Elizabeth Colt 1884-1953

COLT, CHALSTROM, DAWSON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 6/17/2016 at 23:34:10

Elizabeth Colt, Beloved Local Teacher, Dies
Elizabeth Colt, who taught three generations of Estherville children in her 48 years as a school teacher, died at 12:45 a.m. today at Holy Family hospital. She was 69.

Miss Colt suffered a stroke while she was attending church Sunday and was taken to the hospital. She had been under a physician’s care for a number of years and especially since her retirement a year ago.

Born March 30, 1884, in Fredericksburg, Chickasaw county, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Colt. Her physician at birth was Dr. W.S. Pitts, author of the son, “Little Brown Church.”

She moved with her parents to California at an early age and started school there. When she was nine her parents returned to Emmet county and settled in the Swan Lake area. She attended the county rural schools and Estherville high school.

Beginning her teaching career by teaching for four years in the county rural schools, Miss Colt then attended Iowa State Teacher’s college at Cedar Falls from which she graduated in 1908.

She then began her 44 years of teaching in the Estherville school system, a longer period than any other teacher. She taught and was principal in the McKinley school for one semester, then moved to the old Washington building unit it was replaced by the Roosevelt building, at which she continued to teach.

Principal of the Roosevelt school beginning in 1923, she continued to teach second grade, her favorite age of students, until 1949. Her interest in teaching centered around the individual child as well as the group as a whole.

On May 2, 1952, she was forced to retire because of ill health, just two years short of 50 years in the teaching profession for which she aimed. Estherville paid tribute to her life of service of the community when more than 200 students, former students, parents and teachers turned out on Eliabeth [Elizabeth] Colt day, May 16, 1952. Gov. William S. Beardsley was present at the observance and spoke in praise of her life’s work.

She was a member of the Methodist church, Order of the Eastern Star for almost 50 years, the Daughters of American Revolution and Royal Neighbors of America.

Surviving her death are a sister, Mrs. Lucy Chalstrom, with whom she lived; a nephew, James Chalstrom, a student at the University of Iowa; and an aunt, Mrs. William Dawson of Carson, Nev.

Preceding her in death were her father in 1929 and mother in 1939.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Methodist church, the Rev. H. Hughes Dill officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, June 9, 1953)