 1869, observers for the Smithsonian Institution were sent hither from Dubuque. From their report the following extract is made :
At the store of Wise & Bryant, the average temperature, in the shade, before the eclipse was 74°, which, at the period of totality, fell to 67º.
At the Orphans' Home, the first contact was at 3 o'clock 53 minutes and 94 seconds ; last contact, 5 o'clock 53 minutes and 42 seconds; duration, 2 hours 323 seconds. Total phase lasted 632 seconds, with a variation from 71 seconds, at one and a half miles southeast of the Orphans' Home, to 51 seconds in the city.
The corona was well defined. The moments of immersion and emersion of the sun were startlingly instantaneous, and were of such thrilling interest to behold as to require no ordinary power of attention to secure accuracy in recording the period of duration. During the time, dew deposited plentifully on the grass.
At the southwest, the darkness was of the blackest character, while at the northeast, through a lurid haze, trees could be seen basking in the dim sunlight in the vicinity of Janesville, ten or twelve miles distant.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
The best description was furnished by an amateur observer, Hon. Peter Melendy, who says :
We had chosen for our point of observation one of the highest in Black Hawk County, . where we could get a full view of Cedar Falls and the surrounding country. From the elevated position selected, we could count four hundred distinct farm houses, and could discover objects in five counties, viz., Black Hawk, Grundy, Butler, Bremer and Buchanan. It is claimed, also, that, in favorable and clear weather, the woods near Independence, thirty miles off, can be seen with the naked eye. K * * * * *
When the sun was about half hidden by the dark disk of the moon, our attention was called to the appearance of the sky in the north. A gloom was thrown over all the landscape, and the sky was of a deep, dense, black blue-particularly the horizon-as if a terrible storm was approaching. The trees in the distance had lost their lively verdure, the golden wheat fields had a dull, sickly color, and the gradual approach of darkness became impressive. The sunlight in the south and southeast had become much weakened ; it had that unearthly greenish and reddish, gloomy, sickly, faint aspect, making the contrast between the sky in the north and in the south very great. . It appeared as if the sky was descending to the ground and the horizon contracting. As we could see for miles to the north' and east, the sight was grand, beautiful, inspiring awe and wonder.
As the eclipse advanced to within a few seconds of the total observation, the scene became intensely interesting, particularly at the north. The big woods and the timber in the valley of the Cedar had lost their beautiful verdure, and looked like outlines of dark pictures in an unfamiliar country. It was a magnificent sight ; not quite as dark as night, but it appeared as if the sky at the north was putting on a deep blue black ; the sky to the south, near the horizon, * was a brownish yellow. * * *
We look around us now on the countenances of those of our party. All wear a look of wonder and anxiety, watching for the approach of the moon's shadow. Suddenly, one of the party shouted. "There it is ! the shadow !" The awful shadow of the moon was approaching us at a velocity of a mile a second from the west, as a dark, vast mass or column, or cloud, as the description had been given us. How grand this sight was, as the mighty shadow swept onward to the east !
The approach and recession of the shadow was not uniform, but dark stripes appeared flut- tering across the landscape and the edges appeared tremulous; and one of our party, who was looking at the eclipse just as the last visible ray disappeared, says it is like a flicker of a candle going out. It seemed but a second before we were immersed in the shadow, and, as near as we could calculate, the shadow was thirty to forty seconds passing over, from the time when first seen until it had passed away.
Now comes the grand sight ! In an instant the panorama is changed The dark clouds that were at the north changed positions to the south, which was as black as the darkness of night. To the north and northeast, covering one-third of the visible horizon, we could see objects plainly beyond the disk on the distant landscape. All above is of a deep blue, or black ; to the south and southwest, a deep jet black, while at the north, a mellow, faint yellowish or brimstone color, and beautiful, the wheat fields waving with the golden grain, the varied hues of green, with the white farm houses dotted here and there, appeared. Above us, now, were the twinkling stars, glittering in all their glory, in the broad, dark zone-night-with the stars above us to south and west of us; and to the north and east of us, ten or twelve miles, old Sol shining on the land- scape, and the dark, deep shadow sleeping on the southwest in all its blackness. What a variety of views we can take in with one scanning of the eye! Around and over us, we cannot describe it. At this moment we have to the southeast, south and west, the blackness of a terrible storm ; to the north, the distant objects have a fine yellow hue, and to the east, a fine purple color, and the deep blue overhead, with stars peeping out, with the sun entirely hid, with the beautiful faint crown of light apparently surrounding the moon, with the faint streaks, like jets of flame, are seen protruding from the edge. The coolness was great, as the temperature had fallen some twenty degrees.
The sight was certainly much finer from our point of observation than farther to the center ; for we had the effect of the totality a sufficient length of time to get the full benefit of it, with the addition of seeing the sunlight on the distant parts of the landscape beyond the northern boundary ; and as the restoration began, the landscape became more beautiful, the striking con- trast of the glorious and sublime spectacle of the light on the distant landscape as it began to play among the golden fields and the distant hills and forests, it were as if a flood of grateful and cheering brightness had fallen into the Cedar Valley with a sweet, mellow tinge and power beyond description. It was a sudden and amazing change from the dark and gloomy appearance of a few moments before.
THE CIRCUIT COURT.
By an act of the General Assembly of Iowa, entitled " An act to establish Circuit and General Term Courts, and to define the powers and duties thereof,"
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
approved April 3, 1868, each Judicial District in the State was divided into two circuits, and the office of Circuit Judge was created to be elected at the general election in November, 1868, for a term of four years. Circuit Courts were endowed with exclusive jurisdiction of all probate matter, and of all actions and proceedings in which County Judges have previously had jurisdiction, and also in all appeals and writs of error from Justices' Courts, Mayors' Courts, and all other inferior tribunals, either in civil or criminal cases, and concurrent jurisdic- tion with the District Court in foreclosures, etc. The counties of Buchanan, Black Hawk and Grundy were constituted the second circuit of the Ninth Judi- cial District ; and terms were established in Black Hawk on the first Monday in February, fourth Monday in June, first Monday in October and fifth Mon- day in November for the year 1869.
The first term of the Circuit Court in Black Hawk County was held at the Court House, February 1, 1869; present. Sylvester Bagg, Judge presiding ; W. F. Brown, Sheriff, and G. A. Eberhart, Clerk.
The office of County Judge was abolished; but that officer became ex officio County Auditor.
COUNTY AUDITOR.
By an act entitled " An act to provide for the election of County Auditors, and define their powers and duties, and making County Judges ex oficio County Auditors," approved April 7, 1868. it was provided that at the general election preceding the expiration of the term of office of County Judges then in office, a County Auditor should be elected, whose term of office should commence on the 1st of January thereafter and continue two years. After January 1, 1869, the County Judge was made ex officio County Auditor until the election and qualification of such office. The County Auditor was made Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, etc. Under this act, Daniel W. Foote, County Judge, became ex officio County Auditor of Black Hawk January 1, 1869, and was elected his own successor.
COUNTY SUPERVISOR.
By " An act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 22 of the revision of 1860," etc., approved April 14, 1870, the cumbrous Board of Township Supervisors was abolished and a Board of three County Supervisors established instead, to be elected at the general election in 1870, and assumed the control of county affairs on the first Monday in January, 1871. Under the act in October, 1870, Cicero Close, George B. Van Saun and A. T. Weatherwax were elected, who assembled in January, 1871, and organized by the election of Cicero Close, Chairman. At the November election, 1872, the people voted that the num- ber of Supervisors of Black Hawk County should be increased to seven. The additional members thus added were elected in October, 1873, and took their seats in January, 1874.
CRIMINAL CASES.
One of the most noted criminal cases in the annals of Black Hawk County was the attempted murder of Byron Wright at Cedar City, by Almira Stickley, January 6, 1873. Mr. Wright was teaching the public school at that village, and was, up to that date, boarding with Mrs. Stickley, at the solicita- tion of her daughter. Finding the place unpleasant, he had decided to remove to Mr. Kingsley's, and had notified the Stickleys of the proposed change on the morning noted above, just before starting to his school. He had slept late that morning and did not wait for breakfast. At recess, he returned to Mrs. Stick-
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ley's for something to eat. and while eating his lunch, Almira Stickley approached from behind and fired a revolver at his head, the bullet penetrating his brain. Wright rose from the table, fell to the floor, regained his feet and attempted to leave the room, but was prevented by Richard George, a lover of Almira's. He then went to the window for air, and while standing there, was shot in the left side of the head by George. Almira and George then drove hurriedly to Cedar Falls, and the girl excitedly related to James Taggart what they had done. The pair were arrested a few minutes afterward.
Wright was able to stagger to the school house and tell what had befallen him. He was taken to Mr. Davidson's house. and the next day was removed to Waterloo.
The subsequent statement of the Stickleys was that Almira was in love with Wright, and was determined to marry or kill him, in which she was abetted by the mother. George had been anxious to secure the girl for some time, and his motive for becoming an accomplice in the attempted murder is apparent. The bullet in Wright's head was not extracted till the following August.
Mrs. Stickley was convicted at Vinton in March, 1873, for complicity in the attempt to murder Wright, and sentenced to the penitentiary for nine years. Almira was sentenced to the Reform School for one year.
Wright afterward removed to Johnson County and married. He obtained a situation in the Iowa City public school, but soon after became insane. He was harmless in his insanity, and was allowed to remain at Waterloo, whither his friends took him. As predicted at the time he was shot, he died from the effects of the wound July 26, 1875.
The Stickleys appealed from the judgment of Judge Shane, and were for some time at large on bail, pending the decision of the appeal, which was adverse to them. Their bail then surrendered them to undergo the sentence pronounced.
George had previously forfeited his bail and had fled the State.
On the morning of April 5, 1873, the body of an infant was found in Cedar River, below Cedar Falls. April 29th, William Riley and Ursula Spangler were indieted for the murder of the child. Miss Spangler took change of venue to Bremer County. Riley was tried in Black Hawk, and on the 3d day of October, 1873, Judge D. S. Wilson rendered judgment that the said William Riley be imprisoned at hard labor in the penitentiary of the State of Iowa, at Fort Madison, for the term of his lifetime, or life, and that he pay the costs of the prosecution, taxed at $227.
INCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES.
The farmers of Washington Township in the Spring of 1860 manufactured about $1,500 worth of maple sugar and syrup. The same community sowed over a thousand acres of wheat the same season.
Christopher Close, of Cedar Township, lost a new house, almost completed, by fire August 15, 1860, caused by the tinners who were putting on the eaves- troughs, allowing a soldering iron to ignite some shavings. The building had cost about $1,500.
The residence of George Tuttle, of Mount Vernon, was destroyed by fire Jan. 13, 1865, the loss being about $500.
Sept. 19, 1869, John Geyer, of Mount Vernon Township, was killed by a blow from a stick of wood in the hands of Henry Burke, at the house of Con- rad Paul, where a party had assembled. Both had been drinking.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
April 21, 1872, Michael Ulrich, of Washington Township, committed sui- cide by shooting himself in the breast with a gun. He was 25 years old, and left a wife and one child.
William Graves, who lived with his mother about four miles north of Cedar Falls, while out hunting on Sunday, Aug. 11, 1872, was accidentally killed by his own gun. He had been lying down, and on arising the contents of the gun were lodged in his breast.
Jan. 31, 1873, the dwelling of L. B. Corwin, seven miles northwest of Cedar Falls, was destroyed by fire, the loss being $600, partially covered by insurance.
James Anderson, of Washington Township, Oct. 6, 1875, lost his dwell- ing, worth about $4,000, by fire.
Jan. 28, 1876, John Carroll, of Washington Township, was thrown from a loaded wagon and killed by one of the forward wheels crushing his skull before he could extricate himself.
George Emmert, a young man living near La Porte, was fatally stabbed by Samuel Pray Feb. 7, 1876. All were attending church. Pray and his com- panions had been pulling Emmert's hair, and on his objecting they dared him out to fight. In the scuffle which followed, Emmert was stabbed in the lungs, dying in eight minutes.
Otto Kutter, of German, committed suicide in the cemetery at Waterloo by shooting himself in the breast with a pistol, Oct. 1, 1876.
In May, 1868, Mr. Jacob Hoffman discovered a deposit of peat six miles northwest of Waterloo.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
County Judges .- Jonathan R. Pratt, 1853, died June 1855; John Randall, 1855-7 ; Julius C. Hubbard, 1857-9; George W. Couch, 1860-61 (confined to Probate duties after 1861); S. D. Shaw, 1862-7; Daniel W. Foote, 1868-9 (office abolished January 1, 1870).
Treasurers and Recorders .- Aaron Dow, 1853-5; O. E. Hardy, 1855, January, 1856 ; Francis B. Davidson, 1856-7 ; A. C. Bunnell, 1857-65.
Treasurers .- John Elwell, 1866-7; R. A. Whitaker, 1868-75; David B. Washburn, 1876.
Recorders .- James W. McClure, 1865-72 ; C. B. Stillson, 1873. .
Clerks of District Courts .- John H. Brooks, 1853, resigned April 4, 1854; Luther L. Peas, 1854; Martin Bailey, 1854-5; Morrison Bailey, 1855-6 ; J. B. Severance, 1856-60; Dempster J. Coleman, 1861-6; A. G. Eberhart, 1867-72 ; J. C. Gates, 1873.
Sheriffs .- John Virden, 1853-5; Benjamin F. Thomas, 1855-7; John Elwell, 1857-9-60 and '61; W. F. Brown, 1862-73; George W. Hayzlett. 1874.
Prosecuting Attorneys .- William L. Christie, 1853; R. P. Spear, 1854 : A. F. Brown, 1854 ; John Randall, 1854-5; William Haddock, 1855-6; Wm. H. McClure, 1856; S. W. Rawson, 1857 (superseded by District Attorney).
School Fund Commissioners .- H. H. Fowler, 1853-4; Stephen A. Bishop. 1854 (office abolished in 1855).
County Surveyors .- Charles Mullan, 1853-5 ; George W. Miller, 1855-9; M. L. Tracey, 1860-62; Gco. W. Miller, 1863-5; J. Ball, 1866-7; E. A. Snyder, 1868-73; E. Rodenberger, 1874.
Drainage Commissioners .- Norman L. Jackson, 1853-5; Thomas R. Points, 1855-7 ; J. W. Holmes, 1857-9; Jacob Wolf, 1860; A. G. Ban-
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
nister, 1861-2; S. R. Crittenden, 1863-5; J. A. Loatwell, 1866. (Office abolished.
Superintendents of Schools .- Truman Steed, 1859-61; M. H. Moore, 1862-3; George Ordway, 1864-5; J. C. Gates, 1866-7 ; Seymour Gookins, 1868-9; E. G. Miller, 1870; A. H. Nye, 1870-71; W. H. Brinkerhoff, 1872-3; A. F. Townsend, 1874-5; James S. George, 1876.
County Auditor. - Daniel W. Foote, 1870.
Deputies .- J. C. Gates, 1870-72; W. A. Cottrell, 1873.
SUPERVISORS-(TOWNSHIP SYSTEM).
For 1861 .- M. Bailey, Chairman ; C. F. Jaquith, M. H. Moore, Jesse Wassen, J. B. Orr, Levi Washburn, S. P. Babcock, F. S. Tewksbury, D. W. Jordan, H. P. Homer, Oscar Dunton, D. E. Champlin, James Hempseed, John Hackett, Gardiner, J. H. Mead, J. Jaquith.
1862 .- M. H. Moore, Chairman ; F. B. Carpenter, O. O. St. John, J. Wasson, J. B. Orr, L. Washburn, L. B. Sheppard, F. S. Tewksbury, D. W. Jordan, W. W. Hutton, Oscar Dunton, D. E. Champlin, James Hempseed, John Hackett, Gardiner, J. H. Mead, Charles Pierce, Horace Beckwith.
1863 .- M. H. Moore, Chairman; L. B. Sheppard, W. W. Hutton, D. E. Champlin, G. Gardner, H. Beckwith, J. Hackett, D. W. Jordan, O. O. St. John, Jacob Wolf, I. T. Corwin, Byron Sargent, Simeon Clark, J. H. Potts, O. M. Hayden, Geo. Bishop, D. W. Jordan. John Hachett died in February, and I. D. Gilkey was appointed.
1864 .- M. H. Moore, Chairman ; C. May, G. Bishop, I. T. Corwin, D. W. Jordan, B. Sargent, B. G. Updike, J. Wolf, D. E. Champlin, J. H. Potts, I. D. Gilkey, O. M. Hayden, H. M. Bailey, A. Vittam, L. B. Sheppard, John McManus, William Rolph, S. Clark.
1865 .- M. H. Moore, Chairman; C. May, William Gilchrist, Wm. Rolph, Josiah Jackson, I. T. Corwin. L. B. Sheppard, O. Hughes, H. W. Abbey, B. G. Updike, James Sandiland, D. E. Champlin, P. S. Canfield, I. D. Gilkey, John Bird, Nelson Hitchcock, H. M. Bailey, Albert Vittam.
1866 .- D. E. Champlin, Chairman ; James S. George, C. May, Win. Gil- christ, Wm. Rolph, Josiah Jackson, I. T. Corwin, C. P. Nichols, A. A. Alline, H. W. Abbey, W. H. Hutton, James Sandiland, P. S. Canfield, L. Goings, Damon Mott, N. Hitchcock, H. M. Bailey, A. Vittam.
1867 .- A. A. Alline, Chairman ; J. S. George, C. May, Wm. Gilchrist, T. H. Elwell, Josiah Jackson, I. T. Corwin, C. P. Nichols, L. P. Holt, W. W. Hutton, James Sandiland, R. S. Wooster, J. M. Northrup, I. D. Gilkey, D. Mott, N. Hitchcock, A. T. Webster, A. Vittam.
1868 .- Byron Culver, Chairman ; N. S. Boyles, D. E. Champlin, L. A. Cobb, N. Hitchcock, L. P. Holt, J. Jackson, S. H. Rownd, J. Sandiland, G. F. Ward, I. T. Corwin, James Hempseed, H. P. Homer, G. W. Humphrey, H. J. McCord, D. Mott, C. P. Nichols, A. T. Webster, H. J. McCord.
1869 .- Cicero Close, Chairman ; J. D. Abbott, N. S. Boyles, D. E. Champ- lin, L. A. Cobb, I. T. Corwin, G. W. Humphrey, H. P. Homer, I. D. Gilkey, Josiah Jackson, H. J. McCord, Damon Mott, Alonzo Norris, Charles Robin- son, Samuel H. Rownd, Byron Sargent, L. B. Sheppard, Jesse Wasson, A. T. Webster.
1870 .- C. Close, Chairman ; J. D. Abbott, Urias Caskel, D. E. Champlin, L. A. Cobb, I. T. Corwin, J. L. Finch, Daniel Fish, G. W. Hayzlett, E. C. Humphrey, Josiah Jackson, Jefferson Jaquith, Caleb May, H. J. McCord. C. B. Miller, Alonzo Norris, Charles Robinson, S. H. Rownd, Byron Sargent.
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HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY.
COUNTY SYSTEM.
1871 .- Cicero Close, Chairman ; George B. Van Saun, A. T. Weatherwax. 1872 .- A. T. Weatherwax, Chairman ; C. Close and G. B. Van Saun.
1873 .- Cicero Close, Chairman ; A. T. Weatherwax, A. T. Webster. (Increased to seven by vote of the people October, 1872.)
1874 .- A. T. Weatherwax, Chairman; A. T. Webster, N. Hitchcock, D. B. Washburn, H. J. McCord, H. W. Jenney, Caleb May.
1875,-Caleb May, Chairman ; J. C. Burnham, H. W. Jenney, H. J. Mc- Cord, D. B. Washburn, A. T. Weatherwax, A. T. Webster.
1876 .- H. J. McCord, Chairman; H. W. Jenney, Jefferson Jaquith, J. C. Burnham, H. B. Eighmey, A. T. Weatherwax, C. May.
1877 .- H. J. McCord, Chairman ; C. May, John McQuilken, H. W. Jen- ney, A. T. Weatherwax, B. J. Rodemer, Jefferson Jaquith.
1878 .- H. W. Jenney, Chairman ; I. T. Corwin, J. Jaquith, C. May, John McQuilken, Samuel Owens, B. J. Rodemer.
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
Senate .- A. F. Brown, 1860-1-2-3; Coker F. Clarkson, 1864-5; James B. Powers, 1866-7-8-9; George W. Couch, 1870-71; John H. Leavitt, 1872- 3; Edward G. Miller, 1876-7; H. C. Hemenway, 1878-9.
House of Assembly .- Morrison Bailey, 1856-7 ; Zimri Streeter, 1858-9- '60-61; Warner H. Curtis, 1862-3; Cicero Close, 1864-5-6-7; George Ord- way, 1868-9; T. B. Carpenter, 1870-71; Cicero Close, 1872-3; Charles B. Campbell, 1874-5; Harlan P. Homer, 1876-7; H. C. Hemenway, 1876-7; Lore Alford, 1878; Jeremiah L. Gay, 1878.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first schools taught in Black Hawk County were private or subscription schools. Their accommodations, as may be readily supposed, were not good. Sometimes they were taught in small log houses erected for the purpose. Stoves and such heating apparatus as are in use now were unknown. A mud and stick chimney in one end of the building, with earthen hearth, with a fire-place wide enough and deep enough to take in a four-foot back log, and smaller wood to match, served for warming purposes in Winter and a kind of conservatory in Summer. For windows, part of a log was cut out in either side, and maybe a few panes of eight by ten glass set in; or, just as likely as not, the aperture would be covered over with greased paper. Writing benches were made of wide planks, or, maybe, puncheons resting on pins or arms driven into two-inch auger holes bored into the logs beneath the windows. Seats were made out of thick planks or puncheons : flooring was made of the same kind of stuff. Everything was rude and plain, but many of America's greatest men have gone out from just such school houses to grapple with the world and make a name for themselves, and names that come to be an honor to their country. In other cases, private rooms and parts of private houses were utilized as school houses, but the furni- ture was just as plain.
But all these things are changed now. A log school house in Iowa is a rarity. Their places are filled with handsome frame or brick structures. The rude furniture has also given way, and the old school books, the " Popular Reader," the "English Reader " (the finest literary compilation ever known in American schools), and " Webster's Elementary Spelling Book," are superseded by others of greater pretensions. The old spelling classes and spelling matches
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have followed the old school houses, until they are remembered only in name. Of her school system, Iowa can justly boast. It has sent out a large number of representative men whose names are as familiar to the nation as they are in the histories of the counties and neighborhoods in which they once lived. While the State has extended such fostering care to the interests of education, the several counties have been no less zealous and watchful in the management of this vital interest. And Black Hawk County forms no exception to the rule. The school houses and their furnishings are in full keeping with the spirit of the law that provides for their maintenance and support. The teachers rank high among the other thousands of teachers in the State; and the several County Super- intendents, since the office of Superintendent was made a part of the school sys- tem, have been chosen with especial reference to their fitness for the position.
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