Free, Albert T.

FREE

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 1/14/2013 at 08:24:02

The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Des Moines: Union Hist. Co., 1880.

FREE, ALBERT T.—Grinnell Twp—pg 895-6. Superintendent of the schools of Grinnell. Was born in the city of Columbus, Ohio, on the 18th day of June, 1851, and while very young his parents removed to Westerville, Franklin county, and after a residence of but one year removed to Iowa and settled on a farm in Tama county, where he continued to live until 1865. He attended the high school of Toledo and graduated at the age of sixteen years, after which he was engaged for two years with his brother, who was a dry good merchant, most of the time as a clerk in the store. In 1869 he entered the Iowa State University at Iowa City as a representative of Tama county, at which time he attended one year and one term, and then taught one term at Downey in the winter of 1870-1, and during the entire year of 1871 he attended the University and engaged as a teacher in one of the ward schools of Iowa City. During 1872-3 he attended the University and finished a course in civil engineering and was one of the party of engineers who surveyed the old Chicago, Omaha and St. Louis Railroad from Clinton to Oskaloosa. In 1874 he was elected principal of the grammar school in Iowa City, which position he held for one year, when he resigned to enter Oberlin College, Ohio, to prepare for his present profession, after studying the Latin and Greek languages one year. During the summer and fall of 1876, for the purpose of resting from his studies, he visited in the southern and eastern States and returned home to enter the land, loan and insurance business, which he continued to follow for one year, when he was elected principal of the schools of Brooklyn, Iowa, which position he ably filled for one year and was elected principal of the schools of Victor. He remained there one year and was elected to the superintendency of the schools of this city, where he is now in his second year. Mr. Free is an able teacher and is fast gaining a State acquaintance and reputation. He is a thorough student and scholar, very energetic, and determined to succeed in any and every undertaking. He has taken a thorough normal training under Professor Fellows and Miss Loughridge, of Iowa City.