Back Row, L-R:
Minnie Chenowith, Walter Chenowith, Otto Gilbert, Nellie Chenowith,
Annie Paulson, Eva Aldrich, Arthur Kelly, Jessie Kelly, Pope

Middle Row, L-R:
George Lang, Minnie Aldrich, Belle Flowers, Emma Jacobson, Bertha Aldrich,
Ethel Doehler, Mabel Doehler, Gertrude Doehler, Mabel Johnson, Emma Magnusson,
Martha L. Intlekofer (Cavers), teacher.
Martha was the daughter of Adeline Troendle and John Intlekofer

Front Row, L-R:
Les Knutson, Walter Cavers, Elert Erickson, Henry Chenowith,
Carl Spinner, Frank Duncan, John Duncan, Lewellyn Johnson, Pius Hess

~ source of above photos is the personal collection of Fred Althoff
~ contributors note: I'm not sure when the school house picture was taken. The school building is still standing, although it is now being used as a livestock barn and the bell is gone.
~ contributed by Fred Althoff

School Notes

1872
Lafayette township, District No. 3 School / likely aka Village Creek school
T.F. Healey, county superintendent of schools

J.M. Gemmill, teacher, 38 on roll, 16 present. This gentleman is endeavoring to discharge his duty faithfully in the face of several discouragements, one of which is a very cold school house; another, tardy scholars, and as at Milton no visits from parents or others during the whole term.

A pleasant feature of the school is the exercises morning and afternoon open with singing, which lountted to state was the case in the Upper Department of the Milton school. Miss Lizzie Mahoney and Carl Oleson appeared to be the ranking scholars in this school

~Source: The Mirror and Chronicle, Thursday, March 14, 1872, Lansing, Iowa, Page 3
~transcribed by Cindy (Maust) Smith

Note added by S. Ferrall - although I can't confirm, I believe the above refers to the Village Creek school. The 1870 U.S. census, Lafayette twp., Village Creek (P.O.) enumerated the Lars & Christiana Oleson with their 3 children, one named Carl, age 11.

Same census & place enumerated the Cornelius Mahoney family, including Elizabeth, age 17. Although her age 2 yrs later would seem to be too old to still be attending school, it is possible. There were 4 additional daughters also shown, each of school-age who possibly had the nickname Lizzie. No other Mahoney families are enumerated in Lafayette twp. in this time period.

1933
Village Creek school, Alphid Pladsen, teacher
The following pupils received perfect attendance certificates the fourth month: Enid Russell, Marc Wilder, Leland Fink, Walter Hill, Orville Bratrud, Elvin and Melvin DeLong, and Mary and Francis Pettit.

Norma Johnson, Helen Budahl, Mary Pettit and Walter Hill had perfect spelling the fourth month.

The flu and colds have been prevalent among the children of our school. Besides this, Rozella Hayes is a victim of pneumonia, and Delbert Russell had the chicken pox.

Miss McCormick visited our school January 11.

Bernice Budahl received one hundred percent in her semester language exam. Norma Johnson received one hundred percent in her spelling exam.

On Thursday night, January 19, there will be a dance and box social for the benefit of the Village Creek School.

LeRoy Brink, Earl Johnson, Rozella Hayes and Enid Russell are preparing for the eighth grade examinations which are to be given February 3 at Lansing.

~The Allamakee Journal And Lansing Mirror, Wednesday, January 25, 1933, Lansing, Iowa, Page 3
~Transcribed by Cindy (Maust) Smith

-- --

Waukon- A school directors' meeting was being held in the Village Creek district school house Saturday evening, John Hill, president, presided, when the big storm struck.

When adjournment time came, the waters of the Village Creek had risen to such a height that it was not safe for the school officers to return to their homes, so they made an all night meeting of it. The directors are: John Hill, president; George Munz and Clifford Eckberg.

They had the company of several families who were driven from their homes in the lowlands when the rising water threatened ther homes.

~Monona Leader, Thursday, July 13, 1933, Monona, Iowa, pg 2
~transcribed by Cindy (Maust) Smith

~*~*~

1935
Village Creek School, Anna Munz, teacher

February 15 ended our fifth six weeks of school. Those neither absent nor tardy were: Mary Pettit, Orville Bratrud, Norma Johnson, Marc and Hartley Wilder, Walter and Melvin Hill. Delbert Russel was not absent.

A new supply of green wood has been sawed and placed in our wood shed.

The beginners have finished their primers and started in their first readers. The first grade is having a contest in reading to see who misses the least words, Agnes Hill is first and Hartley Wilder is second.

Kathryn Spores of the first grade had 100% in spelling every day this six weeks.

Those who received certificates this period were: Orville Bratrud, Mary Pettit, Walter Hill and Marie Brooks in spelling; Mary Pettit, Norma Johnson and Kathryn Spores in attendance; Walter Hill in reading.

Those receiving 90% or above in tests are: Reading, Mary Pettit, Maxine Spores and Norma Johnson; hygiene, Mary Pettit, Orville Bratrud, Grace Hill and Norma Johnson; language, Mary Pettit, Norma Johnson and Grace Hill; spelling, Norma Johnson, Grace Hill, Margaret Spores and Walter Hill; history, Norma Johnson and Mary Pettit.

Ida Munz taught our school while our teacher was ill with the measles.

Visitors have been: Inga Tollefson, Mrs. William Doehler, Mrs. John Pettit and Mrs. Melvin Ellefson.

~The Allamakee Journal And Lansing Mirror, Wednesday, February 27,1935, pg 7
~Transcribed by Cindy (Maust) Smith

Early Education At Village Creek School
Waukon Restaurant Owner Tells Of Days At Village Creek School
by Madonna Storla

WAUKON: Orville Bratrud's working day starts early at the 66 Cafe here. At 4:45 a.m. he leaves his Waterville home and by 5 a.m. he is ready to accommodate early breakfast trade and the casual customers who stop in for a cup of coffee on their way to work. He has been at 66 Cafe for 8 years. He employs 2 girls on a regular basis and one woman part-time. On weekends Bratrud's wife helps in the cafe.

Bratrud's early education was 8 years at the Village Creek rock school. At times there were as many as 62 children of all grade levels in attendance.

"There were absolutely no discipline problems. Everyone was too busy learning and too scared to misbehave," he recalled. "The teacher was in command, even if she had to do her own janitor work. Some of the families had 7 or 8 children in the school at one time. Money was mighty scarce and many of the lunch pails had bread spread with lard and molasses in them. One exceptional teacher who could really handle the kids was Alphid Pladsen O'Brien, who now lives in Waukon," Bratrud said.

4-Foot Walls
The Village Creek School still remains standing. Built of stone, the walls were 4 feet thick. School board meetings for the township were held there, and it is said that some of them were very explosive. Bratrud added, "At one time the enrollment was so large that 2 teachers were employed and classes were held on both floors of the building."

School programs were held on many occasions. Once a year a box social was held with women bringing gaily decorated boxes containing sandwiches, fruit and goodies. These were hidden near the stage so no one would know who brought them until they were auctioned at the end of the program. The auctioneer displayed each box and accepted the bids of the young swains of the community. The sky was the limit if the bidder had a hint that the box on the auction block belonged to his favorite lady. Once the bidding was completed, the couple enjoyed the contents of the box.

High school days found Bratrud living with his grandparents, the Louis Olsons in the Darby area, so he could attend Waterville High School. As he spoke of his high school days, he remarked, Waterville High School was the very best. "The good discipline was part of our education there," he said. "Dress codes demanded neatness and believe me, there was no gum chewing." "Every student who was out for sports, rode the bus home after school. There were no after-school practices. The same was true of play practices and band lessons. That school was well run."

He attended Waukon Junior College for a year and a half before going to the army in 1945. He was stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY at the Veterans Hospital there until 1947, when he was discharged. Bratrud and his wife, the former Dorothy Howe of the Wexford area, have been married for 27 years. They farmed the Alex Drogsett farms south of Elon for 17 years before moving to Waterville. Dorothy has been in the teaching profession for 36 years, some of which included rural schools. Presently she is teaching in the Waterville grade school. When asked about retirement plans, Bratrud said, "We'll take our fifth wheel camper and head south. We'll just keep on going."

~Postville Herald, December 31, 1986, pg 8
~transcribed by Cindy (Maust) Smith

Orville Bratrud obituary * Alphid (Pladsen) O'Brien obituary