USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Minnesota > Part 16
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The second State Legislature passed a new school act March 10, 1860, to take effect April 1, 1860. The chancellor of the University of Minnesota was to be State superintendent of instruction. Each town was to have a town superintendent whose powers were many. The superintendent, among other duties, was to divide the town into districts, and had the authority to define and alter the boundaries of all districts in his town. The formation of districts was to be reported to the county auditor, who would designate for each a number, all districts in the county being numbered consecutively. After the superintendent had created a district he was, within twenty days, to notify some legal voter of the district, who was compelled at once to give
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a five days' notice to every legal voter in the proposed district to attend a district election. When two of the three trustees elected at such meeting should consent to serve the district was considered duly organized; and after the district had exercised its privileges for a year it was to be con- sidered legally organized. In changing the boundaries of a district, or dis- tricts, the superintendent was to hold a hearing to learn of objections. The trustees of districts affected by alterations could, if they so desired, appeal to a board consisting of the town.chairman, the town clerk, and the super- intendent, and a majority of this board was necessary to make the change. Districts overlapping township boundaries could be created by the con- current action of the chairman of the towns concerned; while overlapping county boundaries were reported to the auditors concerned. The super- intendent was to visit each school in his town twice each term. All ex- aminations of teachers were to be conducted by him, and no one was to be allowed to teach who did not hold a certificate from him or from the State normal school. He was to be elected for one year at the annual town meeting. His compensation was fixed by the supervisors and was not to exceed the per diem rate paid to the other town officers.
The third State Legislature took its hand at school affairs, and passed a school act, approved March 7, 1861, to go into effect immediately. It placed the control of local school matters in the town board of supervisors and in a town superintendent to be appointed by them. Each town was to constitute one district. The three town supervisors were to be the trustees of the school district, the town clerk, the school clerk, and the town treas- urer. Each district (town) was to be divided into sub-districts. These sub- districts in each district (town) were to be numbered consecutively ; thus, each town was to have a sub-district 1, a sub-district 2, and thus on to the limit to sub-districts. The new sub-districts were to conform as nearly as possible to the districts already in existence; previously created districts overlapping the town boundaries being considered sub-districts of the town in which the schoolhouse or place of holding school sessions was located. The division into sub-districts was to be made by the school trustees (town supervisors) on the last Tuesday in March, 1861. The trustees also had charge of the alteration of school boundaries. Hearings were to be given to persons in any way aggrieved by acts of the trustees, and the right of appeal from these decisions to the State superintendent was allowed. The trustees also were to hire teachers. In each sub-district there was to be ap- pointed a sub-clerk and three directors. These directors were to have charge of the schoolhouse, furniture, apparatus and the like, to appoint a librarian. The school trustees (town supervisors) were to appoint a town superin- tendent. He was to visit each school once each term, and was to receive the same per diem fee as the town officers. He was also to examine all teachers and to receive in pay therefor 50 cents in advance from each candidate.
The State normal school board was to select a list of text books to be used in the schools for the next five years. All the schools of the State were to be in general charge of the State superintendent, who was to be elected by both houses of the State Legislature every two years, the first term dating from March 15, 1861. The governor was to fill the vacancies
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by appointment. One of the duties of the State superintendent was to organize teachers' institutes.
The fourth State Legislature adopted an entirely new school system. By an act passed March 6, 1862, to go into effect at once, the secretary of State was to be State superintendent of instruction ex-officio. Each sub- district as existing at that time was to become a district, and all the dis- tricts in the county were to be numbered consecutively by the county auditor. The county commissioners had the power to create and alter dis- tricts, but were to avoid, so far as possible, having the districts overlap the town boundaries. Each school district was to have a director, a clerk and a treasurer. These three were to be called the trustees and were to have charge of the schoolhouse and the hiring of teachers. On ballot of the voters the trustees could rent, build, alter or move a schoolhouse. The trustees were to be elected the first Tuesday in May, 1862, and after that on the last Saturday in March. The town superintendents then serving were to hold office until September, 1862. Then there was to be an examiner in each commissioner district. The examiner was to receive $2 a day for giving general examinations and 50 cents for each examination given at other times. A county tax of one-fifth of one per cent was to be levied for the support of schools, and all fines for penal offenses not other- wise disposed of by law were also to be added to the school fund. The fund was to be apportioned among the different districts. The cities of St. Paul, Minneapolis and Winona were exempted from the provisions of this act of 1862.
The sixth State Legislature formulated practically the system still in use. It provided that the system of 1862 might be continued in counties where no change was desired, but that in counties desiring a more complete system, the county commissioners might appoint a county superintendent of schools, who was to have general control of the schools of the county. The trustees were to have charge of all local affairs of their districts, but the county superintendent was to visit each school once a term, was to grant certificates on examination to the teachers, was to hold teachers' institutes, and generally to promote the welfare of the educational interests of the county. The salary of the superintendent was to be fixed by the county commissioners, and the term was to be one calendar year. This act was passed on March 4, 1864.
Beginning April 1, 1867, the State superintendents of public instruc- tion have been appointed by the Governor. Since 1876 the office of county superintendent has been elective.
Since the evolving of the foundations of the present system in 1864 there have been many improvements and amplifications. The present system consists of rural schools of one, two and three and sometimes four rooms; consolidated rural schools; graded schools; high schools; normal schools; the State University, and special schools for the deaf, blind and orphaned.
Rural schools are supervised in each county by the county superin- tendent of schools. Consolidated, graded and high schools are supervised by a principal or superintendent in charge of each. The county super- 8
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intendent has authority to exercise general supervision over all public schools in the county, receiving reports from all public schools in relation to attendance, cost of maintenance, teachers, buildings, text books, libraries and other general factors.
The schools are supervised and controlled on the part of the State by: a State department of education which is directed by the State super- intendent of education and his assistants; a State high school board which has immediate direction of State high and graded schools; a normal school board having charge of the normal schools; and a board of regents having charge of the State University.
The public schools are supported by: (a) A local tax upon the prop- erty of the school district including a one-mill tax required by law to be levied in each district; (b) a State mill tax; (c) income from the permanent State school fund; (d) special annual State aid.
The State aid is granted to rural, consolidated, graded and high schools, and to special departments in high and graded schools, under specified conditions fixed either in the law or by administrative rule of the Depart- ment of Education or the high school board.
Annual grants by the State are made to public schools for the estab- lishment and maintenance of school libraries. The annual grant is $10 for each teacher, with a limit of $25 to each school building, conditioned upon an equal sum being paid by the school.
Normal schools are supported by direct appropriations made by the Legislature.
The State University is supported by a State tax of twenty-three hun- dredths of a mill upon all taxable State property, by State appropriations, and by appropriations from the Federal Government. In addition to this, the University receives support through fees.
The State provides funds for teachers' institutes and training schools, held under the direction of the State Superintendent of Education.
Teachers' certificates are issued by the superintendent of education upon examinations, or upon endorsement of diplomas or other credentials issued by accredited State normal schools, high school training depart- ments, and by colleges and universities.
The State normal schools are located at Winona, Mankato, St. Cloud, Moorehead and Duluth, and one has been authorized for Bemidji.
The first educational instruction among the whites in Houston county was given in the pioneer homes by the mothers, who, though they had come to a new country, did not desire their children to grow up in ignorance.
The early comers never lost sight of the idea upon which the possi- bility of founding and supporting a popular government rests-the educa- tion of the children-and as fast as the children arrived in the country, or became of school age, the best possible provision at the command of the people was made for their schooling. An account of the various expedients resorted to that would meet the requirements of the circumstances, would, while sometimes laughable, reveal the struggling efforts of a determination to bestow knowledge upon the rising generation in spite of all difficulties. Schools were often kept in a log dwelling, where the schoolroom would be
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partitioned off only by an imaginary line from the portion occupied by the family. Sometimes an open shed, as an annex to a house, would serve the purpose in the summer.
The usual method was for the neighbors to get together and organize a district and select a lot for a building. Of course each one would want it near, but not too near, and sometimes there was a little difficulty in es- tablishing a location which would prove to be the best accommodation of the greatest number. And then to build a schoolhouse, a "bee" was the easiest way, and so plans and estimates were improvised, and each one would subscribe one, two, three, or four logs so many feet long, so many shingles, so many slabs, so much plaster for chinking, so many rafters, a door, a window, or whatever might be needed for the particular kind of schoolhouse to be built, and at the appointed hour the men would assemble with the material, bringing their dinner pails, and by night, if there had not been too much hilarity during the day, the building would be covered and practically completed. The benches would be benches indeed, often without backs, and sitting on one of them was about as comfortable as sitting in the stocks, that now unfashionable mode of punishment.
The first official action in regard to education in Houston county was taken on June 8, 1854, at the second meeting of the county commissioners when school district No. 1 was created, embracing a tract on the bank of the Mississippi, and extending a mile and a half north and a mile and a half south of the village of Brownsville. School district No. 2 was set off July 5, 1854, embracing section 36, township 104, range 5; sections 1 and 12, township 103, range 6; sections 6, 7 and 8, township 103, range 5; and sections 31 and 32, township 104, range 5. This district, generally speak- ing, embraced the pioneers living eastward from Houston. School district No. 3 was set off the same day. It consisted of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, township 103, range 6; and sections 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, township 104, range 6; that is, the village of Houston and surrounding territory.
Oct. 4, 1854, school district No. 4 was created, embracing the Hokah pioneers. It consisted of sections 5 and 6, township 103, range 4; section 1, township 103, range 5; and section 36, township 104, range 5. Jan. 3, 1855, school district No. 5 was created to accommodate the pioneers northeast of Houston. It consisted of sections 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 township 104, range 6. School district No. 6 was created April 2, 1855, in the eastern part of what is now Winnebago township and the western part of what is now Jefferson township. On the same day, school district No. 7 was created consisting of the territory southwest of Brownsville Village. It embraced sections 27, 28, 29, 32 and 33 in township 103, range 4. Although these early districts were all subsequently renumbered, their original numbers and creation are important in fixing the beginnings of the system in this county.
The board continued to create and alter school districts upon petition, but as the years passed there was considerable confusion about boundaries, numbers and organization. Local officers, frontiersmen in a crude country, were often neglectful of their duties, the members of the county board had little opportunity to study conditions in the various parts of the
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county, and were willing to create new districts or change old ones at the request of almost anyone who came along. Sometimes changes were made which were known only to the one making the request.
To prevent some of the more flagrant of these abuses, the county board on Sept. 15, 1858, passed a resolution that the board in the future would not consider any division of a school district or township unless notice should have been posted in three public places in the territory affected at least ten days before the petition be presented to the county board.
March 10, 1859, the board had before it reports from various school dis- tricts as a basis for the school appropriations. There had been fifty-five districts created. Of these forty reported. There was a total of 1,733 children of school age in these forty districts, and $1 was appropriated for each one. The largest number in any district was 165, the smallest 21. The average number was a little over 43.
In 1860 school affairs were still in poor condition. A report rendered to the county board detailing the number of scholars in the different dis- tricts as a basis for the appropriation of funds, declared that there was no real evidence before the committee that any of the schools of the county were in session three months a year as required by law, and, in fact, stated that there was evidence that some districts were drawing school money from the county without holding any school at all. The districts of the county reported to the board at this time were as follows: No. 1, Browns- ville, 85 of school age; 3, 61 of school age; 4, Hokah, 60 of school age; 5, Houston, 36; 6, Winnebago, 41; 8, Spring Grove, 73; 9, Yucatan, 43; 10, Mound Prairie, 54; 11, Brownsville, 50; 12, Caledonia, 43; 13, Caledonia, 94; 14, Caledonia, 40; 15, La Crescent, 56; 17, Wilmington, 46; 18, Wilmington, 90; 20, La Crescent, 101; 22, Black Hammer, 72; 23, Hamilton, 79; 24, Spring Grove, 78; 26, 38; 28, Caledonia, 30; 29, Caledonia, 29; 32, Crooked Creek, 30; 34, 46; 35, 24; 36, 50; 37, Brownsville, 64; 38, Yucatan, 32; 39, Brownsville, 33; 40, Crooked Creek, 40; 41, Crooked Creek and Brownsville, 25; 42, Mound Prairie, 29; 43, Caledonia, 39; 44, Union, 44; 48, Houston, 35; 49, 18; 50, Jefferson, 25; 51, Sheldon, 34; 52, Wilmington, 13; 52 (duplica- tion of numbers), Wilmington, 26; 53, Hokah, 54; 54, 40; total enumeration, 2,000. In 1861 these numbers were obliterated when each town became a district with sub-districts. In 1862 all the districts were renumbered. These districts, with additionally created ones, remain as then numbered with the exception that a few of the old districts have been merged in others and their numbers given to newly created ones.
In 1882 considerable progress had been made. A report issued that year contains the following information :
"There are now 96 districts, with 109 schoolhouses. But Hokah and Brownsville graded schools, with four departments each, hold session in but three of their schoolrooms, thus making 107 schoolrooms in which school is held. District No. 30, Brownsville, is a special district; No. 12, Hokah, and 42, Caledonia, are independent. The latter two were created independent to secure immunity from the school book law. The villages of Hokah and Brownsville have schoolhouses containing four departments each. These are well furnished and are more than adequate for their pres-
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ent wants. The one at Brownsville is the most costly and complete in the county.
"La Crescent, Houston, Spring Grove, Caledonia and Money Creek, have each a schoolhouse containing two rooms. The finest of these is the one at Money Creek. Caledonia has far outgrown her schoolhouse, and two departments are located in a rented building.
"Of the 96 schoolhouses, 68 are frame, three brick, five stone, and 20 log. The prairie towns, as a rule, contain the best schoolhouses, while the log houses are found in the valleys and upon the ridges. Four new and substantial frame houses were built last year. But seven of these districts are in debt, notwithstanding several failures of crops in some parts of the county.
"Thirty-one districts have wall maps, eleven reading-charts, twenty- two have globes, seventeen have dictionaries, and seven have bells. Cale- donia has the largest enrollment; two districts vie for the honor of the least. About forty districts hold no summer school. The enrollment is not as great as in former years; the decrease is principally in the village schools.
"The total number enrolled in the schools for the year ending Aug. 31, 1881, was 4,025. The average length of schools was nearly five months. The value of schoolhouses is $572,329. Paid out for teachers' wages, $15,049. In addition to the above showing, 24 parochial schools were in session, with an enrollment of 360.
"One hundred and nineteen teachers were licensed during the year. Of these six hold first grade certificates, 85 second grade, and 28 third grade certificates. Eighteen of these teachers have attended a normal school, five have graduated. One certificate has been revoked.
"As a body a progressive spirit pervades the teachers, and they will compare favorably with any body of teachers in the State. Institutes are held each year, the instructors being furnished by the State. County insti- tutes of one week are held at different times.
"During school months, each Saturday in some parts of the county a teachers' meeting is held, the exercises of which are conducted on institute plans. These are a powerful factor and have been the means of developing many young teachers and helping many older ones to a higher plane. The superintendent makes it a rule to be present at these meetings."
In 1890 there were 105 districts, 102 being common, two independent, and one special. These districts had 102 schoolhouses, of which five were brick, four stone, and seven log. An estimated value of the school prop- erty was $62,605 on schoolhouses and sites, $5,876 on seats and desks, and $3,043 on school apparatus. There were about 2,000 volumes in the school libraries. Not much attention was being paid to Arbor Day, only four districts planting trees that year. Fifty-five of the districts had no trees whatever on their school grounds. The county superintendent made 146 visits, only six districts being unvisited. Eleven county teachers' associa- tions were held, with an average enrollment of 273. A state teachers' institution was held at Caledonia, April 7, 1890, with an enrollment of 109 teachers. There were ten teachers' examinations held, six in the fall and four in the spring. Twenty-two applications were rejected. The following
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teachers' certificates were issued : First grade, male 6, female 1, total 7; second grade, male 38, female 68, total 106; permanent hygiene, male 37, female 59, total 96; limited hygiene, male 3, female 14, total 17. For the fall term there were 5 male and 18 female teachers employed, for the winter 34 male and 82 female teachers, and for the spring, 18 male and 55 female teachers, making a total of 36 males and 96 females, for the year. Of these 27 had attended a High school, 22 a Normal school, 8 a college, and 132 one or more teachers' institutes. Seven were graduates of a High school and 12 of a Normal school. None were college graduates. Thirty- four had taught in one district continuously for three years, 41 for two years and 43 for one year. Of the scholars attending the public schools, 2,981 were entitled to the apportionment of funds, and 941 not so. For the fall term of 1889 there were but 917 scholars enrolled ; for the winter term of 1889-90 there were 3,418 enrolled, and for the spring term of 1890 there were 2,014 enrolled. The average daily attendance was 1,628. The average length of school in each district was nearly six months. Of the scholars, between 8 and 16, who attended school three months or more during the year, there were 1,754. The total of scholars enrolled during the year was 3,922. Of these 855 were between 5 and 8 years, 2,649 were between 8 and 16, and 418 were between 16 and 21.
In 1900, George H. Kuster, then county superintendent, had this to say of the schools of the county :
"During the past year the schools have materially prospered. The average number of days' attendance measured 8 per cent over last year. Nearly 100 more pupils will draw apportionment. This is the first year no foreign language has been taught in the rural schools of the county. The average number of months taught in the common school districts is raised to a fraction over 6.5. The average monthly wages for males has gone up from $38 to $40, and for females from $27 to $28. The general work in the schoolroom has much improved. The appearance of the schoolrooms and yards has been improved. The young teachers entering the profession are stronger students and with experience will make better teachers. The summer school of 1890 was exceptionally successful, the attendance being very regular. The sectional teachers' meetings held in different parts of the county were quite successful. Reading circle work was carried on by the teachers. Two new graded school buildings and one rural school build- ing were built on modern plans during the year."
Two years later, Samuel Ristey, then superintendent, spoke of the schools in these words :
"The schools are slowly progressing with a slight improvement from year to year. We have been especially handicapped in not obtaining teachers with the requisite education. A few were obtained from normal schools, and a few from neighboring high schools, especially from Rushford and La Crosse, but most from the grades in our village schools, and even a few are 'crammed' for the teachers' examinations in our county schools. We have to depend mainly on village schools. Within the last year the attend- ance has increased from 72 to 78 per cent. Too many pupils attend too irregularly to be reached by the teacher. Two good school buildings were
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built during the past year and six districts have voted to build new schools this fall or next spring. Several furnaces were placed in old schoolhouses, and new schoolhouses are generally heated by furnaces. The summer schools have been very successful in the county during the past three years."
This superintendent favored the consolidation of districts, stating that the county was not too rugged if the schools were located in the right places; as the public highways lead to the smaller valleys and finally follow these to the main valley, which is a good place for a schoolhouse, as the children can easily be conveyed in all directions. No action had then been taken on this, as the patrons of the country districts were wary of letting their district go under the control of the village. This year the county had nearly all first and second grade teachers to fill the schools.
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