USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 8
USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 8
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BUCKMAN HOTEL, LITTLE FALLS
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plenty of idle capital, and that its people per capita rank equal in wealth to any in the Northwest."
MODERN METHODS.
It may seem surprising to some to note the number of banks in the vari- ous towns of both this and Todd county, as compared to other counties, even in districts where agriculture and manufacturing are carried on to a much greater extent than they are in these two counties. This was not so much the case a few years ago, but the introduction of modern methods of farm life, especially the creamery industry, which sprang up here less than twenty years ago, has advanced the cash receipts of the farms and put many in good financial circumstances, who in years gone by were "poor farmers" in several senses of the term. The "cream and milk checks" have enriched these two counties to a wonderful extent in the last ten years. Again, farmers and townspeople, too, have come to understand that the safest manner to proceed to accumulate is to start a bank account. The modern banking laws of both Minnesota and the general government have been so changed that the average every-day citizen, who never felt safe in making deposits in small banks, has come to believe that these institutions are the safest place to deposit their earnings and profits, hence the bank accounts have rapidly increased. These banks allow all the interest that the times will permit of and the patrons, knowing that they are dealing with excellent business men, who are also watched by careful bank inspectors, feel that they are safe in making deposits.
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CHAPTER IX.
SCHOOLS OF MORRISON COUNTY.
That the matter of education has not been neglected in Morrison county, will be seen by the early schools, both private and public and the later insti- tutions, which have from time to time been improved to meet the require- ments of the times and changes in educational methods.
It was written in the state history, covering the upper Mississippi valley, published in 1881, as follows: "Of the thirty-eight schools in Morrison county, the leading one is the independent school of Little Falls. Three teachers are employed in this school, and the number enrolled is one hun- dred and seventy-three, nearly one-seventh of the enrollment of the entire county. The school property in the village is now valued at three thousand two hundred dollars."
The first public school taught within the limits of this county was at the village of Little Falls, in the summer of 1855, by Miss Ellen Nichols. In Two Rivers township, the first school was taught in the dwelling of John Betzoldt, in the fall of 1866, the next was in a log school house in section 20.
Really, the first school of any sort taught in Morrison county was at Belle Prairie, by Rev. Frederick Ayer, in 1849, but that was for Indian children largely, though some whites attended it. Mrs. Ayer was among its first instructors. The first school district was organized in 1855. and a school was held that year in the old Mission building, with Miss Cunning- ham as teacher. A school house was erected near this spot in 1865. and a larger one ten years later. In 18So there were several schools within Belle Prairie.
In Bellevue township, the first school was taught at the house of Jasper Hill, in section 22, in 1857. Mrs. Hill was the teacher. A small frame school house was erected in 1858 in section 21, and in 1870 another was built in section 27. There were two districts and buildings in the township in 1882.
The first school taught in Pierz township was in 1868, by Frank Konen, in a church then just completed. A school district was ordered set off that
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year and a building erected in 1870. District 19 was organized and a school house erected in 1877. District 28 was formed in 1880. A good frame house was built previously, and in it the first school there was taught.
In Green Prairie, the first school was taught by Miss Mary Denny in the summer of 1867. It was in a rude frame building, built by subscription, in section 17. It served all purposes, however, until a better building was erected in 1880.
In Elmdale, the first school was taught by Miss Amanda Roach, later Mrs. Henry Coe, of Swan River, in 1869. In 1880 the township had two schools in operation.
In Buckman township, the first school was taught by Mrs. Randall, in 1874. In 1881 there were two school houses in this township.
The first school in what was once styled Oakwood township, was taught in 1877, in J. Soudie's house. The next year a school house was erected in the southwest corner of section 29.
In Parker township, as then constituted, the first school was held in the spring of 1881, when a school district was organized. It was in section 22 and the school was taught by Mrs. Aaron Boyce.
At Motley, in 1909, there was erected a two-story brick school building at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. The district was bonded for this for fifteen years, the bonds drawing four per cent per annum.
ORGANIZATION OF DISTRICTS.
In the summer of 1915 there were one hundred and thirty-nine school districts in Morrison county. These school districts were organized as fol- lows: District No. I, in 1855, in township 41, range 32. Between 1856 and 1861 districts Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 were organized, and district No. 6 in 1861. The remainder of these districts were organized by years as follows : No. 7, 1899; No. 8, 1881 ; No. 9, 1870; No. 10, 1870; No. 11, 1870; No. 12, 1868; No. 13. 1892 ; No. 14, 1877; No. 15, 1869; No. 16, 1874; No. 17. 1881; No. 18, 1877; No. 19, 1886; No. 20, 1884; No. 21, 1903; No. 22, 1878; No. 23, 1878; No. 24, 1878; No. 25, 1879; No. 26, 1879; No. 27, 1879; No. 28, 1880; No. 29, 1880; No. 30, 1880; No. 31, 1880; No. 32, 1880; No. 33, 1880; No. 34, 1881 ; No. 35, 1881; No. 36, 1881; No. 37, 1881; No. 38, 1881 ; No. 39, 1881; No. 40, 1881; No. 41, 1882; No. 42, 1883; No. 43. 1884; No. 44, 1885; No. 45, 1885: No. 46, 1886; No. 47, 1886; No. 48, 1887; No. 49, 1887; No. 50, 1887; No. 51, 1887; No. 52,
78613
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1887; No. 53, 1887; No. 54, 1887; No. 55, 1888; No. 56, 1889; No. 57, 1890; No. 58, 1890; No. 59, 1890; No. 60, 1890; No. 61, 1890; No. 62, 1890; No. 63, 1890; No. 64, 1892; No. 65, 1892; No. 66, 1892; No. 67, 1915; No. 68, 1892; No. 69, 1892; No. 70, 1893; No. 71, 1900; No. 72, 1894; No. 73, 1893; No. 74, 1894; No. 75, 1894; No. 76, 1894; No. 77, 1894; No. 78, 1895; No. 79, 1895; No. 80, 1895; No. 81, 1895: No. 82, 1896; No. 83, 1897; No. 84, 1897; No. 85, 1897; No. 86, 1897; No. 87, 1898; No. 88, 1898; No. 89, 1898; No. 90, 1898; No. 91, 1891; No. 92, 1899; No. 93, 1899; No. 94, 1899; No. 95, 1899; No. 96, 1899; No. 97, 1899; No. 98, 1899; No. 99, 100; No. 100, 1900; No. 101, 1900; No. 102, 1900; No. 103, 1900; No. 104, 1901; No. 105. 1901 ; No. 106, 1901; No. 107, 1901; No. 108, 1902; No. 109, 1902; No. 110, 1902; No. III, 1902; No. 112, 1903; No. 113, 1903; No. 114, 1903; No. 115, 1903; No. 116, 1903; No. 117, 1904; No. 118, 1904; No. 119, 1905; No. 120, 1905; No. 121, 1906; No. 122, 1906; No. 123, 1907; No. 124, 1908; No. 125. 1908; No. 126, 1908; No. 127, 1909; No. 128, 1909; No. 129. 1909; No. 130, 1909: No. 131, 1910; No. 132, 1910; No. 133, 1910; No. 134, 1910; No. 135, 1911; No. 136, 1911; No. 137, 1911; No. 138, 1914; No. 139, 1914.
BUILDINGS.
In 1915 there were one hundred and fifty-one school houses in the county-one hundred and twelve frame buildings, thirty-five brick, two cement ; and two log houses, sided over and plastered inside after a modern fashion.
TEACHERS.
There are now 191 female teachers and 21 males. The average wages paid to women is $53 per month and for men $88. Of these teachers, there are seventy-seven graduates of normal schools and fifteen college graduates.
PUPILS.
The last enrollment of the county shows 6,259 pupils. Of these there are 3,079 girls and 3,180 boys. The daily average attendance is 128 days per pupil ; cost per pupil in rural schools, $20.04; of village schools, $34.82; average daily attendance in county entire territory, 4,367; total attendance in days, 742,436.
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MORRISON AND TODD COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
EXPENSES AND VALUATION.
The total amount expended for all public schools in the county in 1914 was $153,425.82. The total value of all school property in the county in 1914 is $387,167. Number of school libraries, 124. Apparatus value at $52.985.
MODERN METHODS.
Here in Morrison county, under the present county school superintend- ent's wise administration, modern methods are obtaining in all the schools under his charge. This was one, if not the first, of the counties in the state to require the study of agriculture in the schools for completion in the eighth-grade rural schools. This was first attempted in 1907; also sewing and other industrial work are carried on, having first been introduced in 19II, by County Superintendent Barnes, who is working along most approved methods and logical lines to bring the standard of the rural schools up to that of the village and graded schools of the larger corporations.
In 1914 elementary bookkeeping and farm accounts were introduced in all of the Morrison county rural schools, while virtually the same is obtained in the high-school course in towns and villages. It is, indeed, won- derful what has been accomplished in this matter during the short period it has been in practice in the schools of the county. It is said that the "old folks" are taking a hint and procuring account books in which they are try- ing to keep an account of the receipts and expenditures of the farm.
SPECIAL STATE AID.
Wisely, the state of Minnesota has adopted the rule of paying a premium on good school houses and care for school house property, in that they allow the districts having certain improvements of a more recent origin, such as proper water-closets. outbuildings of other kinds, shade trees, improved maps. charts, globes, etc., together with small and larger up-to-date diction- aries for the use of the pupils, a certain sum from the state school funds, which is reducing the tax levies in many of Morrison county's school dis- tricts. For example, last year the amount paid back to these districts, where the requirements were lived up to, was the handsome sum of $13.975.
All in all, it may be truthfully said that the citizens of Morrison county have no need to be ashamed in comparing their public schools with those of
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other sections of the commonwealth. The work of the schools is annually brought before the general public through the attendance of the school chil- dren on the county agricultural fair. Here the wisdom of teaching agri- culture and domestic science, etc., is brought vividly to mind.
LITTLE FALLS HIGH SCHOOL.
It is doubtful whether any county in Minnesota has a superior high school to that of Little Falls. The home of this school is modern in every particular. It was first occupied on January 1, 1914. It has a frontage of one hundred and sixty-four feet and is one hundred feet deep, three stories in height, above the ground floor. The cost of this structure was in excess of ninety-thousand dollars. It is constructed of sand-mould brick, trimmed with that celebrated Bedford (Indiana) stone. Its architecture is a type of modified Gothic with English origin. Sanitary drinking fountains are pro- vided here and there in the various rooms and halls. It is beautifully lighted by electricity, heated by the Johnson system, regulating the atmosphere per- fectly according to scientific methods. It seats three hundred and fifty pupils in its auditorium. Each item of convenience and comfort was care- fully planned in the building of this monument to the good sense of the school board and taxpayers of the district.
Other school buildings are the old Central high school built at a cost of thirty-seven thousand dollars. This is a three-story, twelve-room brick structure, and is now used as a ward school. Then there is the Columbia, a six-room building; the Hawthorne and Lincoln, six-and eight-room build- ings, all of which comprise the school facilities for Little Falls.
The latest published reports of these schools in Little Falls shows the following: With the opening of the school this fall ( September. 1915) the enrollment in the different buildings was: High school. 255; Lincoln school, 241 ; Hawthorne school, 231; Columbia school, 119; Central school, 319; normal department, 22. The high school enrollment has increased about forty per cent over former years, while the enrollment in the grades has increased forty-five per cent. The normal had only nine in attendance in 1914, as against twenty-two this year.
CHAPTER X.
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NEWSPAPERS OF MORRISON COUNTY.
The Northern Herald was the first newspaper published in Morrison county. It was established by Colonel French at Little Falls, who printed his first issue in the autumn of 1856. After a few months the Colonel, being disgusted with the hardships of a frontier life, sold his paper to the Little Falls Manufacturing Company. He went south with the late birds of pass- age and was never heard of but once afterward, and that through the pages of Harper's Weekly, which showed him as being in custody of a United States marshal, having been detected in some act of treason against the gen- eral government.
The next newspaper was the Herald, at Little Falls, by C. E. Church, who purchased the outfit left by Colonel French and the manufacturing Com- pany and established a paper, which he continued to publish for two years, when, on account of "much strong drink," he discontinued his labors. From that date to 1874 Morrison county was without a newspaper. During that year the Little Falls Courier was started by A. De Lacy Wood, who operated two years and then moved to Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
The first successful editor and all-round journalist was H. C. Stivers, who began the publication of the Little Falls Transcript after the departure of Wood, issuing his first number on September 7, 1876. On August 16, 1880, he began the publication of a small daily paper, The Daily Transcript. In May, 1881, the Transcript was leased to J. F. Pearson, who discontinued the daily and put his whole energy into the weekly paper. From his hands the property passed, in 1889, to Wheaton M. Fuller, then a young man of nineteen years, who was born in the city of Little Falls and who had served a faithful apprenticeship under Mr. Stivers. From that time on up to the date of his death, in October, 1908, he was personally associated with and at the head of this newspaper venture. In the spring of 1892, with that rare courage and optimism which ever characterized him, and actuated by the desire to keep pace with the forward march of the city of Little Falls, Mr. Fuller was chiefly instrumental in the organization of the Transcript Pub-
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lishing Company, whose object was, in addition to continuing the publication of the Weekly Transcript, to launch the Daily Transcript, the first copy of which appeared on April of the year specified. Associated with Mr. Fuller in the newly-formed company were several representative citizens of Mor- rison county and one from outside the county. The names and addresses of all incorporators were, W. M. Fuller, A. R. Davidson, M. M. Williams, Edmund Rothwell, Drew Musser and C. A. Lindbergh, all of Little Falls; C. B. Buckman, of Buckman, Morrison county, and John A. Berkey, of St. Paul, Minnesota. The first officers of the company were John A. Berkey, president; C. A. Lindbergh, vice-president; W. M. Fuller, secretary and treasurer. The last-named continued in control of the two publications as editor and majority stockholder. Later on, beginning in 1908, changes in stockholdings were effected from time to time until at present all the stock of the Transcript Publishing Company, other than a few minor holdings, is owned by Mrs. Clara Kingsley Fuller, widow of W. M. Fuller, and Ed. M. LaFond, the first-named being editor of the two Transcript editions and the last-named being the business manager of the company. Officially, Mrs. Fuller is president of the company and Mr. LaFond, treasurer.
From the office of the Transcript Publishing Company, located on East Broadway, Little Falls, two newspaper editions are issued, a daily edition, published every week-day afternoon under the name of The Little Falls Daily Transcript, and a weekly edition issued every Friday, The Little Falls Weekly Transcript. Politically, these newspapers are Republican, but always progressive. The motto of the company is and always has been : "Print the news when it is news." In size and form, the Daily Transcript is a seven-column quarto and the Weekly Transcript, a six-column folio. The two editions of the Transcript circulate extensively throughout the city of Little Falls and Morrison county. The daily is delivered by the company's efficient carrier service about the city near six o'clock in the evening and both daily and weekly editions reach rural patrons, by means of good postal service, to nearly all county subscribers by noon of the day following publica- tion. Both the daily and weekly have valuable subscription lists and a large exchange roll. A manufacturing department is run in connection with the newspaper plant and it is the claim of the Transcript Publishing Company that it maintains the "biggest little print shop in the state." In this depart- ment the turning out of good work with scrupulous attention and care to details and the prompt delivery of all orders entered against the department are firmly insisted upon. Throughout the Transcript Publishing Company's
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plant will be found only the most modern equipment, the motive power for all machinery used being electricity. An automobile devoted entirely to soliciting and delivery work throughout Morrison county is the latest addi- tion to its equipment. Through the company's care and foresight in safe- guarding its employes by properly protecting all machinery, a serious acci- dent has never occurred in the history of the plant and a fire is a thing unknown. A minimum force at the Transcript Publishing Company's plant is eighteen, of whom six are employed in the daily carrier service. In busy times during the year the number of employes is even larger. When H. C. Stivers founded the Little Falls Weekly Transcript in 1875 he demonstrated his faith in the future of the then small village of Little Falls.
The Little Falls Herald was established in March, 1889, by Seal & Cross. It changed owners as follows, down to its present ownership: Seal & Workman, W. H. H. Workman, Haines & Stone, the Little Falls Printing Company, under three different managements, until a majority of the stock was purchased by Stephen C., Charles E. and Peter J. Vasaly in August, 1895, the style of the corporation being a little later changed to the Herald Printing Company. At present (1915) the stock is all owned by Peter J., Stephen C. and L. F. Vasaly, with Stephen C. Vasaly as president, L. F. Vasaly, vice-president, and Peter J. Vasaly, editor and manager.
The Herald has a large circulation, mostly in Morrison and adjoining counties. Politically, it is a Democratic paper of no uncertain sound. It is an eight-page, six-column, all-home-print journal, of general and local news. The equipment employed in running this publication includes, with the large jobbing department, a linotype, two-revolution seven-column four-page Pot- ter newspaper press, pony cylinder job press, Colt's Armory job press, Chandler & Price Gordon press, power paper-cutter, perforator, stapler, punching machine, numbering machine, etc.
The office is operated in a building owned by the stockholders of the corporation and is one of the finest offices for executing all kinds of printing to be found in the county. The Herald is now in its twenty-sixth year of issue.
The Little Falls Sun was established in September, 1882, by the Sun Publishing Company. Its eventful career was marked with numerous changes in owners and editors. The chain runs about thus: First by the Sun Publishing Company; then A. F. Storey ; C. D. Auyer, who conducted it till November, 1886, when it suspended and, in the spring of 1887, it was sold to the proprietor of the Transcript, W. M. Fuller. Politically, it always stood out clearly for Democracy. It was started by use of a Washington
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hand-press, but one day its part owner, Cyrus D. Auyer, determined no longer to pull the lever of that ancient relic of the art preservative, and ordered a new press unbeknown to the company ; but all ended well, for the partners all agreed after a time that it was money well expended. The old press was traded in for part payment on the new press.
The circulation of the Sun reached about seven hundred and was an influence in the county in which it was published. Auyer made the paper what it was by his skill and energy as well as brain power. He switched from an undesirable partnership over to a new publication, the Morrison County Democrat.
The Morrison County Democrat was established in September, 1886, by C. D. Auyer, who conducted it until 1908, when he sold to Owen Konchal and John Hoblett. It was suspended in 1911 and the material with which it had been printed was sold to the owners of the Little Falls Herald, who pur- chased the "good will" also. It was a six-column quarto of the eight-page type. Its subscription rate was one dollar per year. Politically, it was a Democratic organ of no uncertain sound. It succeeded the Sun and was run on a Campbell's book-job press. It always occupied leased office rooms and had many changes in its day. First it was published on Broadway, then moved from the south to the north side, where now stands the Candy Kitchen store; third, it was on First street and was housed at other points, finally had quarters under the First National Bank. For a time it was in the old court house building, then removed to the Merchants State Bank building.
The Piers Journal, of Pierz, was established July 1, 1909, by H. C. Bailey; later it was owned and edited by the present proprietor, E. H. Kerk- hoff. It is an independent newspaper, printed in a building owned by the editor and owner, who does his press work on one large press and his job work on a jobber, and also has a modern paper-cutter. The Journal is a seven-column, four-page sheet. The power employed to run his machinery is electricity. It is a newsy local paper with all that tends to aid the better- ment of the community. Indeed, it may be stated that Mr. Kerkhoff is a "live wire" at newspaper making.
The Swanville Newes, located at the village of Swanville, was founded in the autumn of 1899, by A. J. Hunt. He sold to Perry Stith, and he in turn to A. Frost, who sold to C. P. Eastman. Eastman moved the plant to Pequot six years ago-1909. Upon the removal to Pequot the Swanville Publishing Company was organized, consisting of William Seims, J. J. McRae, Sr., and B. B. Cox. This company purchased a new outfit and has continued the publication of the paper. The present form and size is an
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eight page, six columin paper, printed on a hand-press. The subscription rate is one dollar per year. Politically, it is an independent paper. It circu- lates in Morrison and Todd counties mostly. The present publisher is R. N. Rhines.
The Royalton Banner, located at the village of Royalton, was estab- lished in January, 1887, by parties now unknown to the present management of the paper. The files were taken away from the place by Mr. Swanson, when he removed to California. It succeeded the Royalton Record, which had been established in 1885. The present form of the paper is a six-column octavo, run on an electrically-propelled press. It circulates mostly in southern Morrison county, and its subscription price is one dollar per year. Politically, it is progressive Republican. It is occupying a leased building.
The Motley Mercury was established at Motley on September 1, 1901. by E. S. Holman, who sold to the present owner, E. G. Haymaker, on September I, 1906. It is independent in its political bearings; circulates in Morrison, Todd and Cass counties largely ; subscription rate is one dollar per year. The office building was erected by the present owner in 1912. The paper is printed as a five-column sheet of the quarto form. The presses employed in this office are the Vaughn Acme and a ten-by-fifteen Gordon jobber. A thirty-inch paper cutter adds to the efficiency of the excellent job department attached to the newspaper ; also a power stapling machine. The editor of this paper is the present postmaster at Motley and is a good local and editorial writer. As a booster for village, county and state, Mr. Hay- maker has few equals.
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