Anna Mae DANN

DANN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/20/2017 at 21:01:17

August 4, 1869 ---- September 9, 1915

Anna Mae Dann was born Aug. 4, 1869, at Denison, Iowa, and died at Clarion, Iowa, Thursday, September 9, 1915. She moved with her parents to Livingston County, Illinois in 1870. She graduated from the Pontiac, Illinois, high school and then taught three years in the Livingston county school and two years in the Pontiac Schools. The family moved to the farm near Eagle Grove in 1893. Miss Dann had previously been elected to a position in the Eagle Grove schools and began her work in the local schools in the fall of 1893, in the fifth grade in a building on Broadway. She attended the summer session of Drake University in 1904 and the same year secured her state certificate through taking an examination. She was promoted to the position of principal of the Garfield schools in 1905 and taught in the Chicago schools in the fall of 1914. She was re-elected to the position in the Eagle Grove schools June 14 but decided the Clarion position was a better one and began teaching there this fall.

Her health was fast failing her and last week Wednesday was unable to continue work and her death occurred Thursday morning. The Clarion schools were dismissed for the day in honor of her memory and the county institute for Friday and Saturday was postponed.

Miss Dann united with the M. E. Church when she was but 14 years of age and has been a faithful, conscientious and active member since that time. She was prominently identified with the educational interests of the county and her judgment and counsel was often asked and freely given on matters pertaining to the development of education in this community. The funeral service was held in the M. E. church of this city Saturday afternoon and the burial was in Rose Hill cemetery.

The entire city including hundreds of her former pupils feel an irreparable personal loss in Miss Dann's untimely death and all join in extending the sorrowing parents and sister their sincere, heartfelt sympathy.

Eagle Grove Eagle -- Eagle Grove, Iowa
September 16, 1915
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Miss Anna Mae Dann, a former teacher in our schools died at Clarion, Iowa, on Thursday, September 11th. Miss Dann was born near Denison, Iowa, in 1869. When she was a small child her parents moved to Pontiac, Ill., where she afterward graduated from the Pontiac High School. She taught five years in Illinois before coming to Eagle Grove. In 1893 she came with her parents to Eagle Grove and begun teaching the same year. She was at one time principal of the Garfield school. One summer she attended summer school at Drake University. She taught in our schools for twenty consecutive years. One year ago she resigned her position here to accept a position in the Chicago schools, but she suffered a nervous breakdown and returned home before the close of the year. The past summer she was elected to a position in the Clarion schools and also in the Eagle Grove schools. As she was elected at Clarion first, the school board at that place did not wish to release her to allow her to accept the Eagle Grove position so she began teaching there on August 30th. Before and after beginning her work at Clarion she was advised by the doctors that she ought to give up her work and go to a sanitarium. Her death was a great shock to the people of this city and Clarion as she was universally loved and admired.

She leaves to mourn her loss her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. George Dann, and one sister, Miss Elsie Dann. The funeral was held at the M. E. Church Saturday afternoon. September 11th. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. VanCleave of this city, assisted by Rev. VanMeter of Clarion. Many loving friends and pupils sent remembrances in the way of beautiful flowers. The pallbearers were six young men who were her former pupils. Burial was in Rosehill Cemetery.

Many friends from out of town attended the funeral, among whom were Miss Florence Gulle of State Center. Miss Crissman of Fort Dodge, Supt. M. L. Howell and wife of Clarion, and Mrs. J. H. Buchanan of Ames.

Miss Dann became a member of the Methodist church when fourteen years of age and remained a faithful and earnest christian worker all through her life. She will be greatly missed in the work of the church and Sunday school. She was a real teacher in every sense of the word and her influence will long be felt among the young people who have been her pupils. She was a loving and thoughtful daughter. No death in recent years has caused more universal sorrow among young and old than the passing away of this noble woman.

The Times-Gazette --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
September 15, 1915

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TEACHER SUICIDES

Miss Mae Dann of Eagle Grove, the sixth grade teacher in the Clarion schools, committed suicide Thursday morning by hanging herself to a bed post. Miss Dann roomed at the home of County Superintendent Howell, and when called for breakfast that morning, about 6:30 o'clock, did not respond. She had been sick the afternoon before and was unable to perform her school work, so Mr. Howell stepped to the door of her room and pushed it slightly ajar. He could see that she was not in bed and he feared something had happened. Sheriff Fisher was summoned from across the street and they forced the door open. A chair had been placed against with the back under the knob. Upon entering the room they found the body of Miss Dann, clad only in her night clothing, hanging from one of the front bed posts. She had secured three of Mr. Howell's neck ties and tied them about her neck and then fastened the ends over the top of the bed post. She was found in this position, her knees only an inch or two from the floor. Death had resulted from strangulation and had not occurred very long before being discovered, as the body was still warm. Mr. Howell summoned Dr. Sams at the same time he did Mr. Fisher and everything possible was done to restore life, but without avail. Poor health is assigned for the rash act. Miss Dann had previous to coming to Clarion, suffered a nervous breakdown and for a day or two before her death her acquaintances noticed she was acting somewhat strange at times. She had been engaged in teaching school for nearly thirty years, having taught at Eagle Grove and Chicago before coming here. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Dann, reside in Eagle Grove, to which place the remains were taken that evening for burial, the funeral being held Saturday afternoon. Miss Dann was 46 years of age August 4th and was considered an excellent teacher and a fine lady. The Clarion schools were dismissed out of respect for the deceased teacher and the normal institute at Eagle Grove was postponed. General regret is expressed over the unfortunte affair and much sympathy is felt for the aged parents.

Wright County Monitor -- Clarion, Iowa
September 15, 1915