USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 66
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. I > Part 66
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
618
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
Mr. Freetine, of Jewish origin, came the spring following, 1856, and constructed a small log tavern about the place where the Christian Church now is, and run it for a short time, when it was discontinued and finally torn down. The City hotel was erected within a few months after by Mr. Cowen, being a commodius frame building; it was purchased shortly after its completion by J. Giles, who after running it a few years sold to Samuel Hawkins, and it finally passed into the hands of, and was par- tially torn down by, W. L. Herriman. One proprietor, Samuel Hawkins, lost his life on Easter Day, 1881, while trying to save his library from his house which was burning, being so seriously burned that he died shortly after. The Sherman House was put up and opened about the same time as the above hotel, by H. Sherman. Charles and Peter Chenneworth erected a fine store building the same year, 1856, and placed a large stock of goods upon the shelves, running it a short time and selling it to Albaugh & Brother. J. W. Dean also made his appearance and erected a substantial building for general merchandise where Mr. Shank's blacksmith shop now is, and put in a heavy stock of goods. He continued in business some ten or twelve years. His building was sold and used for school purposes, and finally made into a blacksmith shop. The prosperity of the village gradually declined, and there now remains a store building. a creamery, a feed mill, two churches and a schoolhouse to remind the traveler of its former greatness. The village is commonly known as Dean.
EAST PRAIRIEVILLE.
In 1854, Prof. Ide, in company with others who are noted in another place, came to Cannon City township and took as a pre-emption the land in section thirty-five. He held it and re- mained until the spring of the following year, when James Anderson, with his father, Alexander Anderson, and their fami- lies, made their appearance, and the former, in May, 1855, pur- chased Ide's claim. John Corsett had also settled in the same section, adjoining the village, and in 1854, sold to W. N. Owens. On this pre-emption the first house erected in the village was put up, in the spring of 1854, by Corsett. In the year 1855, the village was laid out and all made ready for the events which fol- lowed. In the meantime, before the platting of the village, or about the same time. W. B. Spencer, a native of Pennsylvania. came and erecting a little board building, placed a stock of goods in it and commenced keeping store. Alf. Barrick had arrived with his father and their families, and had located in another part of the town, but when he learned of East Prairie- ville he at once came down determined to start a shop, as he
619
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
was by trade a blacksmith. As trade was at first slow in coming, he almost starved waiting for it, and had it not been for the generous spirit of Mr. W. N. Owens, who furnished his family with provisions, they would have suffered from hunger. This was soon bridged over, however, and Mr. Barrick continued until 1864, when he sold to John Wagner and removed to Crow River. Wagner continued for a time and finally sold to Charley Edwards. Geo. DeForest came to the village in the fall of 1857, and opened a cabinet and carpenter shop which he con- tinued until the time of his death.
OTHER VILLAGES.
Among the settlements, villages, hamlets and stations as well as discontinued postoffices which may be mentioned in Rice county are the following :
Bridgewater, Berg, Cannon Lake, Cedar Lake, Circle Lake, Comus, Dodge (now Eklund), Eklund, Erin, Fox Lake, French Lake, Gilbert, Hazelwood, Hildebrand, Lester, Moland, Oak Harbor, Richland, Tenod, Trondjem, Tufts Lake, Walcott, Web- ster, etc.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
RICE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
Resume of Public Educational Work in the County by Superin- tendent John H. Lewis-Schools in the Rural Districts- Northfield-Morristown-Northfield and Dundas.
The institutions of this country are distinctively American and leave an impress on the men and women who are born and reared under their benign influence, which is indelible and which characterizes them as Americans no matter where they may take up their future abode. No matter how much he may differ from his neighbor or the man more remote from him in religion, poli- tics, or vocation, the American citizen is almost invariably a firm believer in the public school, which breathes a spirit of pure democracy, opening its doors alike to the poor, the rich, and the foreigner and offering to make of all intelligent, moral, and useful citizens in this land of the free.
The pioneer settlers of Rice county manifested the same eagerness to establish schools that they did in building them- selves homes in this new land. As soon as there was a handful of children in each little farm or village community, steps were promptly taken to provide for them school facilities such as the conditions and time afforded them. The neighboring forests, with which this section of Minnesota was generously supplied, contributed in a large measure to the early rearing of school edifices. Stout hands and willing hearts rolled together the rude logs to form the walls of many of the first halls of learning, while the simple hand saw mills converted much timber into rough lumber, which was employed in building the more graceful structures. Sometimes a portion of a dwelling house, while again a vacant shack served as the first school house in several dis- tricts.
The general direction of Cannon river as it passes through this county is from southwest to northeast. On the banks of this stream, at different points we find the centers of population, at the opening of the history of this county, and as a natural re- stilt we find the earliest school districts appearing at these points and the succeeding districts occupy territory contiguous to these
620
621
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
first ones. Thus, Faribault, Northfield, Dundas, and Morristown school districts are numbered one, three, four, and six; and the rural districts two, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, etc., occupy territory in or adjoining the river valley. District No. two, just south of the city of Northfield, claims to have had the first school house in the county, built in 1856, and should have been district No. one, so it is contended, instead of allowing our county seat to be honored with that number.
If space permitted, it would be interesting and instructive to note the changes that have taken place in each district as the years have passed. We shall have to be satisfied with a brief review in a general way. There are at present 126 districts in this county, the last to have been created from territory already belonging to other districts, comprises territory south and west of Union lake in the towns of Webster and Forest. A goodly number of our first rural teachers were men as is frequently the case during pioneer days. As this new country developed, and more industries appeared and the other professions called loudly to these men, the great work of teaching was left mainly to the women. At present, we have cigliteen male teachers in our rural schools. The salaries offered them are better than they have been before, and more young men choose to engage in this work than formerly. Our rural teachers are generally better qualified for their work than ever before, and the results of their labors are telling in the form of a better instructed army of boys and girls. The early teacher enjoyed the custom of boarding around from house to house in her district, thus she was enabled to know her patrons more intimately and, moreover, she had the advantage of a greater variety in her bill of fare. This good old custom has long since gone the way of others and the teacher sometimes has difficulty in securing board in only one home.
The rude school houses previously referred to have given place to one or more houses of a much better type. Most of them to-day are very creditable buildings; the chief fault where any exists is their extreme plainness-lack of adornment. The majority of these schools are at present well equipped in every way-a condition that was seldom met with outside of the city schools only a few years ago. Besides being amply supplied with purely educational helps such as supplementary reading matter, maps, globes, libraries, etc., these houses are provided with up-to-date patented heating and ventilating plants, which mean greater comfort and better health to teacher and pupils. Our schools, which are thus equipped and which have eight- month terms, are known as special state aid schools, receiving from the state special appropriations of $100, $150 and $300, ac-
622
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
cordingly as the school employs a second grade teacher, a first grade teacher, or two teachers, one of the first grade and the other of the second. These schools are classed as second class, first class, and semigraded respectively. At present this county boasts of twenty-nine schools of the second class, twenty-five of the first class, and seven semigraded schools.
Seven of Webster township's cight schools belong to these classes, one being second class and six first class. Wheatland township leads in semigraded schools at Veseli, Lonsdale and Wheatland villages respectively. Two others are second class schools. Erin town has one semigraded school and three second class schools. Forest town has three first class and three second class schools. Bridgewater possesses two first class and one sec- ond class school. The schools of Dundas and Northfield, being so convenient for many families in Bridgewater, accounts, no doubt, for the small number of her state aid schools. Northfield town has one first class school and one semigraded school, the latter being at Dennison village, where three teachers are em- ployed. Wheeling town has a semigraded school at Nerstrand village and a second class school in the southwest corner of the town. Cannon City town boasts the possession of one semi- graded school, three first class schools and four second class schools, all of her schools being on the state aid list. Wells town has two second class schools, two or more districts are seriously considering the matter of making the necessary im- provements to get on the state aid list. Shieldsville is possessed of four first class and four second class schools. She, like Can- non City, has all state aid schools. Morristown has its village graded school mentioned elsewhere, three schools of the first class and two of the second. Warsaw town has one semigraded school in the village, one school of the first class and two of the second. Two more schools will soon be added to the list. Walcott has at present three first class and four second class schools, only one of her schools not being on the list. Richland town has only one first class school and one of the second class. One more will probably join the second class this year. Many of our districts embrace territory in two or more towns and in classi- fying these schools I have, for the sake of brevity, regarded the school as belonging to the town in which the school house stands. The following statistics relating to the rural and semigraded schools are based upon the official reports from these schools at the close of the past school year. Total enrollment 5.414 pupils. Total pupils entitled to apportionment, 4,922. Average attend- ance of each scholar for the year 120 days. Total number of male teachers, 18. Total number of female teachers, 113. Aver-
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES 623
age salary of male teachers, $37.22 per month. Average monthly salary of female teachers, $38.68. Number of schools having free text books, 108. Number of schools not having free text books, 14. Value of school houses and sites, $115,573. Value of school equipment and apparatus, $18,120. Total number of school libraries, 91. Total number of volumes in libraries, 9,185. Value of all libraries, $6,599. Average length of term of school. 7 months. Total number of visits by County Superintendent for the year, 231.
The schools of Faribault and Northfield have grown and developed from a one room school in each case to the complete systems of graded and high schools that we find in each city to-day, housed in beautiful and substantial structures.
The school buildings of Faribault are six in number, viz., the high school building, brick and grounds occupying a block in the central part of the city; the central school building, stone, two blocks farther south; the Mckinley school, brick, in the first ward; the Lincoln school. in the second ward; the Washington school, in the fourth ward, and the Primary school, brick, only survivor of the small ward buildings in the city, at the corner of Division street and Central avenue. The estimated cost of these buildings, sites and equipments is $132,400. The total enrollment for the past year was 1,230 pupils, 170 of whom were high school students. There are four male teachers in these schools, including the superintendent, whose average salary per month is $123.19. The number of lady teachers is 34, the average monthly salary of each being $55.35. In addition to the courses of study pursued in the regular curricula, special instruction is provided in music. and art in all of the grades, mannal training is given in the grades six, seven and eight, and the four years of the high school, and sewing is given to the girls in the grades, six, seven and eight. The number of pupils entitled to apportionment the past year is 1,144, leaving 86 pupils who attended school less than 40 days in the year.
The school buildings of Northfield are three in number, viz., the high school building, brick. which is being built this year on the site of its predecessor in the center of the city, which with campus occupies a block ; the Washington school, brick. in the second ward, and the Longfellow school, brick, in the third ward. These ward schools are being enlarged this year to accom- modate the increased enrollment of the city schools. The esti- mated value of these buildings, sites, and equipments is $152,500. The total enrollment for the past year was 793 pupils, 240 of whom were high school students. There is only one male teacher,
624
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
who is also superintendent, and twenty-four lady teachers. The salary of the male teacher is $188.89 per month, and the average salary of the lady teachers is $64.99 per month. What has been said about the regular curricula and specialties of Faribault may be said regarding the Northfield schools. The same quality and kind of work obtains here as well as there. The number of pupils entitled to apportionment the past year is 738, leaving 55 who attended less than 40 days during the whole year. Stu- dents graduating from these high schools are admitted to the State University of Minnesota without further examination.
The Dundas graded schools, two miles distant from the Northfield schools, has maintained a generally good record in our educational system for a good many years. Principal G. R. Greaves, with his four assistants, are doing very creditable work in all the grades besides two years' high school work. This school has, no doubt, in the past prepared more teachers for our schools than has any other school in the county in propor- tion to its enrollment. The principal's present salary is $90.00 per month; the average salary of the lady teachers is $47.50 per month. The enrollment of the past year was 128 pupils, 109 being entitled to apportionment. The value of the six- room brick building, including site and equipment is estimated to be $6,700.
The Morristown graded school is housed in a very attractive and suitable building, which was built about six years ago. The house, site, and equipment are valued at $15,400. Supt. Ambrose Hays, with his five able assistants, are doing very creditable work here. Beside the eight grades this school offers three years of high school work, and, no doubt, will add the fourth year in the near future. The salary of the superintendent is $100 per month, and the average salary of the lady teachers is $49 per month. The enrollment the past year was 195 pupils, 184 of them receiving apportionment.
Educational Associations: The rural educational work of the county is greatly stimulated by the activities of two associations, viz., the Rice County Teachers' Association and the Association of Rice County School Officers. The former holds two or three very helpful meetings each school year, to which every teacher is supposed to come and profit by the program of an educational nature. This society has been in existence about ten years. The present officers are : President, J. Il. Lewis ; vice president, Jes- sie Culbert ; secretary, Ray Nolan ; treasurer, Earl Livingston. The latter association came into existence in February, 1910. The purpose of the society is to further interest the school officers in the every detail of their schools and to enable them to co-
625
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
operate more satisfactorily and helpfully with their teachers and the county superintendent. The annual meeting occurs in Feb- ruary. The officers are: President, S. H. Smith ; vice president, F. H. Wilkowske; secretary, James Statelar; treasurer, J. H. Mather. These officers, with the county superintendent, con- stitute a board of directors.
NORTHFIELD.
The first school opened in Northfield was in the fall or winter of 1856, and it was called to order by Rollins Olin, who had twenty-five scholars in the little frame building put up for the purpose that year. This building was made to answer the re- quirement with considerable pressure up to 1861, at which time another was put up at a cost of $6,000, on the same site, and which was the envy of neighboring districts for a wide range. Six lots were bought and both buildings were used as there were a sufficient number of children to fill them. This consolidated school lasted until the building was sold to the St. Olaf College. It was used as a school for about two years when it was moved over to their place, and is now one of their halls.
In 1874, an independent school district was organized and a large, commodious building erected at a cost of $30,000. It occu- pied a place on a whole square, next to the public park, and was of pressed brick, three stories high, and a liberal basement story.
Northfield has a good corps of teachers and excellent schools. The enrollment of students in the high school is unusually large. During the year 1909-1910, out of a total enrollment of 790 pupils, 240 were enrolled in the high school. The dispro- portionate number of students in this department is explained by the fact that almost all the pupils graduated from the eighth grade enter the high school. This is a testimony to the efficiency of the work in the grade schools and the prevailing sentiment in the city in favor of higher education.
The old high school building had long been regarded inade- quate to the educational needs of the community. Therefore, in the spring of 1910 the people voted $110,000 for the erection of a new high school and an addition to each of two ward build- ings. The ward buildings will be ready for occupancy Oct. 17, 1910; the high school, in the fall of 1911. May 30, 1910, the workmen began to tear down the old high school to make room for the new one, which will stand on its site. The new structure will be semi-fireproof, commodious, and modern in every par- ticular. It will be heated by steam and ventilated by means
626
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
of fans. In it ample apartments will be provided for the work of industrial education in addition to the courses which have been pursued heretofore in the high school. Provision will be made for instruction in domestic economy for the girls and in manual training and agriculture for the boys. The high school building will cost $80,000, exclusive of the equipment.
The members of the board of education at present are, W. W. Pyc, president ; E. M. Richardson, secretary; H. A. Boe, treas- urer ; Prof. I. F. Grosse, Rev. F. B. Hill, Dr. Warren Wilson, A. L. Dixon and Edgar George, superintendent.
FARIBAULT SCHOOLS.
During the summer of 1855 the first school in Faribault was opened in a small building near the first frame house built by Alexander Faribault at the corner of what are at present known as First street and First avenue, cast, with Miss White as teacher. Several of the present residents of the town, among them Elijah and Warren Nutting, were pupils. R. A. Mott and E. J. Crump were also early schoolmasters; in fact, the former is really the father of the public schools of Faribault. The first legal meeting of the district, which was numbered one, in Rice county, was held January 31, 1856, in the office of Berry & Batchelder, and was called to order by Luke Hulett, who moved the appointment of Michael Cook as chairman and Levi Nutting as clerk. Alexander Faribault, Luke Hulett and Truman Nut- ting were elected trustees, and George W. Batchelder clerk of the district. They at once proceeded to negotiate for the pur- chase of land upon which to erect a school house, and an assess- ment of $600 was made for its erection. February 27, 1856, at an adjourned meeting, after several donations were considered. the trustees accepted the one made by Gen. James Shields, of lot 7, block 42, and voted to purchase one of the lots adjoining. this being a part of the present site of the Central school building. It was also voted to make the schoolhouse thirty-two feet long, twenty-four feet wide and twelve feet high. Dr. J. H. Bemis was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Luke Hulett. In the records of subsequent meetings, the names of Charles Wood, Royal Thayer, E. P. Mills and R. A. Mott are prominent for the interest these gentlemen took in the matters pertaining to laying the foundation of our present school system.
October 21. 1858, the name of E. N. Leavens, the present clerk of the Faribault school district, first appears, he having been clerk and R. A. Mott chairman of the meeting. One thou- sand dollars was raised and three teachers employed. To meet the pressing expenses, the board gave individual notes, with
FARIBAULT HIGH SCHOOL
627
HISTORY OF RICE AND STEELE COUNTIES
interest at 3 per cent monthly, payable in six months, or out of the first money received from the assessment.
The records of the boards of 1858-59 contain the names of J. B. Wheeler. James Tower, H. Reidell, J. H. Winter, Dr. W. H. Stevens, and their main work seems to have been to devise ways and means to pay off the schoolhouse debt, as the money, for some reason, does not seem to have been forthcoming.
The record of the meeting of October 22, 1859, shows that the trustees at that time demanded the orders due the district from the supervisors, and also that they be sold at not less than 75 cents on the dollar. The first itemized record of a financial report is dated October 22, 1859, and consists mainly of items relating to the keeping of the schoolhouse warm. Sarah G. Fisk and Mary A. Fisk were the teachers. Part of the schoolhouse debt was paid the next year, and Eva Thayer and Mary Winter, now Mrs. E. N. Leavens, were the teachers.
In the fall of 1861 there was not a quorum present at the annual meeting regularly called, so a special meeting was called April 12, 1862. J. B. Wheeler was the chairman and R. A. Mott the clerk. Steps were taken to organize under the new school law, and on May 6 the names of G. F. Batchelder and L. S. Pease appear on the board.
In March, 1863, a lively interest in the public schools was manifested by the attendance of sixty voters at the annual meet- ing, when L. W. Dennison, James H. Winter and George G. Ilowe were elected trustees. This same year began the agita- tion for the present Central school building, which was com- pleted in 1867. In 1864 Faribault school district was made a corporate body by act of the legislature and given a special charter, under which it still operates. The same year, C. M. Mills was added to those already active, and the teachers for that year were the Misses Biddlecome, Flora Sargeant, Sarah A. Fiske and Mary Gifford. The latter is now Mrs. William Mee, and is still a resident of Faribault.
During the period of 1864-81. E. Rising, J. P. Randolph, O. Brown, Thomas S. Buckham, L. J. Nichols and Isaac N. Sater were added to those already mentioned in working for the devel- opment of the public school system, and buildings in different parts of the town were used from time to time as needed, until the necessity arose for the present high school building. This was completed in 1886, when G. W. Batchelder, A. E. Haven, A. D. Keyes, M. H. Kelley and S. B. Wilson were the members of the board, and W. M. West superintendent. The block, ex- cept one lot, selected for the high school has always been used for educational purposes, and was deeded to the district by the Bishop Seabury Mission for $5,000, conditioned only that it shall
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.