USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 95
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The St. Paul and Pacific railroad, now the Great Northern, was extended to Sauk Rapids in 1867 and this was the terminus of the road for several years. When this road was graded it was the intention of its promoters to cross the Mississippi river at a point near the Normal school and in fact the grade was constructed, and traces of it may still be seen to approach the river at a point opposite the Normal school on a long curve from the present road bed just above the Reformatory.
The promoters of the road being unable to make satisfactory arrangements with the people of St. Cloud as to right of way, bonns, they approached the people of Sauk Rapids, were received with open arms, and a promise of free right of way with a bonus of several hundred town lots, some acre lands adjoining the town site and an abso- lute title to the water power, it being un- derstood that the company would in addi- tion to extending the road to Sauk Rapids, make certain improvements on the water power .. Under this arrangement the road was immediately extended to Sauk Rapids and the following year, 1868, work was
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commenced on the water power and the company succeeded after the expenditure of $100,000, under adverse conditions, in throwing a crude sort of dam across the river, the ruins of which may still be seen.
The work was under the direct super- vision of F. R. Delano, who also was super- intendent of the St. Paul and Pacific rail- road. He was a man of commanding pres- ence and of strict integrity and made a prominent and well known figure in the northwest at that time.
Such was the faith of the people of Sauk Rapids in the ability of Mr. Delano to build a city that a strong upward tendency in the price of town lots was a noticeable feature following his periodical visits. But alas, for the futile works of men, this im- provement like many others throughout the northwest at that time was far in ad- vance of the demands and needs of the country and but one mill was ever built on the waterpower, a small flouring mill built by the Northwestern Produce com- pany and owned and operated by J. A. Stonon, and was destroyed by the cyclone in 1886.
As this is the anniversary of the de- structive cyclone which visited Sauk Rap- ids April 14, 1886, destroying a large part of the village, including the courthouse and schoolhouse with an actual loss of forty-four lives within the village and up- wards of seventy within the limits of the storm, it is perhaps fitting to explain why school was not in session at that time.
In the year 1884 it was found the ex- pense of keeping up a nine months' school was greater than the resources of the dis- trict would permit. The indebtedness of the district was being increased from year to year with no visible means of paying it. Therefore it was decided by the school board to cut the school term down to seven months. While there was considerable opposition to this action on the part of the board, the movement was carried. As a result school closed for this year on April 9, five days before the destruction of the schoolhouse and what seemed a misfortune at the time really proved to be a blessing in disguise as the loss of life, had school been in session on the fourteenth, must have been appalling.
The corps of teachers for that year con-
sisted of Prof. M. R. Trace, principal; Susie Denton, first intermediate; Lucy Ham- mond, first primary; Jennie McConnell, sec- ond primary.
The graduating exercises took place in the skating rink on the evening of April ninth and the exercises opened with a fine selection by the Sauk Rapids Musical club.
To Mr. Fletcher's interesting and com- prehensive sketch a few paragraphs may be added.
The first Fourth of July celebration in this part of Minnesota was held at Sauk Rapids in 1855. There was for those early days a large attendance of people, with the usual firing of guns, waving of flags, and patriotic speeches. The good women of Sauk Rapids, it is said, and no doubt truly, ministered generously to the wants of the people in the way of edibles.
In that same year C. A. Gilman adver- tised in the Frontierman his land office, where land warrants were bought and sold, and "gold for sale" was a further item.
Another land agency at this time was that of Hamlin & Lancaster (E. O .. Hamlin, attorney, and R. D. Lancaster, surveyor and civil engineer), who besides the usual transactions of such an agency, also ad- vertised "gold for sale."
C. B. Van Nest, the postmaster of 1856, gave published notice that the mails at that office would close regularly Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p. m., and that "no letters would be mailed after that hour."
The marriage of Mrs. Mary E. Johnson to J. Q. A. Wood, of Sauk Rapids, was sol- emnized January 22, 1857, at Owensboro, Ky., the home of the bride.
Particulars are giving of the taking of the steamboat North Star over the rapids May 3, 1858, but one day's work being re- quired. Its name changed to the Anson Northrop, this steamboat made a trip in June from Crow Wing to Pokegama Falls, getting within two miles of the falls. About sixty persons were taken on the trip of 150 miles, which occupied 11 days. As early as September, 1856, it was said by the St. Paul papers, that the owners of the H. M. Rice, another steamboat plying be- tween St. Anthony Falls and St. Cloud, had "discussed the advisability of putting the boat on the trade above Crow Wing,
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MINNESOTA STATE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
on the Mississippi, to run to Pokegama Falls."
Grace Episcopal church has a relic as well as a history. So far as can be learned, as the records of the church were all de- stroyed, the first Episcopal service ever held in Sauk Rapids was in 1852, when the Rev. James Lloyd Breck and his associates on their way to Gull lake on an Indian mis- sionary tour stopped at Sauk Rapids and conducted the first Episcopal service held in the country north of St. Anthony Falls, celebrating the holy communion at the same time. There were then a number of Episcopalians in the little frontier town and gathering together they secured for a time the services of the Rev. Jacob S. Car- penter, then rector of Holy Trinity church at St. Anthony Falls, who made monthly visits. In 1856 the congregation was or- ganized by Dr. Breck, who was then on his way back to civilization. The church was organized April 12, 1856, the cornerstone laid August 20, and the building conse- crated May 11, 1858. It has the distinction of being the only church north of St. Paul which was consecrated by Bishop Jackson Kemper, the missionary bishop of the Epis- copal church, whose diocese was perhaps larger than that of any other bishop in the history of the church, including all the ter- ritory west and north of the Ohio river.
The relic is a silver alms plate, which is not only older than the congregation, which is the oldest of its denomination in the country north of Minneapolis, but is one of the few articles saved when the church was destroyed by the cyclone in 1886. It was picked up, bent and dented, in a swamp near Royalton, and passed into the hands of a Minneapolis man, being later restored to the Sauk Rapids congre- gation through the influence of Bishop Whipple. No efforts have been made to remove from it the scars received during the cyclone. In his travels through the state Bishop Whipple carried this alms plate with him and after telling the fate of Grace church would pass the battered plate for contributions for the rebuilding of the church, by which means he raised over $2,000, or nearly enough to pay for the new edifice. In addition to the alms plate Grace church has the bell which was on the building at the time of the cyclone, and which was restored intact.
This village enjoys the distinction of having the only private residence in the state of Minnesota made of quarried gran- ite. It was built for J. A. Stanton, from granite quarried by Robinson & Son after they had taken out from a quarry opened at Sauk Rapids the stone for the City Hall building in Minneapolis and a bank in Milwaukee.
In a chapter of reminiscences published in the St. Cloud Journal-Press of March 29, 1902, the late Henry C. Waite gave the fol- lowing sketch of one of Sauk Rapids' early day structures: "Near where Mr. Russell lived was a little log one-story building in which the register of deeds and clerk of the district court in the person of Taylor Dudley, a Kentuckian, had his office. The early records of Benton county are mostly in his handwriting. It is not many years since he returned to his old home in the south and I have understood that he has since died. In this little log building the United States territorial courts were held, as were those of lesser jurisdiction. In it was the sheriff's office, and in fact the administrative affairs of the whole upper country were transacted there. Stearns county had no existence in those days. This primitive court house was the scene of much litigation in the early times. It was here that offenders against the laws regulating the liquor traffic with the Indi- ans were tried and if found guilty con- victed. Notable attorneys from St. Paul and Dubuque vied with each other in the trial of criminal cases. This evidence of frontier civilization has long since disap- peared and most of the actors with it, but there is no building standing in this upper country today which signifies as much to history as did this one-story log building."
Mr. Waite, himself the first lawyer to locate at St. Cloud, says that Wm. H. Wood, of Sauk Rapids, was the first lawyer who located in the upper country, above St. Paul and St. Anthony Falls. As Mr. Wood came to Sauk Rapids in the spring of 1853 to accept the position of receiver of the United States land office to which he had been appointed, this statement is doubtless correct.
Helena Fiergolla, of Sauk Rapids, won the honor December 4, 1914, of being the best breadmaker among over 1,600 con- testants in Minnesota, her percentage be-
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ing 91.2. The contest had been carried on by the agricultural extension division of the University of Minnesota during the previous eight months. Miss Fiergolla re- ceived a free trip to Washington City, a cash price of $25 and a fifth share in the class prize of $25. Another Sauk Rapids young girl in Class A, Miss Vera McCrea, was also a prize-winner, her percentage be- ing 88 .. There were two classes, A and B, the former including all girls attending graded, consolidated or high schools; Class B all girls attending rural schools not hav- ing had special instruction in this work. By the rules of the contest each girl baked bread at home or at school at least six times, and on November 16 or 17 baked and forwarded to the extension division one lcaf as her final exhibit, and in addition sent a story of approximately 500 words on "How I Learned to Bake My Loaf of Bread." The judges made their deciison on points as follows: Home bread making, 30 points; public demonstration, 30 points; sample loaf, 20 points, story of the work, 20 points.
Benton county had two more prize win- ners in this class, Lena Bangerter, with a percentage of 88.6, and Anna Raasch, whose percentage was 87.8-Benton county capturing four out of the thirteen prizes taken by the entire class, which was cer- tainly a very handsome showing.
The first prize in Class B was won by Mildred Lofgren of Ulen, her percentage being 89.4. The members of the Sauk Rapids first prize class A winning club were Helena Fiergolla, Edris Coburn, Vera McCrea, Frances Hales, Signe Skoog and Urena Orcutt. The standing of the Sauk Rapids winning club was 88.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. (Elected March 10, 1914.)
Albany .- Peter Fuchs, chairman, Geo. R. Christen, John B. Zimmerman, supervisors. Fred W. Christen, treasurer. Henry J. Blenker, clerk. Henry Schwinghamer, as- sessor.
Ashley .- F. H. Telschon, chairman, Ben Deters, E. J. Schwertzhaus, supervisors. August Wehrhahn, treasurer. C. W. Parker, clerk.
Avon .- J. P. Schneider, chairman, Fred Mayer, supervisors. Frank Preuser, treas- wrer. John Rass, Clerk. Wm. Kepper, as- sessor.
Brockway .~ H. M. Knettel, chairman, Geo. Justin, John J. Schlichting, super- visors. F. J. Knettel, treasurer, J. N. Long, clerk. Frank Omann, assessor.
Collegeville .- Louis Hartig, chairman, Math. Jones, John Timmers, supervisors. Mike Dullinger, treasurer. Nicholas J. Klein, clerk. Blasius Scherer, assessor.
Crow Lake .- T. N. Thomson, supervisor. Aug. Anderson, treasurer. Ole P. Olson, clerk.
Crow River .- Peter Hofmann, supervisor. F. N. Mickelson, treasurer. K. P. Knutson, clerk.
Eden Lake .- Wm. Arnold, chairman, John Blomker, E. A. James, supervisors. Mike Nestler, treasurer. M. Malerich,
clerk. Wm. Brick, assessor.
Fair Haven .- Geo. A. Quarle, chairman, Henry Stenck, Peter Ruehle, supervisors. T. H. Baldwin, treasurer. E. J. Baldwin, clerk.
Farming .- John Thelen, chairman, Frank Lemke, supervisors. Henry Dingman, treasurer. Frank Willenbring, clerk.
Getty .- H. R. Jones, chairman, John Gritzmacher, Barney Eibensteiner, super- visors. T. J. Flahaven, treasurer. Anthony Eltgroth, clerk. Frank Pescheck, assessor. Grove. - Bernard Ellering, Herman Nathe, Fred Schwieters, supervisors. Henry G. Meyer, treasurer. B. J. Wehlage, clerk.
Holding .- Stanislaus Katzmaerck, chair- man, Joseph Lissick, Fred W. Reinke, su- pervisors. John Meller, treasurer. Wm. Schneider, clerk.
Krain .- Frank Lange, chairman, John E. Christen, Peter Moonen, supervisors. Joseph Menth, treasurer. C. A. Boerger, clerk.
Lake George .- J. W. Henz, chairman, J. A. Anderson, Jacob Sieber, supervisors. Frank Scholz, treasurer. Joseph Nickols, clerk. Math. Weber, assessor.
Lake Henry .- Michael Weidner, chair- man, Math. Lieser, Jacob Kraemer, super- visors. Martin Fuchs, treasurer. Server Brick, clerk. Paul Fuchs, assessor ..
Le Sauk .- H. J. Lindsay, chairman, Al- fred Iten, C. S. Sartell, supervisors. Mat. Lahr, treasurer. L. L. Sartell, clerk. Wm. Sartell, assessor.
Luxemburg .- Val Walz, chairman, Nic K. Stein (both held over), John B. Binsfeld, supervisors. Wm. Hommerding, treasurer. F. Wirtzfeld, clerk.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
Lynden .- Wm. Weyrauch, chairman, B. F. Lyons, A. W. Boldan, supervisors. G. H. Thole, treasurer .. G. H. Wells, clerk. D. D. Storms, assessor.
Maine Prairie .- Theo. J. Mielke, super- visor. C. D. Brower, treasurer. L. Engel, clerk. C. D. Shoemaker, assessor (unex- pired term).
Millwood .- Allie Coe, chairman, Henry Eiynck, Henry Herzog, supervisors. Aug. Wirchmann, treasurer. Henry Stoetzel, clerk. Herm. Ricker, assessor (held over).
Melrose .- Anton Zirbes, chairman, Fred Rehkamp, John H. Hinnenkamp, super- visors. Jos. Herzog, treasurer. Jos. Nie- haus, clerk. Theo. H. Hinnenkamp, as- sessor.
Munson .- Math. Kolling, chairman, G. H. Rolfer, Frank Fienhage (latter two held over), supervisors. Gerh. Braegelmann, treasurer. P. P. Ruegemer, clerk. Val. Becker (held over), assessor.
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North Fork .- Theo. Thorson, chairman, K. Halvorson, E. E. Burlson, supervisors. O. O. Lee, treasurer. Andrew T. Thompson, clerk.
Oak .- Henry Michael, chairman, Ben El- lering, William Hoppe, supervisors. Her- man Rose, treasurer. X. F. Hoeschen, clerk.
Paynesville .- Anton Wartenberg, chair- man, Wm. E. Foreman, supervisors. Wm. E. Schultz, treasurer. A. E. Bugbee, clerk. J. H. Finger (appointed), assessor.
Raymond .- Joseph Ebensteiner, chair- man, Frank Esler, Carl Kraft, supervisors. John M. Mayer, treasurer. George Rooney, clerk. James D. Rooney (elected in 1913), assessor.
Rockville .- John B. Otto, chairman, Niclı- olas Rausch, Bernard Nieters, supervisors. Jacob Weisman, treasurer. Joseph Kirsch, clerk.
St. Augusta .- Stephen J. Schafer, chair- man. Fred Meyer, treasurer. Nick W. Witte, clerk.
St. Cloud .- H. Kilian, chairman, J. N. Lahr, J. L. Stritze, supervisors. Mike Scheuer, treasurer. J. J. Hess, clerk. Jul. Rartfield, assessor. (Edward Kuehne was appointed assessor April 11.)
St. Joseph .- Joseph Braun, chairman, Peter Hilsgen, Michael Hengel, supervis- ors. Fred J. Schroeder, treasurer. John Lauerman, clerk. Christ. Walz, assessor.
St. Martin .- M. T. McGowan, chairman, Henry Schaefer, Peter Mohs, supervisors. Math Kuhl, treasurer. Peter Kuhl, clerk. Joseph Rausch, assessor.
St. Wendel .- John Rosman, chairman, Andrew Kosel, Nicholas Thielman, super- visors. John Seifert, treasurer. N. B. Rassier, clerk. Louis L. Vauk, assessor.
Sauk Centre .- H. J. Borgmann, chair- man, John Bromenschenkel, Jos. Klemmer, supervisors. Frank Unger, treasurer. C. D. Wilcox, clerk. Chas. Kortan, assessor.
Spring Hill .- John J. Winter, chairman, H. S. Welle, B. H. Diefmann, supervisors. John A. Schoenborn, treasurer. Joseph Emmel, clerk. Jos. Salchert, assessor.
Wakefield .- Mike R. Thiesen, supervisor. Paul Bauer, treasurer. Nicholas Wenner, clerk.
Zion .- G. H. Reeck, supervisor. Frank Heitke, treasurer. Fred C. Nehring, clerk.
VILLAGE OFFICERS.
(Elected March 10, 1914.)
Albany .- Jos. Lehner, president, Adam Winter, F. W. Christen, Albert Winter, trustees. Albert Beseman, treasurer. Thos. Tamask, recorder. W. W. Barron, John Stein, justices of the peace.
Avon .- Frank Schmid, president, T. F. Roche, F. M. Whitman, Amandes Summer- foll, trustees. John Ross, treasurer. N. J. Terhaar, recorder.
Belgrade .- C. M. Iverslie, president, J. O. Gullander, Henry M. Wohlleb, P. A. Ander- son, trustees. M. A. Mikkelson, treasurer. Ole Hendrickson, recorder. For license, 52; against license, 51. For paying road taxes in money, 89. Against paying road taxes in money, 7.
Brooten .- N. R. Nelson, president, C. A. Nelson, A. J. Anderson, O. O. Kittelson, trustees. Julius Syverson, treasurer. J. B. Wall, recorder.
Cold Spring .- Ferdinand Peters, presi- dent, Nicholas C. Wenner, Fred V. Stein, Peter P. Pflepsen, trustees. Peter P. Mau- rin, treasurer. Charles C. Gilley, recorder.
Eden Valley .- R. W. Hynemann, presi- dent, Frank Marx, James Brandley, Frank Rolfes, trustees. Nick Stoffel, treasurer. W. R. Salisbury, recorder. John McInter, justice of the peace. O. P. Thurman, con- stable.
Freeport .- Herman Schoener, president, Hubert Thelen, Herm. Rose, Henry Woel-
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
kenberg. trustees. Ray Adrian, treasurer. Frank Rieland, recorder ..
Holding .- Val. Herman, president, Peter Hoerter, John Hoelin, D. F. Bulyeski, trust- ees. J. L. Winkler, treasurer. J. A. Wink- ler, recorder.
Kimball .- Fred Brower, president, A. Breit, M. Caylor, C. R. Nelson, trustees. C. D. Browers, treasurer. L. Engel, re- corder.
Lake Henry .- Michael Kraemer, presi- dent, John Jaeger, Math. Miller, John B. Fuchs, trustees. John Lieser, treasurer. Edward Hess, recorder.
Meire Grove .- Herman Imdicke, Sr., president, H. H. Meyer, Clemens Meyer, Nick Brang, Jr., trustees. Henry Imdicke, treasurer. H. G. Schulzetenberge, recorder.
Paynesville .- J. H. Finger, president, O. H. Olson, J. G. Nehring, W. S. Johnson, trustees. W. E. Schultz, treasurer. John H. Haugen, recorder. Under date of June 16, the recorder reported to the county auditor the following as the current list: John G. Nehring, president, O. H. Olson, W. S. Johnson, A. R. Albertson, trustees. John H. Haugen, recorder.
Richmond .- John Lang, president, M. E. Gross, John Frank, L. P. Hennes, trustees. Fridolin Wurst, treasurer. Jos. Vogt, re- corder.
Rockville. - John Meinz, president, Joseph Mertes, John Weisman, Mat Ahles, trustees. Joseph H. Bruenig, treasurer. Theodore Meinz, recorder.
Roscoe .- Clems Kost, president, Jos. Weis, Thos. Sauer, John Ganzer, trustees.
Gregor Kost, treasurer. M. J. Molitor, recorder.
St. Anthony .- Jos. Cremers, Sr., presi- dent, Jos. Menth, John Rosen, William Oehrlein, trustees. Henry Ricker, treas- urer. Chas. A. Boerger, recorder.
St. Joseph .- Ben. Aschenbrunner, presi- dent, Joseph Staller, Joseph Hiemanz, Wil- liam Kellner, trustees. Michael Loso, treasurer. John Lauerman, recorder.
St. Martin .- Val. Haehn, president, John Mondloch, Math. Barthel, Henry Loos- broch, trustees. Math. Birk, treasurer. Henry B. Haehn, recorder.
St. Nicholas .- John Theisen, president, Jos. Hennen, John Brunold, John Kraemer, trustees. Wm. Hommerding, treasurer. P. Wirtzfeld, recorder.
St. Stephen .- James L. Justin, president, Joseph Blenkush, John Schumer, Anton Schumer, trustees. Frank Vouk, treasurer. Paul B. Blenkush, recorder.
Sartell .- Charles S. Sartell, president, Robert W. Grignon, Ben. Garding, Chas. F. Sartell, trustees. A. L. Smitten, treas- urer. F. N. Sartell, recorder.
Spring Hill .- Peter Wymann, president, Henry Lembeck, Mike Spaeth, Joe Geris, Jr., trustees. Charles Bohlig, treasurer. Leo. Gillitzer, recorder.
Waite Park .- P. F. Meinz, president, A. H. Burlon, H. H. Wilkes, P. P. Theisen, trustees. S. F. Stelzig, treasurer. W. C. Schiel, recorder. L. L. Bowers, assessor. Herbert Wire, justice of the peace. Henry Haack, constable.
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
CHAPTER XLVIII.
STEARNS COUNTY SCHOOLS.
Father Cornelius and His Work-Early School Buildings-Early School Supervision-County Supervision-Present Conditions-History of the Districts by Townships-Conclusion-By County Superintendent William A. Boerger.
About a Roman Catholic priest, a zealous, devoted and self-sacrificing man, centers the history of the Stearns county schools. In the days when the city of St. Cloud was but a pitiful little string of shanties and equally unpretentious places of business, anchored against a high bank overlooking the Mississippi river; when the pioneers crossed rutty and unpaved roads on slabs laid at intervals in the mud, and all the rest of Stearns county was an uninhabited wilderness, the settlers found in their midst-for he was among the first to come-a young priest, the Reverend Father Cornelius Wittmann, O.S.B. He had come to minister to the wants of a number of Catholics who hailed from various eastern states, and had scattered widely over the terri- tory newly ceded to the Government by the Indians. It is needless to say that his hands were of the proverbial fullness !
However despite his large missionary field and innumerable duties, this zealous young man, observing the utter absence of institutions of learning, added to his already long list of strenuous labors the hard task of teaching school. It was in the dwelling of Joseph Edelbrock, who, with the open- handed generosity of pioneers, cheerfully donated the use of one of the rooms, that Father Cornelius, in the early fall of 1856, taught the first school within the present boundaries of Stearns county. It was thus a free school in the fullest sense of the word, for no tuition was asked, and the teacher received no pay !
The Edelbrock home occupied the southwest corner at the intersection of St. Germain Street and Fifth Avenue in the city of St. Cloud. The build- ing was later bought by John Rengel and moved to his farm a short distance west of the city, where it is still used as a dwelling. This room Mr. Edel- brock's house also served the young priest as a chapel, and it was here that he offered the sacrifice of the Mass, following the divine services with the work of a teacher. His pupils were Mary Edelbrock, Anton Edelbrock (later Abbot Alexius, O.S.B.), Barney Edelbrock, Joseph Edelbrock, Henry Rosenberger, Elizabeth Rosenberger, Mary Brown, Thompson Brown, Joseph Reichert and Louis Emmel.
Father Cornelius, most lovable of men, is yet among the living (A. D. 1915), passing the remainder of his days in St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, in this county, where every attention that loving hands can administer, is be- stowed upon the kind-hearted old man, who, despite the trying affliction of
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
almost total blindness, has preserved the sweetness of an unselfish existence to the end of his days.
And to the memory of this pioneer teacher of Stearns County, this his- . tory of its schools, since grown to proud dimensions, is respectfully dedicated by the author.
The example set by Father Cornelius proved so worthy of emulation that, only a short time after, a school house was built in Lower Town and named the Everett School in honor of Edward Ever- ett of Massachusetts, who rendered sub- stantial aid. The first teacher was Amelia Talcott, who later became Mrs. T. C. Alden, whose tuition charge was $1.50 per month to each pupil. Mrs. Alden, the first lady teacher of Stearns county, has likewise lived to see the field of her early educational labor bear rich fruit. At the time of this writing she is still a resi- dent of the city of St. Cloud, loved and honored by a large circle of friends.
The first public school was opened in the Everett building on Monday, Decem- ber 20, 1858, with M. P. Noel as teacher and an enrollment of thirty-three pupils. Mr. Noel taught school for a number of years, and later confined himself ex- clusively to surveying and engineering. He is also living at this date, though he has retired from his former occupations.
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