USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 14
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The Austin Mutual Hail Insurance Company was started in Mankato in 1896 and was moved to various places. Senator Charles F. Cook took hold of the concern some two years ago and moved the headquarters to Austin. This has given it new life, and it is growing rapidly. About one thousand policies are in force and some hundred agents employed. The officers are: President, C. F. Cook ; vice president, Andrew French ; treasurer, H. L. Banfield.
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CHAPTER XIII.
HORTICULTURE.
Importance of Fruit Growing in Mower County-"Experiences of a Veteran Horticulturist," by John C. Hawkins-Fruit Growing in the Early Days-The Minnesota and Mower County Horticultural Societies Organized-Difficulties En- countered in Developing Mower County as a Fruit Growing Section-Persistent Efforts-Oldest Orchard in Mower County-Seedlings Raised Here.
There are no statisties of a more recent date than 1900 which could be secured on which to base an estimate of the number of apple trees growing in Mower county, but a conservative esti- mate built on the number reported in 1900 and the sales of local nursery men puts the figure well past the two million mark. Apples are yearly shipped out of the county to Illinois and other states. The State Horticultural Society does a splendid work in educating our people and also in the encouragement of fruit growing and the raising of seedlings. Hundreds of horticulturists are now experimenting in the hope of getting a winter apple that will equal the Baldwin in all particulars and exceed it in some, and also win the reward of $1,000 which the state society offers for such an apple. Good winter apples are now raised, but the state wants an apple that will bring to Minnesota as much fame as its butter has done. Mower county horticulturists are members of the Southern Minnesota Horticultural Society, which meets yearly. The society has over one hundred members, who are enthusiastic in the work.
Some idea of the horticultural resources of our county was given at our county fair held at Austin in September, 1909, when sixty varieties of apples and twenty-three varieties of plums were displayed for premiums. Grapes, pears and peaches were also shown.
John C. Hawkins is one of the veteran enthusiasts in Mower county on the subject of apple and plum growing in this vicinity. For many years he has labored in this cause, and has lived to see his work bear fruit. The following article, entitled "Ex- periences of a Veteran Horticulturist," has been prepared by him expressly for this history.
What do I know about horticulture from the standpoint of a veteran ? Veteran, I suppose, means old and worn out, and in that respect ! am able to fill the bill. I might as well state before I begin that "I was borned on the border of the Old Dominion,
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right dare among the niggers, but was fotehed up among de white folks and know'd some of de fust families berry well." They always wore seedy hats and manifested a general appear- anee of that sort, talked politics exclusively and knew but little else.
We had no horticultural societies then. They are all creatures of a later growth. Our fruits were all seedlings, and no one sup- posed that we could improve on nature. We now claim that some of our best fruits have originated from sports widely different from the parent tree. All the "sports" we knew anything about at that time were our fast young men. If one tree happened to bear better fruit than the other, all the boys in the neighborhood knew about it, and the owner must be content with what he could get. Hence he did not care to improve his fruits-not even for the sake of the boys. I was there, and I know.
We used to have glorious times at the apple parings which were held around in the neighborhood, and where each boy paired off with his best girl, or at least tried to. We had no such thing as fruit dryers then. The sun did the business with the assistance of the flies, the bees and the bugs. The fruit was placed upon scaffolds out of doors, or hung on strings about the old fire place. Pumpkins were sliced and strung up in the same manner to dry, and such delicious pies Auntie could make! "Auntie," you understand, was not a real name, but meant par- excellence and denotes the highest degree of honor bestowed upon the darkey cook.
The fruits grown at that time were not very inviting, and consequently there was little market for them; in faet, no one thought of growing fruit for that purpose. I never saw a eulti- vated strawberry until after I was grown. There were some wild ones growing along a ditch in my father's meadow, and he used to trounee me for tramping down the grass to get a taste of those berries, so is it any wonder that I am such an enthusiastic hortieulturist ?
I believe it was Massachusetts that first set the ball in motion with such men as Marshall P. Wilder in the lead. What has been the result ? Horticultural societies have been formed and ex- tended throughout every state and almost every county in the Union. What are we doing? Experimenting; not blindly, but scientifically in the production of newer and better varieties of fruits and flowers, always holding fast the best until something better is attained. But how has this wonderful result been brought about ? Through the means of influence of any partieu- lar section or society ? No; but through the united efforts of all the societies of all the states combined working together for the common good. This concentrated action in a measure controls
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the markets, systematizes the handling, packing and shipping of fruits, and regulates charges, commissions, etc.
Now let us turn to Minnesota as one of those states having a distinet yet undivided interest in common with all the other states. She has been the child of circumstances from her birth, located so far north as to be almost beyond the limits of fruit growing. It has been said, and I believe truthfully, that any country that could not grow its own fruits sufficient for the common wants of the people could never attain to a high state of civilization. Does anyone suppose if all the difficulties that lay in the way could have been foreseen that anyone of these veterans would have been crazy enough to have attempted to form a horticultural society in Minnesota? But necessity knows no law. We must have fruit, and we "went it blind," often- times reaching out our hands in error, expecting a prize but receiving only a blank. When I look into the face of experience it reminds me of the chaplain in the Confederate army who prayed most fervently that the Lord would give the soldiers more courage, when a veteran cried ont, "We have courage enough already : pray for victuals." Ye veterans who have been fighting so long against such fearful odds, going a little here and a little there, begin now to see the silver lining that skirts the cloud that reflects the light from the opening gates of heaven ! But in order to carry out this great work there must be united effort on the part of every horticulturist, and I would especially call your attention to the efficiency of the ladies. Nothing in life stimulates action so much or makes our burdens so light as the sound of a happy voice with the light of a pleasant eye. Those who wish to attend the apple paring should always come in "pairs." Our younger members in all probability will not be required to sacrifice time and means with so little reward as those who have preceded them. The work of the Minnesota society has been well laid out and skillfully managed. We have the State Experimental Farm that is doing a grand work in the interests of horticulture, and then we have auxiliary stations in different parts of the state that make their annual reports to the central head station. All these reports come before this society and are published in its transactions, and in addition runners are sent abroad everywhere to spy out the land and gather in goodly fruits for the benefit of the commonwealth at large.
In regard to myself, I can only say that my pride runs parallel with that of a friend of mine who always boasted of having been born in Boston, and declared if he had to be born again a hundred times he would go straight back to Boston every time. I have no wish to live my time over again, not even to correct
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the "mistakes of Moses," but if the mantle of youth could be thrown around me again I should fall in with this society and pitch my tent within some garden of roses.
Small fruits of all kinds can be successfully grown in Mower county. I planted my first fruit trees in 1868, bought of Jordan & Co., Rochester, Minn. They survived a few years-and went to the brush pile. Then I tried Rockford, Ill. They soon went the same way. About this time I joined the Minnesota State Horticultural Society and got acquainted with J. S. Harris, of La Crescent, Minn., who kindly gave me much fatherly advice and direction in planting and care of a young orchard. My neighbors began to take notice and ask questions. Do you ex- pect to grow apples and plums in this cold, bleak climate? "Why, certainly !" "Well, I guess not." But I kept tramping along, leaving my footprints all over this county, so that I am known to everyone as the "Apple Crank and Plum Fool." We finally felt the need of a local organization. So Bro. F. W. Kimbal, of Austin, and Bro. Clarence Wedge, of Albert Lea, got together and organized the Southern Minnesota Horticultural Society. It was a success from the start. Fillmore county came in, then Steele county, and we now have four counties 'in our territory.
There are hundreds of young orchards in this county just coming into bearing, ranging in size from a few trees to fifteen hundred and two thousand.
Some time ago I visited the oldest orchard in this county, planted by E. D. Ames, of Lyle township in 1857. Mr. Ames said that in 1863 this orchard bore some fruit, in 1864 a fair crop, and has borne every year since with the exception of this last year. A great many varieties died, but there are some "grand old trees" left yet that are producing fine crops every year. I especially noticed two varieties, "Haas" and "Dutchess" are inseribed on their trunks and they are good for another half century.
There are several seedlings originated in this county. E. D. Ames has a fine winter variety. Decker's seedling has been growing between thirty and forty years on the farm of J. S. Decker, just east of the city of Austin. This is a large apple, somewhat in shape and color between Malinda and Northwest Greening. L. W. Prosser has a seedling apple named after him- self. It is probably a seedling from the Wealthy. This is a fine apple, medium size, color yellow, ground splashed with red, mild, sub-acid. Some trees are more prepotent than others. The Wealthy is remarkable in this respect. It has produced the ' Peter, almost identical with itself, and the Evelyn and Perfect have many points in common with it. The Prosser, supposed to be a seedling of it, resembles it in size and color of fruit.
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The Southern Minnesota Horticultural Society a few years ago distributed hundreds of seedlings from the Wedge nursery at Albert Lea that will be heard from in the near future.
CHAPTER XIV
COUNTY SCHOOLS
State and County School System-First Schools and First Dis- tricts in Mower County-State Aid-Equipment-Literary Societies-Meetings for Officers, Teachers and Pupils-Ex- hibits and Contests-Institutes and Summer Schools-Pa- rochial Schools-Story of the Districts-Prepared with the Assistance of Miss Grace B. Sherwood.
In the story of American civilization the establishment of the school and the church has been coincident with the building of home.
However, at the formation of the Union, and later, when the federal government was established, there was no definite line of action as to public education, although at the same time that the Constitution was adopted the last session of the Continental Congress was being held in the city of New York, and the Ordi- nance of 1787 was passed, regulating the affairs pertaining to the Northwest territory, including that portion of Minnesota lying east of the Mississippi river. In this ordinance much attention was given to the question of providing a means of public educa- tion, by giving one section in each congressional township for educational purposes. Later, when the purchase of Louisiana was effected, and Minnesota sought admission into the Union, still further provision was made for education by giving two sections in each congressional township for such purposes. This gave impetus to the natural tendency toward educational mat- ters, and we find that one of the first efforts in the new settle- ments was to prepare to educate the children. The church and the school building, when not one and the same, were practically always found side by side. The hardy pioneers of the Great Northwest-of which Minnesota was a part-did not wait even for a territorial government, but set to work at once to establish schools. The first one in Minnesota, for the education of white children, was organized by Dr. Williamson, at the present site of the city of St. Paul. We are told that investigation demon- strated that there were about thirty-six children in the settle-
1
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ment who might attend a school. A log house, 10x12 feet, covered with bark and chinked with mud, previously used as a black- smith shop, was secured and converted into a schoolhouse, and taught by Miss Bishop. Here, then, while the United States troops were gaining such signal success in the war with Mexico, was begun the system of education which has become one of the best in this great nation. In this same little schoolhouse, in November, 1849, was held a meeting for the purpose of estab- lishing a system of public education, based upon the congressional act of March, 1849, establishing Minnesota territory. Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania, when appointed governor, proceeded at once to assume the duties of his office. In his first message to the territorial legislature, in the fall of 1849, he emphasized the need of wise measures looking to the establishment of a system of public education in these words: "The subject of education, which has ever been esteemed of first importance in all new American communities, deserves, and, I doubt not, will receive your earliest and most devoted care. From the pressure of other and more immediate wants it is not to be expected that your school system should be very ample, yet it is desirable that what- ever is done should be of a character that will readily adapt itself to the growth and increase of the country, and not in future years require a violent change of system."
In response to this appeal for legislation in school matters we find that a committee on education was appointed, and a very able report was made by the chairman, Hon. Martin McLeod. This report was formulated into an act relating to public schools in Minnesota, which act was passed on the last day of the session, November 1, 1849. It organized the territory into districts, of which the township was the unit, and provided that if a township had within its limits five families it should be considered as one district, but if it contained ten families it should be divided into two districts. Tax levy was provided, and a system of management arranged. The first superintendent of common sehools for the territory was Rev. E. D. Neill, who served till 1853. His salary was $100 a year.
The first school instruction in Mower county was given in the pioneer homes by mothers, who, though they had come to a new country, did not wish their children to grow up in ignorance. The public system in the county started in 1856, and in that year many schools and school districts were organized. It is not known definitely where or when the first public school was opened in Mower county, but the sehool taught by Maria Vanghan, in Austin, in a log house on the north side of what is now Water street, west of the Chicago Great Western tracks, was one of the earliest. This was in 1855. A school was also opened in
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Le Roy at about the same time. The first schoolhouse erected in the county was in what is now district No. 4, in Le Roy town- ship. This was built of logs, donated and put up by the citizens on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of the north- west quarter of section 29, township 101, range 14. This land was donated for school purposes by J. M. Wykoff, still a resi- dent of Le Roy, the site of this pioneer school being now a part of the John Frank farm. The old building is still in existence, and is located on the farm occupied by George Klapper. The first teacher in this old schoolhouse was Melissa Allen, daughter of David Allen, and afterward wife of Isaac C. Spencer. The teachers who followed her were N. B. Todd, A. J. Porter, Isaac Smith, Celinda Burnap, Eliza Pierce and Emma Knapp. N. B. Todd, the second teacher, was a brother-in-law of J. M. Wykoff. Probably the only pupil still remaining in this vicinity who attended the session of this early school is Mrs. L. W. Prosser, who lives near Le Roy. Mrs. Prosser is a daughter of W. B. Spencer, who was a prominent pioneer of the early days.
The first three districts organized by the commissioners of Mower county, July 7, 1856, were district number 1, now dis- trict number 16, in Frankford township; district number 2, all of what is now Red Rock township, and district number 3, now districts number 35 and 36 in Racine township. District 1 included sections 13, 14, 23. 24, 25 and 26 and the east half of sections 15, 22 and 27 in township 103, range 14. The petition was presented by J. W. Farquir and others. District 2 included all of township 103, range 17, and the petition was presented by John L. Johnson. District 3 included the south half of section 1 and all of sections 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12, township 103, range 14. The petition was presented by Louis Chamberlain. March 16, 1856, the county commissioners levied a tax for school purposes equal lo one-quarter of one per cent on the amount of the assessment roll as returned in July.
The schools in the common districts are under the immediate supervision of a board of trustees in each district, consisting of three members, the special and independent districts having a board of education, consisting of from five to seven members. The county superintendent has general supervision of the schools in the county. It is her duty to visit each school, advise teachers and school officers in regard to the best methods of instruction, the most approved plans for building, improving and ventilating schoolhouses and ornamenting school grounds; conduet teachers' and offieers' meetings and make reports to the state superin- tendent of publie instruction.
The state grants special aid to schools coming up to certain standards of requirements-$1,750 to high schools, $600 to graded
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schools, $300 to semi-graded schools, $150 to first class rural schools, and $100 to second class rural schools. Mower county at the present time receives special state aid for four high schools, three graded schools, five semi-graded, twenty-seven first class rural and twenty-seven second class rural schools.
Progressive educators hopefully look forward to the time, in the near future, when the country boys and girls will be af- forded facilities equal to the best in the cities-when, as a re- sult of consolidation and the establishment of loeal agricultural graded and high schools, each teacher will not be required to teach more grades than she ean handle to best advantage, and the pupils be enabled to seeure a good elementary and high school education without leaving home.
There are now 139 organized districts in the county. Of these, four, Austin, Lyle, LeRoy and Grand Meadow, are city sehools with first class high sehools. Three are graded sehools, Adams, Brownsdale and Dexter, each with four teachers. Five are semi- graded, Taopi and Lansing and Waltham, each with two teach- ers, and Racine and Rose Creek, each with three teachers. The others are one-roomed schools. There are ten distriets which are joint with other counties and of these eight have their school- houses out of Mower county. Eleven schools have an enrollment of less than ten pupils and forty-two have an enrollment of from ten to twenty. The largest enrollment is forty-eight pupils, in distriet 65, in the northern part of Adams, and the smallest is five pupils, in distriet 6, in the southwestern part of Adams.
During the past year seventeen distriets had nine months of school; seventy-one schools, eight months; twenty-two sehools, seven months; sixteen schools, six months, and three schools, five months. Most of the short-year school districts have a de- nominational session a part of the year. Four of the distriets have no school in session.
During the year 1909-10 seventy-two pupils received certifi- cates certifying that they had completed eighth grade studies with eredit. During the present year some 300 are planning to take the examinations.
Most of the schools are well equipped with those things which are required for efficient work. Many of the schoolhouses are new and the old ones are in an excellent state of repair. In the whole county there are probably not more than six sehools that could be called in poor condition. Eighty schools have pat- ented heating plants and fifteen of the rural schools have fur- Daces, which are well looked after. All but three have libraries. During the present year eighty schools will meet the require- ment for state aid in addition to the seven high and graded sehools.
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The teachers' training schools, which are conducted in the county every other summer, do much to increase the efficiency of the teachers. These schools are paid by the state and are conducted under the direction of the county superintendent and a conductor appointed by the state department of public in- struction. Instruction is given in all the branches required for a teacher's certificate. In addition, there are classes in various other subjects. These schools are free and are well attended. It is expected that 225 will be enrolled this year.
There are various literary and debating societies in the schools and the reading circle for the teachers is well patronized. An institute is held every other spring and three teachers' meet- ings are held annually. A school officers' meeting and a spelling contest are also held each year. The annual graduating exercise were held last year at Dexter, with a picnic, sports and various other profitable and pleasant events. At the county fair each year the exhibits of the children make an excellent showing, a building having been erected for this purpose. Last year 280 prizes were awarded to children between the ages of eight and sixteen for the excellence of their exhibits.
Parochial schools have been conducted in various communities ever since the early days. There are various types of these schools. The Catholics have excellent schools in Austin, Adams and Johnsburg (Adams). In these schools the usual graded and high school subjects are taught, and religions instruction is also given. There is a Norwegian school in section 15, Nevada township, and German schools are located in section 29, Waltham township, section 32, Dexter township and section 13, Pleasant Valley township. In some communities, as has already been noted, the district schoolhouses are used for sectarian in- struetion when the regular publie school is not in session. Schools are held also in several of the churches of the county.
One commercial institution, the Southern Minnesota Normal College, is located at Austin.
In the graded and high schools of the county there are 2.020 pupils enrolled and in the country schools there are 2,899. There are 204 teachers employed. Last year the expense for graded and high schools was $96,675.97 and the expense for the common schools was $88,629.50.
Udolpho. The first school in what is now Udolpho township was a select school taught by Eliza A. Wilcox in a part of her father's residence. This was a three months' term in the winter of 1856-57. Eliza also taught a term of district school in the summer of 1857 in the house of Thomas Richardson, in seetion 16. For her services the teacher received $2 a week and boarded around. Distriet 49. The first school in this distriet was kept
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in the summer of 1857 in the home of Thomas Richardson, by Eliza A. Wilcox. The district was organized in 1859, and a log schoolhouse was built in section 16. Eliza A. Wilcox was also the first teacher in this house. It was used for school purposes until 1870, when it was replaced by a frame building located on the southeast quarter of section 8. Rosa Carey taught the first school in this building. Distriet 50. The first school in this dis- triet was a summer school, in 1857, and Priscilla Miller was the first teacher. The school was held in a log house erected for the purpose by the neighbors, in the northwest corner of the north- east quarter of section 26. This building was used for school purposes until the spring of 1866, when it was replaced by a brick building, erceted during the fall of 1865, on the southwest cor- ner of section 24. This building has been replaced with a wooden structure. District 119 joint. This district was organized as district 57 October 9, 1869, and the first school was held that winter at the house of John Tuckerson in seetion 30, Carlos Man- chester being the teacher. School was held in this house until 1872, when a small house was erected in the southeast corner of section 19. Mr. Manchester was also the first teacher in this house. District 60. This district was organized in the winter of 1868 or 1869. A schoolhouse was erected the next spring in the southeast corner of section 2. This was a frame house and the lumber was hauled by team from Red Wing. The first school after the completion of the building was a summer session kept by Mrs. Mary Thuber, wife of E. Thuber, then living in section 10. The schoolhouse was afterward moved to the northeast corner of section 11. District 76. This district was organized in 1869. The first school was held in the house of S. II. Smith in section 33, the teacher being Hattie L. Sanford. Sehool was held in the house of Mr. Smith until 1876, when a new frame house was built in the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 28. Hattie Ricker was the first teacher. Distriet 111 joint was organized by the legislature during the session of 1881- 82, and the schoolhouse is located just over the Freeborn county line in Neury township. Myra Maxwell was the first teacher, the first session being the summer term of 1882. District 70 and district 79 joint. The first school in this district was held in the dwelling house of John Torkelson, in 1868-69. Carlos Man- chester was the teacher. In 1870 a schoolhouse was built on the old Knut Thompson place. Carlos Manchester was also teacher here. That school was maintained until 1888. In 1889 there was a division, and each district erected a new schoolhouse. The first teacher in the new schoolhouse in district 79 joint was Gertrude M. Carll, of Udolpho. The above faets were gathered by John T. Aldal.
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