USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Minnesota (Volume 1) > Part 44
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Spring Valley. District 113. At an early day this formed a part of the old Spring Valley district, but in 1871 or 1872, a school was started at the house of Charles Beverly, in section 35, and it was also kept in other houses. In 1873, a schoolhouse was provided, of brick. District 114. School was first taught in this locality in a building put up for that purpose on section 23, in 1859. The first school was taught by Cornelia Hartshorn, from Boston, who soon married I. Freeman. The schools here had a large attendance till 1876, when a new house was erected at a cost of $1,100, near the old one. The school is called the "Pleas- ant Hill Schoolhouse." District 115. This has the appellation of "Hard Scrabble" school, and the first session was taught here in a slab shanty erected for that purpose in 1858, and presided
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over by Mrs. Littlefield. After a few years it was kept in a building rented of Wilkins & Fifield, on the bank of the creek. Finally the schoolhouse was constructed on section 11. Dis- trict 116. The first school within the limits of this district was called to order in a little log cabin on section 17 in 1857, and the presiding genius was Mary O. Hill. There the school was in session for five or six terms, until the structure was consumed by fire, and then another log house went up on section 8, where the rising generation was gathered until 1871, when a new house was built. District 117. Susan Sharp, who afterward became Mrs. J. Q. Farmer, taught school in a little claim shanty on section 30, in 1863. Soon after a log schoolhouse was put to- gether on the farm of W. H. Conklin in section 32. In 1873, a structure was built on the eastern line of section 30. District 148. The first school held here was in a frame building belonging to L. G. Odell, on section 4, in 1868, and Nancy Rosebrook was the first teacher. The district was soon organized, and the school was continued in the same place, and then in the blacksmith shop near there. Then a substantial log schoolhouse went up, replaced later by a modern building. District 156. Soon after the war of the rebellion this district was set off, and a wing of a building belonging to S. Treat bought and moved to the northeast section of 21. Wesley P. Carrol was the first to wield the rod of authority in this district. District 165. It was not until 1874 that this was created as a district, and a frame schoolhouse erected on the town line in section 32. The initial teacher was William Farnsworth. District 112 embraces the village of Spring Valley and is elsewhere treated in full. District 178 embraces land in Spring Valley and Fillmore. It was created from dis- tricts 124, 97, 115 and 172, by the county commissioners, July 14, 1890. The schoolhouse is in section 12.
Bloomfield. District 108. The first school taught in this dis- trict was in the summer of 1857, by Mrs. Hunt, in a log cabin, where it continued until the schoolhouse was built, in section 20. No school is now kept in this district. District 107. A log school- house was built in 1856, and a school opened by Daniel Scoville. The school officers were John Bateman, Mr. McCord and Dwight Rathbun. There were at first about a dozen juveniles to be taught. The schoolhouse is located upon the eastern line of sec- tion 2. A sabbath school was organized here in 1857, with Daniel Scoville as superintendent. District 109 was organized in the fall of 1858, and in 1859 a school was held in Mr. Baker's granery by John B. Freeborn. In 1860, everyone in the district turned out to assist in putting up a schoolhouse now in use, and all were credited 75 cents per day on their tax. The schoolhouse, 20x25 feet, was erected on the northwest corner of section 23. The first
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school in the new house was governed by Helen Lilly, who received $1.50 a month and board. About twelve juveniles gath- ered on the benches. Messrs. McNee and Craig were the most influential citizens of the town, or at least of that section, in locating the building, starting the school, and securing and pay- ing the teacher. District 110. This comprises the territory known as the Etna school district. It was organized in 1856, and a log schoolhouse erected on section 36. The teacher, Elder Ropes, gave his services for $6 a month and his board, which was ob- tained by visiting around from house to house, so many days at each. The log cabin filled the requirements until 1865, when a house was built on section 26, size 24x30 feet, at a cost of $700. It was afterwards removed to section 25, in the western part of Etna village. The first religious instruction was at Etna, the little hamlet in section twenty-five. Rev. Mr. Bly, of the Baptist faith, was the missionary. District 132. The first in this part of the town was taught by Miss Graham in Mr. Allen's house. In 1864, a building was bought, moved and fixed up, which served until early in the seventies, when a new building was located in the northwestern corner of section 17. District 111. This dis- trict was organized in 1859, and a plain slab shanty erected on section 33, by subscription. This rude hut lasted until 1876, when a neat building was erected on the same place, size 18x24 feet, at a cost of about $400. The first school was called to order in the slab shanty by Sarah Beach. District 180 was established by the county commissioners, May 2, 1893, out of portions of districts 107, 108 and 109. The schoolhouse is located in almost the exact center of the township. District 181. The Ostrander school is a wooden structure of two rooms. Two teachers are employed, and there are about sixty scholars. The district was organized from parts of districts 108 and 111 by the county commissioners, May 2, 1893.
Forestville. The township of Forestville is divided into seven school districts. They are all in good financial standing and under good management. The schoolhouses in the township, as an average, surpass those of any of the surrounding towns. The first district organized in the town was what is now known as district No. 90. The first schoolhouse in an organized county dis- trict was erected here. District 90. This district embraces the village of Forestville and surrounding territory. The district was organized as district 3 in 1854 and as district 1 on January 2, 1855. In it was undoubtedly constructed the first school erected in an organized district in this county. The story is told else- where. In 1856 a brick house was built, which lasted until another house was erected in 1878. A schoolhouse north of the village was erected at a cost of $1,800, size 24x36
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feet, two stories, and a stone basement. District 91. This district embraces the territory in the extreme northwestern part of the town, and extends into the adjoining towns. The school- house is located in the western part of section 6. District 92. This district was organized about 1860, and a log house built by subscription, which answered all school purposes until 1870, when a schoolhouse was erected at a cost of about $900, a short distance south of where the original house stood. This house was a neat brick building on the northwest quarter of section 18. District 93. In a log house owned by Mr. Graling, the first school was called to order by Annie Sanderson, and shortly afterward the district was organized. The house now occupied by the district is in the southwest corner of section 29. District 170. This received its organization later than the other districts in the township, in 1874, and a neat brick schoolhouse was erected at a cost of $1,000, in the northern part of section 8. District 155. Miss Crain taught the first school here in 1856 or 1857, in a house in section 13. The next year the school was also taught by the same lady in another dwelling. A house was erected about 1870, and cost between $900 and $1,000, being a substantial brick struc- ture, in the eastern part of section 15. District 142. This dis- trict was organized at an early day. The district embraces ter- ritory in the southeastern part of the town, the stone schoolhouse having been built on the southwestern quarter of section 27.
Carimona. District 68. In 1857 a stone schoolhouse in the village was put up, 16x20 feet, which served up to 1868, when a building now standing was erected of brick with a stone founda- tion, a tower 10x12 feet, of brick, with a bell, the cost being about $1,200. A school had been taught as early as 1855, in a building belonging to Brackett & Pickett, by Rev. T. P. Ropes with fifteen children. It was afterwards taught by Miss M. J. Shaft in the Converse building. District 70 was organized in 1861, with the following officers: Director, Cornelius Carl; clerk, P. Flynn; treasurer, James Kaygen. The location of the school building is on section 32. The first school was taught the first year of its organization in the residence of M. Flynn, by Lucy Okey. The schoolhouse was put up in 1862, and was of logs, 14x16 feet, and cost $300. Another house was constructed in 1873, 18x20 feet, at a cost of $600. The first school taught here was by William Allen with forty pupils. District 71. In 1862, this dis- trict was set apart and organized. The first director was J. Sav- age; clerk, S. Stevens; treasurer, William Davis. A school was taught in this district in 1860 by Jerusha Thacher, in Scott Steven's house, with eleven scholars. In 1863 a log building was put up, 18x20 feet, in section 27. The next year Alice Lancaster kept the school with fifteen pupils. District 73. This is the
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Waukokee school. In 1854 a log schoolhouse was built, 16x20 feet. It had twenty scholars. The next year a house was con- structed, 20x30 feet, and furnished with a bell weighing seventy- five pounds. The schoolhouse is located in section 25. District 171. This was not organized till 1877. The schoolhouse was built on section 17, is 16x24 feet, and cost $300 or more. The first director was J. Healy; treasurer, C. Smith; clerk, T. Delaney. The first school was taught by P. Healy in the residence of J. Healy, with fifteen pupils. District 67. An early school was here taught by Ellen S. Morgan with twelve children, in Whit- more Ford's house in section 10. The next year, 1858, the dis- trict was organized. In 1861 a house was built on section 11, 16x22, the land being donated by W. Ford. The house cost $300. The school is now in section 10.
Preston. District 47. This district has been known as the Duxbury school, the Mills school, the Hutton school and the Part- ridge school, and has facetiously been called Yale college. The school was started about 1858 or 1859, and the land was given by John Duxbury. The schoolhouse was built of logs, and stood a few feet east of the present schoolhouse. Otis Priest took charge of the building operations. The first school in the district was taught by Crouch, a shoemaker. He was followed by Chandler, and Chandler was followed by Ken- nedy. A new schoolhouse was built in 1874, and the first teacher in this building was Helen Nash, of Lanesboro. It was under the tuition of Jesse C. Johnson, that this school became the leading school in the county, and gained its name of "Yale college." District 48. January 27, 1858, a meeting was held to organize the district at the house of Mr. Livingood. A. J. Tillotson was the clerk, and the schoolhouse was built the same year on the land of Mr. Livingood which was leased for ninety-nine years. Each family was required to make a bench for the schoolhouse. Emily Miller presided at the teacher's desk for the first time in the new schoolhouse. The lease of the land was afterwards lost, and Mr. Livingood took possession of the building and put a family in it. For a year or two there was no school in the district. In 1874 a piece of land was procured of Chris. Hahn, in section 4, and a new schoolhouse went up, the first school being taught by Cara Slater. District 46. Schools were started by the settlers even before their district had been organized. Each one in a neighborhood would haul some logs and help to build the school- house, and gave a few dollars to the teacher, also looking after her board. The school in district 46 was built at the encour- agement of Mrs. Henderson, who offered a gallon of whiskey to the first man who should draw a load of logs and deposit it in the place she indicated. The first teacher in this log school was
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Katharine Bursell, later Mrs. James Rice. She was paid eight dollars a month, and lived with her relatives, the Hendersons. Mrs. Rice taught as soon as the log building was finished. She has often asserted that this was in the summer of 1860, for while a teacher she visited the bride, Ellen Young Hutton, who was married to William Hutton, December 31, 1859. Edwin Stork insists that he visited the school in the summer of 1859, and that Sarah Kimber, whom he afterwards married, spelled the school down. He is sure of this because it was the summer before he came of age, which was in November, 1859. The log structure was used until 1869 when a frame edifice was erected at a cost of $850. District 169. This was formerly a part of No. 48, but was set off and organized in 1871. A half acre of land was bought of Andreas Tollefson, on section 15, for $12.50, and that same fall a house was built at a cost of $560. Le. B. Felt was the first teacher; John Livingood was clerk, Michael Anstett, director, and Ole Larson, treasurer. District 137. This was organized in the last half of the sixties, and was taken from No. 47, from the Preston district, and a part in Carimona was added in 1878. When the district was first organized a log house was put up which lasted till 1878, when a building was pro- vided on section 18, at a cost of $1,200. In the new house, Hattie Sutton had the honor of calling the first school to order. In the early history of the district Ettie Prescott was the first teacher, in E. Long's house. District 129. In 1861 this district was organized, and the same year a schoolhouse was laid up of stone, at a cost of about $500. The house is on section 31. Mary Manning was the first teacher in this district. District 136. This was formerly a part of Nos. 48 and 169. It was set off and organized about 1863, when a small log house was procured from section 11 and moved to section 12. Duncan Murray was the first teacher. In 1875 a house was built at a cost of $700, and J. W. Bennett was the first teacher. District 45 takes in the village schools of Preston.
Preble. The first school building erected in town was com- pleted in 1858 for district No. 11. The size of the structure was 16x18 feet. The walls were of oak logs with handmade oak shingles for the roof. The settlers were the architects and build- ers. It served the double purpose of secular and religious teach- ing until the church was put up in 1864. District 9. In 1859, a log house was built, 14x16 feet, near the house of Nels Johnson. The school was opened by Mrs. Cameron, of Hesper, Iowa. In 1878, a new schoolhouse was put on a site farther north than the old one, and on section 21. District 7 was organized in 1863, and the following year a log house was built. Anna Hall was the first teacher. On the subdivision of the district in 1871, the
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house was moved to a more central point in the northwest corner of section 10. District 162. This was taken from No. 7 in 1871. In 1877, a new frame building was constructed near the western boundary of section 12. District 69. This is a joint district with Houston county. The union was effected in 1871, through the exertions of Patrick Flannagan and John Kelley, and a school- house was erected, 14x18 feet. The first term of school was pre- sided over by Mary Kelly in the winter of 1872. District 10 was first organized and a schoolhouse built in 1862. The first teacher was William Van Doren. In 1873 a new schoolhouse was erected near the southeast corner of section 26. District 163. This was organized in 1870, and the following year a small log house was put up. The earliest school was taught by Minnie Clark.
Newburg. District 2. In 1862, this district was organized; but two terms of school had been held prior to the time the schoolhouse was erected. The first schoolhouse was completed in 1865. A part of this district at one time was set off and con- nected with a district in Houston county. District 3. An organi- zation was effected in 1856. The first officers were: trustees, Osten Peterson, Mathew Mathison, and Hans Arneson; clerk, Hans Valder. A schoolhouse of small dimensions was built the same year. The first instructor was Emily Seelye. District 5. This district is said to have been organized in 1855. E. F. West taught the first school. It was subdivided in 1872, and district No. 168 was set off, and in 1873 another schoolhouse was built. There was quite an opposition to building the new house, but the friends of the measure rallied at a school meeting one stormy night and carried their point. District 6. This was organized in 1857, and a school building erected the same year, 20x30 feet. James McDonald has the honor of having taught the first school, in the winter of 1857. This district now com- prises the village school of Mabel. District 66. A building for school purposes was put up in 1863, soon after the organization of the district, and the earliest school was called to order by Frances Plomteaux the following winter. District 135. In 1860, this district was organized, and the following year a schoolhouse was built at a cost of $475, 18x22 feet. Samuel Aiken taught the first school. District 150. This formed a part of the sixth dis- trict, and was organized near the close of the sixties. The fol- lowing year a schoolhouse was erected, 18x28 feet, at a cost of $800. The first school teacher was Dura Gilmore. District 168. A schoolhouse was erected in 1873, and the first school taught by Mrs. Robert Benedict. District 64 was taken from Nos. 5 and 6, and in the seventies was organized and a schoolhouse, 18x24 feet, erected on section 17. It has been known as the
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"White Schoolhouse" and was a prominent landmark. No school is now held in this district. District 1 is at Riceford in Houston county, being a joint district with this county. District 4 has a schoolhouse in section 7.
Canton. District 19. This is the old Leonra school, the first school taught in the county, in the building erected for school purposes. Its history is found in full elsewhere. District 20. This was set off from a district north of it extending into Am- herst. The schoolhouse was built in 1867, and is on the south- east corner of section 8 and cost about $600. The first school was taught by Della Stewart. District 21. In 1858, Elder W. Morse, a Baptist clergyman, began teaching school from one house to another. In 1860, a house was built on the farm of Josiah Fay in section 18. District 22. In 1855, a school was opened in a house built the year before by A. Eastman, in section 14, on the northwest part, but the next year was removed to the southeast of the same section. The building is now used by William Willford as a stable. The first school was taught by Clarisa Eddy. A schoolhouse was built in 1865, on section 14. District 23. On the east of section 25 the first school was kept in claim shanty belonging to John Graham on what is now the farm of Engebert Ellingson. This was in the fall of 1856. In the winter of 1857-58, a log house was constructed for school purposes on section 36. A brick schoolhouse was built in 1872, at a cost of $800, besides volunteer labor. The first teacher in the district was Sarah West Benedict. The old brick schoolhouse is now replaced by a modern building. District 24. In 1866 the first school was called to order in the present school- house by Alice Baker Sprague. At the first school there were twenty-six names on the register. The location is on the southeast corner of section 28. Elliota School, District 25. The initial school was in the winter of 1855-56, in an addition to the house of C. B. Kimball, and was presided over by Sarah Allen, of Bellevue. This was east of the village, and during the following summer it was kept at the house of Andrew Cheney. In 1856, the old stone schoolhouse was constructed. This served the purpose up to 1869, when it was burned, and after quite a bitter contest a new one was put up at a cost of about $500, on the northeast corner of section 31. District 26. In a frame house of Wesley Will- ford's on section 21, in 1862, the first school was opened by Hannah Bursell and taught here for a single term, when a tem- porary frame structure was put up near the east line of the same section, and there one term was also taught. Then a schoolhouse was built on section 16, at a cost of about $300. Canton Village Schools. When first recorded as a village the territory embraced the corners of four school districts, but in
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the fall of 1881 a new district, No. 174, was formed by taking forty acres from each of them, and thus making a new one from the 160 acres thus obtained. Arrangements were made to build a schoolhouse two stories high, with a belfry and other adorn- ments, at a cost of about $2,000. The first school was taught by May L. Mason in the house of George Hudson, in March, 1881.
Harmony has seven school districts as follows: District 37 on section 3; district 38 on section 9; district 39 on section 20; district 40, the village schools of Harmony; district 42, a former district in which school is no longer held; district 41 on section 26; district 44 on section 29, and district 140 on section 1. In section 8 there is a small church school.
Bristol. The first school in town was taught in M. C. St. John's house in the winter of 1854. Mr. St. John employed Adeline Stork to teach. She had seven pupils and the term was thirteen weeks. The family moved into the kitchen to make room for the educational institution. District 59. The first schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1856, of logs furnished by the settlers, who brought the material and put up the building on section 35. W. E. Adams went to Lansing, sixty miles, for the boards, windows and shingles. The first school was kept that winter by S. R. Lewis. In the fall of 1867 it was moved to section 36. District 60. In 1862 this was organized and the same year the schoolhouse was built. The contract was made with T. Chase to complete it for $300, but he lost money on the job, and the district allowed him $25 additional. It was located on sec- tion 22. Affie Linderman was the first teacher. The officers were J. C. Brown, Edwin Teel and John Linderman. In the fall of 1881 the schoolhouse was burned, but was rebuilt. District 61. This organization was effected about 1860, and the first school was taught in a granary belonging to George Drury; it was after- wards kept in M. O'Connor's granary in the summer and in the house in the winter. Maria Flynn was the first teacher. The schoolhouse was built in 1872. The first instructor in the school- house was Oscar Ayres. The first director was M. O'Connor. District 62. This was organized in 1860. The first school was in a shanty put up for the purpose near Joseph Ogg's granary. It was afterwards kept in N. Ogg's granary, and afterwards in John Shook's. Then a cabin was bought at Buffalo Grove for $15, and moved to section 5, where the school was kept until 1869, when a house was built. It is known as the Prairie Queen schoolhouse. District 65. This was first organized in 1857 or 1858. John Carnegie, John Rice and John Stahl were the first officers. The same year the men in the district turned out and put up a log house, getting out the shingles by hand. The lum- ber was sawed at the steam sawmill at Waukokee. Its location
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was on the land of John Rice, on section 13. Ruth Anderson was the teacher. School was continued here until a new house was built on section 24. District 130. Mary Buskirk kept school in D. Crowell's house in 1858, and only the Crowell children at- tended. In 1869 the district was organized, and the first school kept in Norman Brace's house, Mrs. Brace being the teacher. This was in section 32; afterwards it was in a log house in section 31. A new schoolhouse was built in 1872, on section 31, at a cost of $650. Georgie L. Tibbales was the first teacher. James Arnot, N. Brace and John Sims were the officers. District 131. This was organized in 1861, and the first school taught in the house of Joshua Horton, Alice Andrews being the instructor. The officers were Ole Skrabeck, Henry Tarbest and Joshua Hor- ton. The school boarded around in different houses until the year 1866, when a schoolhouse was constructed on section 11. This district has one of the best single room buildings in the county. It was erected at a cost of about $1,600 and follows the modern "side light" plan, the main room having windows on the north only. District 149. This was formerly a part of No. 59 and was set off in 1861, and the first school kept in a house belonging to Burgess & Greenleaf. George Bates was the first teacher. After that the school was kept in the Red Tavern. In 1870 a schoolhouse was constructed in section 33, costing about $700. In 1874 that was demolished and a new one put up in Granger, a two story building costing about $1,200. Sarah D. Teel taught the first school here. District 151. School was first taught in this district at the house of G. G. Roberts in section 18, and afterwards in a log house in section 19. The same year, 1868, the district was organized. In 1870 a schoolhouse was built on section 19 at a cost of $500. Richard D. Jones was the first teacher in the new schoolhouse. This is the Bristol Grove schoolhouse.
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