Miss Josie Huffman (1862-1936)

HUFFMAN, MILLER, CHAMPNEY

Posted By: John Evan Davis (email)
Date: 9/3/2012 at 08:23:17

Ottumwa Courier March 10, 1936
Miss Huffman, Ottumwa Teacher Half Century, Dies Suddenly Today
Teacher in Ottumwa's Public Schools for more than 50 years Miss Josie Huffman, 73, died suddenly at 10 AM today at her home, 416 N. Green St. It was in 1930 that the 50th anniversary of Miss Huffman's entrance into the Ottumwa public-school system was celebrated. Actually, September, 1931, was the proper date for that celebration. She had started teaching here in September, 1881, the year after she was graduated from college, in June, 1880. For 36 of those 50 years with the youth of the city, Miss Huffman had taught at the Orchard school. In 1933 she resigned from the Orchard school with 38 years in the same building. Since that time she has been acting as supply teacher, filling vacancies and generally helping out. Miss Huffman came to Ottumwa from Indiana where she was born at Aurora in 1862. When she started her local teaching career, only four schools comprise the entire system. After graduation from Ottumwa high school, Miss Huffman went to Highland Park, Des Moines, college, where she was graduated at the age of 18. She long had been her tenure in the school system here that she taught in the building that preceded the present Orchard school. “I have taught at the Adams, Garfield, Douglas and the Franklin schools and substituted in others,” she said at the time of her 50th teaching anniversary. She also told of teaching classes of 115 pupils without assistance and without lights. Surviving are three sisters, Miss Henrietta Huffman, with whom she made her home; Miss Della Miller, Kansas City, Missouri and Mrs. Carrie Champney, Omaha Nebraska. The body is at the Lester Jay funeral home pending completion of funeral arrangements.