USA > Iowa > Clinton County > Wolfe's history of Clinton County, Iowa, Volume 1 > Part 13
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tion was little else than a swamp in a wet season. For the last thirteen years the fair has been held at grounds in the northwest part of Lyons. The 1910 catalogue shows the officers to be as follows: John L. Wilson, president, Al- mont; E. C. Matthiesen, vice-president, Bryant; J. B. Ahrens, secretary, Lyons : J. W. Streib, treasurer, Clinton. The directors are : John L. Wilson, Almont; Geo. F. Cook, Lyons; H. Lueders, Lyons; G. W. Ashton, Lyons; C. D. May, Clinton.
The rate for stalls, pens, etc., is, this season, as follows: "Horse stalls, each one dollar and fifty cents; large stalls will be reserved for stallions with brood mares with colts. Cattle stall that will hold two head, each one dollar. There are no single cattle stalls. Hog pens, five by eight, each twenty-five cents. Sheep pens, five by eight, each twenty-five cents. A limited number of poultry coops will be furnished free. Parties will be allowed to exhibit in their own coops. Poultry will be cared for when not attended by owner, and fed and watered by the society free of charge. Stall's and pens can be secured of each superintendent in the named departments of stock."
Camping on the grounds is allowed and urged upon the farms. A spe- cial ground is always designated for this purpose. It is free of charge. Pay- ment for the entry of a farm team will allow the same to be on the grounds throughout the entire fair week.
THE DE WITT FAIR.
The De Witt fair association adopted its constitution and by-laws Feb- ruary 19, 1881, and the name was fixed as The Clinton County Agricultural Society. It was thrown open to the entire world, its object being to improve the condition of agriculture, the mechanical and household arts. The follow- ing eleven articles were incorporated :
"Section 1. Any person may become a member of the society by sign- ing the constitution and paying into the treasury the sum of ($5.00) five dollars.
"By paying a fee of one dollar annually such members shall be entitled to a membership ticket, entitling him and wife and children under sixteen years of age and one vehicle drawn by one or two horses, if containing only himself and family as above, to admission to the grounds, at all times during the season when open to the public by the society.
"The private property of the members shall be exempt from liability for corporate debts of the society.
"Sec. 2. The officers of this society shall consist of a president, vice-
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president, secretary, treasurer and fifteen directors, who shall constitute a board of directors. All officers are to be elected by ballot, at the annual meeting during the fair, excepting the fifteen directors, five of whom are elected each year, and hold their office for three years.
"Sec. 3. The president shall preside at all meetings of the society. He shall see that the orders of the board of directors are executed, and during the fair shall fill any vacancy that may occur in awarding committees or minor offices.
"Sec. 4. The vice-president shall perform all the duties of the president in his absence.
"Sec. 5. The secretary shall keep all the books and papers of the society and make a full annual report of the conditions and doings of the society and forward the same to the state society before the first Monday in December of each year.
"Sec. 6. The secretary and treasurer, before entering upon the discharge of the duties, shall execute bonds, with securities to be approved by the board of directors in the penal sum of one thousand dollars each, conditioned for the faithful performance of their duties, and for the payment of all money in their hands belonging to the society, to their successors in office.
"Sec. 7. The treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds belonging to the society. He shall keep a full and correct account of all money coming into his possession, from whence received and for what and to whom paid, and shall make a full report to the society at the annual meeting, accompanied by proper vouchers.
"Sec. 8. The executive committee shall audit all claims presented to the society. No payment shall be made by the treasurer (excepting premiums) without the action of the auditing board, signed by the president and counter- signed by the secretary.
"Sec. 9. The fair grounds, the finances and all property, both personal and real, belonging to the society, shall be under the supervision of the board of directors. Any vacancy occurring shall be filled by them.
"Sec. 10. The directors shall hold a regular meeting on the first Satur- day after the second Monday in January of each year, for the purpose of mak- ing out a premium list and publishing the same before the first of March; appointing awarding committees, fixing the time for holding the fairs, and transacting such other business as the welfare of the society may require. A special meeting of the directors or executive committee may be called at any. time by the president.
"Sec. II. The constitution may be amended at a regular meeting, pre-
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vious notice having been given at the regular annual meeting, by a two-thirds vote of the members present."
For all these thirty years this fair had held its annual exhibitions and many thousands of dollars have been paid out in premiums to farmers and stock men, including the most excellent races. The De Witt fair has come to be looked forward to with great interest by both farmers and business men. The attendance, both at this fair and at the one at Lyons, is large each year and much good has come from the rivalry and the farmers have fixed this week as "a week off," in which old friendships are renewed and the wonderful display of the products of Clinton county soil are placed in proper exhibition form for them to view and profit by.
The following are the present year officers of the De Witt fair, as it has come to be styled : D. Armentrout, president; T. W. Large, vice-president ; C. H. Christianson, secretary, and A. M. Price, treasurer. The directors are: M. J. Pinter, Welton; Geo. M. Smith, De Witt; O. S. Moses, De Witt; Wm. Burke, Charlotte; L. S. Harrington, De Witt; Thos. J. Glynn, De Witt; J. R. Thompson, Long Grove; J. G. Pearse, De Witt; Frank Kearney, De Witt; J. W. Anderson, Elwood; M. Sullivan, Welton; Phil Butterfus, De Witt; J. A. Hansman, De Witt; Eugen Hanssen, De Witt; J. P. McManus, De Witt.
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CHAPTER X.
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Iowa has always been broad-minded in her educational ideas, and the early settlers, even in territorial days, looked ahead and made ample provi- sions for the instruction of generations yet unborn. Her college land, school lands and school sections of land (sixteenth in each township) have all been conserved for the bringing about of the results just named.
Perhaps the earliest school's in the county of Clinton were the subscrip- tion schools at Camanche, then the county seat. These were held at private houses for a time. The first of which history has given us a record was taught in 1838, by Ann Eliza Thomas, who married Horace Root and emi- grated to Oregon. She was succeeded by Mrs. Jane Mobbs, a sister of the last-named teacher. Then followed Mrs. Sarah Root and Hannah Marks, who became the wife of Robert Hogle, of Lyons.
The first school supported wholly or in part by public funds was taught by Mr. Banker, of Troy, New York. This was in a log house that had been erected as a claim-shanty and was situated about a half mile northwest of the village of Camanche, on what later was known as the Bovard farm. This humble building was used for two years, and to it came children of all ages and for many miles around, at least as far as the Wapsie river west, and north almost to the present site of the city of Clinton. In the winter of 1849-50 this school was taught by D. W. Millard. The summer of 1851 a school house was erected in Camanche, and it was also used for church purposes up to 1860, when in the great tornado of that season (spoken of in detail elsewhere) it was totally destroyed. A frame house soon adorned the old site and later a two-story building was provided.
At De Witt, in 1842, when the old court house had been erected of logs, a Mr. Edgar taught a little band of a dozen pupils, but in 1867 the town built a twenty-five thousand dollar school building and had an excellent graded school, attended by more than two hundred students.
The first school taught in Elk river township was in a log cabin, near the present site of the Almont church. The first teacher was Julia Carpenter, of Fulton, Illinois, who taught there in the summer of 1842. In 1878 there were thirteen school districts in the township.
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In Deep Creek township, the early teachers who taught in the old log school building in 1843 or 1844 were, Philo Hunter, Marietta Rhodes and Mrs. Rodman. Teachers boarded around from house to house. This town- ship was one of the first in the county to renew its school houses and the out- lay was about ninety-three dollars each.
THE LYONS SCHOOLS.
At Lyons, the school record seems somewhat meagre with the lapse of years. The first records are not to be found and were doubtless lost in some of the fires that have swept the city in the last half century. It is a matter of record that lots 2 and 3 in block 26, were purchased of Dennis Warren, one of the proprietors of the town, for twenty-five dollars. Another record says : "Three dollars paid to school teacher Daniel Gordon." This teacher seems to have had to wait until May for a portion of his wages, for on that date he was paid twenty-three dollars and this was several months after his school was out. On November 3, 1847, John S. Stowes was employed to teach school at the rate of thirty dollars per term of three months. But by 1851 wages had gone up, for William C. Harrington was engaged to teach school at twenty-three dollars per month.
In 1847 was built the famous old Fourth street brick school house in Lyons. A special meeting was ordered held in 1848 to provide for "banking up the school building."
There was then strong opposition to women teaching school, so much so that a special meeting was held, a previous vote was rescinded and a male teacher ordered engaged instead of a lady already hired. Lyons has had its own share of school troubles, litigations and bitter bickerings in the long- ago years, before progress had stamped the city as her child. One faction wanted roomy school houses and another wanted to use the "old one-story brick" as long as the brick would stand one against another in the wall. This went on until May, 1857, when at an election it was decided to build a first ciass school house, to not cost more than six thousand dollars additional to what might be realized for the old brick house, in which children had been pent up for so many years because of the wranglings above mentioned. Trouble arose over the matter and finally it was decided to erect a central build- ing of brick and one in the north and one in the south part of town of frame. Two frame buildings of two rooms each were erected and used for a dozen years or more. But these are only reminiscent lines showing the develop- ment of the present standard.
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The Lyons grammar school was erected in 1885, by a bond issue of nine thousand dollars. This is a handsome two-story brick building with eight rooms, situated on West Main street and is still in use.
In 1905 the magnificent high school structure on East Main street was erected of brick and stone. It is a thoroughly modern school building and the original contract price was forty thousand dollars, for which sum bonds were issued. The building with all furnishings has cost fifty thousand dollars. This is the county's ideal school building.
To recapitulate : The Lyons schools are the high school, the Grammar school, North school, South school, Central school and East school.
The schools were graded during the school year 1869 and 1870 under the superintendency of C. C. Snyder. There were nine grades in the elemen- tary department, and three years of high school work. After two or three years the ninth grade was dropped from the elementary department and school continued on the eleven-grade basis until 1899, when a fourth year was added to the high school.
The first regular written examination was held at the close of the year 1870, with fifty per cent as passing grade. Pupils were so unused to written examinations that even with the low passing mark a large number failed. A year later the passing mark was changed to sixty per cent and in 1872 to seventy per cent.
The grounds were bare of trees, shrub or grass, and the buildings often ill-kept; there were no school room equipments whatever. Pupils of the high school raised money by giving entertainments for the purpose of purchasing dictionaries and other needed equipments.
The first class was graduated from the high school in 1871 and consisted of two pupils. The largest class graduating was thirty-five. The total num- ber of graduates to date, six hundred and nine.
Lyons has a well-organized system of public schools, with a competent corps of teachers fully abreast of the times in all matters pertaining to the science of teaching. The course of study is flexible and up-to-date. It is planned with a view not only to prepare the boys and girls for the colleges, but also to fit them for the work they are actually to do in life. Manual training and domestic economy are taught in the schools; but they are taught along with literature, history and the sciences. The aim is not to fit for a particular trade or calling, but to lay a good foundation for all. The business course has the usual commercial studies taught in a business college, viz : Bookkeep- ing, commercial English, including letterwriting, spelling, penmanship, short- hand, typewriting, commercial law and commercial geography. The furnish-
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ings and arrangement of the new typewriting room have added interest and pride to the work. The object of the teachers' course is to prepare the grad- uates who intend to teach for the county examination and to train them for their duties in the schoolroom. This course includes a thorough review of the studies required for the uniform county examination, with didactics and ele- mentary psychology.
The regular courses include all the studies usually taught in a modern well-directed high school. The Latin course is offered for those whose later aim is to enter college. The scientific course is characterized by the usual branches of high school kinds, together with two years of German as one of the languages most called for in the higher pursuit of scientific study where a reading knowledge is necessary to pursue the subject in foreign texts; the English course is aimed to meet the wishes of those who desire to confine the study to subjects involving science, mathematics, English and commercial subjects.
The library facilities are adequate, and the laboratory equipments more complete than those usually found in schools of this size.
A LYONS SCHOOL RELIC.
Now, after having shown the growth of the schools at Lyons, it may not be out of place to insert a copy of the first subscription paper circulated there, the same bearing date of Lyons, Iowa Territory, February 1, 1841, as it shows the early sentiments of the Lyons people. It reads as follows: "We the undersigned, being anxious to encourage morality and diffuse education through the country, and viewing at the same time the importance of a per- manent school establishment in this neighborhood, and, also, the ultimate ad- vantages attendant on such an institution, for the growth and prosperity of our country, are willing to aid and assist in erecting a building for the above purpose, which is to be located in the town of Lyons, I. T., on certain land donated for that purpose by the proprietors of said town. The above building to be free for all denominations for religious meetings, at any time when not in use by the schools. (Signed) Oliver P. Aikman, (in produce) $5.00; John Aikman, (in team work ) $5.00; John R. Boyd, (in plastering) $3.00; Phillip Deeds, (in work) $3.00; James Boyd, (in team work) $5.00; Joseph Boyd, (in team work) $1.50; Alex. Aikman, (in produce) $5.00; Shubael Coy, (in produce, labor or timber) $15.00."
In Waterford township, originally, Deep Creek and the north half of Washington township constituted one school district. The first school taught
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there was in the summer of 1849, in a log school house, the teacher being Celeste Jenne. The house was built by subscription and was located on what later was known as the William McClure farm. For some time the standard school house here had rounded puncheon floors and seats. Elijah Markham should have the credit for first advocating lumber for seats and desks in the township. The school houses were also used, in almost every case, as a union meeting house for any denomination that cared to call a meeting or a series of meetings, and everyone was glad to attend, whether of the same faith as the minister or not.
In Eden township, the earliest schools were taught in a log building erected in 1849, standing upon land later known as the Peter Hill farm in the Union district, which took in the entire township.
In Washington township, the first school meeting held was at the house of Rouse P. Brown, in the winter of 1853-54, when the board was duly organized. Today this township is fully equipped with excellent school build- ings, good schools always obtain and the patrons will take nothing but the best in educational matters.
In Hampshire township, the first school meeting was held and the board organized February 20, 1857. It was held at the Hess school house, showing that before that subscription schools had obtained and a building had been erected.
EARLY CLINTON SCHOOLS.
The few citizens that lived in Clinton prior to the winter of 1855-56 had to send their children to the Lyons school house, but during that winter, through an heroic effort on the part of the first men of the town, the township of Lyons allowed Clinton to have a separate school. It was conducted at first in a log hut, not good enough to be dignified by the title of log cabin. that stood near the present site of W. J. Young's upper mills. There it was, during that winter, that Isaac Baldwin taught about thirty scholars, all or nearly all dead now and their grandchildren attending the excellent schools of Greater Clin- ton. The room was heated ( ?) with an old cook stove donated by some gener- ous soul. All was primitive. The greatest annoyance was the great amount of tobacco juice left on the floor after religious services were held in the antique old building during a winter evening. The lives of the first students in this pioneer school, if written in book form, would fill many pages of inter- esting history.
School district No. I, Clinton, was organized in July, 1856. An elec- tion was held on the 25th of that month, when the board was : J. C. Boucher,
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president; H. McCormick, secretary, and D. H. Pearce, treasurer. The fol- lowing September it was found that one hundred and seventy-three pupils were entitled to be admitted as students. During the next winter the school occupied a frame building that for many years stood on Fifth avenue, east of Third street. Mr. Baldwin was succeeded by Lorena Clark, and she by E. R. Morgan and Jennie Lewis. One day, a historian relates, they had so bitter a fight that they both appealed to the directors, but later became reconciled and were eventually married and lived happily together.
This frame building served, with a few more about like it, until 1860. One of the early school houses was also used as a station on the "underground railroad," of which special mention is made elsewhere in this volume.
September 1, 1858, the district embraced sections 6 and 7, in township 81, range 7, and section 12, in township 81, range 6. In the winter of 1850-60 the schools were taught by Grove P. Jenks and Mary Fuller. The invoice of all property belonging to the district then was: "One table, thirty-two sound and seven damaged chairs, nine benches, two desks with broken locks, one blackboard, one ditto, very small, two stoves and pipe, two pails and cups, two small bells."
In the spring of 1858, a six thousand dollar tax was voted to erect a school building. It was for some cause deemed illegal, and was voted on again in September, that year, but rescinded in October. At the annual meet- ing in 1860 it was found that the treasury was empty, but a tax payable in January was due and greatly anticipated. Through an ingenious scrip-issue, advanced by the board ( Messrs. W. F. Coan, E. P. Wilcox, C. H. Toll and J. C. Boucher), four thousand dollars was raised. Thus was erected on the east side of De Witt Park the first real and then fully ample school building in Clinton. In September, 1860, the number of pupils enrolled was four hun- dred and forty-five in the district. In 1863 more room was demanded and the board authorized the issue of bonds to the amount of five thousand dollars to erect a building on the west side of the park; this was enlarged in 1865 to a seating capacity of four hundred and fifty pupils. In 1866, a frame building was purchased in the rear of the Episcopal church. Turner Hall was also brought into schoolroom use, as the children flocked in for quarters. This was all going on while the new school building was built in 1869 at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. Still there was need for more room,-the city was growing,-so that in June, 1870, a tax was voted for ten thousand dollars to build a three-story building west of Clinton park, and this seated four hundred and seventy-five more.
In 1871, that supurb educator, Prof. Henry Sabin, became superintend-
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ent and he brought life and light and true progress to the schools of Clinton. Later he became our worthy state superintendent. It was he who graded the city schools after the pattern of all good cities. In 1869 the number at- tending school was one thousand four hundred and twenty-four.
Concerning the construction of school buildings let it be stated : The buildings already enumerated served until 1882, when it became necessary to erect two new buildings, one on Oak street, now known as the Kirkwood school, and another on Eleventh avenue, known as the Lincoln school. Each of these has been enlarged, the former to a six and the latter to an eight-room building.
In 1889 the present high school was erected, at a cost of forty thousand dollars, the lot having been purchased of the Catholic church for five thousand five hundred dollars.
In 1892 the Chancy school district was annexed to the independent school district of Clinton, and in 1896 the four-room school was increased to an eight- room, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. The school is now styled the Long- fellow school. A new heating plant and toilet system was provided at that date, making the school building one of the best in the district.
In 1892 the Grammar school was built, at an expense of thirty-five thou- sand dollars.
In 1898 the Hawthorne school was erected, costing the district ten thou- sand dollars.
In 1900, the Holmes school, in Manufacturer's addition, was erected at a cost of one thousand three hundred dollars. This is a model, one-room country school, with furnace and other up-to-date equipment.
In 1908 the new Franklin school was built, at a cost of twenty-seven thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars, the lower story only being completed. This building contains all modern equipment in the way of heating, ventilating and plumbing and is lighted according to the most approved system.
In 1907 it was written of the city schools by Supt. O. P. Bostwick, "Dur- ing the last ten years many important and permanent improvements have been made upon the school buildings in the way of ventilating plants, and sanitary toilet systems, costing the district about twenty-five thousand dollars. The school incorporation now has invested in school sites, fifty thousand dollars; in school buildings, two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars; in school apparatus and books, twenty-five thousand dollars; making the total valuation of school property in the district three hundred thousand dollars, all of which has been accumulated in a half century."
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During this time the school enrollment had grown from thirty in 1856 to three thousand one hundred and fifty-one in 1906.
The Clinton public schools take rank among the best in Iowa, in organiza- tion, scope and character of work. The graduates from the high school here are admitted without examination to any college or university in the North- west.
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