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         In no one interest of the county have forty-two years marked such wonderful and gratifying changes as in the educational.

         Fifty years ago, a knowledge of the higher branches of education could only be obtained at the colleges of the older States—Yale, Harvard, Amherst, Dartmouth, and their contemporaries. Now, there is not a graded school in Cedar County that does not furnish advantages almost equal to a majority of the colleges of that period. On all the prairies neat and comfortable school houses are to be seen, while the teachers are proficient, and competent to impart instruction in any of the branches necessary to the ordinary pursuits of life. In reality, they are the people’s colleges, and no system is dearer to the people than the system that supports and maintains them. To make war upon this system would only be making war upon the nation’s life.

         It is unnecessary to enter into a detailed mention of those who engaged in the laudable work of teaching in the pioneer days of Cedar County, for their name is Legion. But it is due alike to them and their patrons to say that they all made good records as educators.

         To name all of those who engaged in the honorable profession of teachers, from the date of the opening of the first schools, in 1837-38, to the times when lands became taxable, thus enabling the people to sustain free public schools, would be a work of supererogation. As the population increased in town and country, schools increased in like proportion. As the years increased and the people increased in wealth, the old log school houses, with their mud and stick chimneys, puncheon floors, and puncheon seats, greased paper windows, and other primitive accommodations, went down before those more in keeping with the progressive march of time. But the old log school houses, and the old teachers are kindly remembered by the leading men of the county. In them the foundations of usefulness were laid that have enabled many of their scholars to go out in the world and make honorable records among the learned men of the nation.

From the last report (1877) of the present Superintendent, Miss E. E. Frink, the following paragraph is copied:

         The educational work in this county is so far from being what I want it, and hoped to make it, that I feel unwilling to say much about it, believing it is better to say nothing, than to speak of it disparagingly. Our greatest needs are a higher grade of scholarship and a better knowledge of the improved methods of teaching.

         Our normal institute this Summer was much more largely attended than the one a year ago, and the interest manifested and work accomplished cannot result otherwise than for good. A desire was expressed that we raise the grade of work for the A Class, and after due deliberation, it was decided to add natural philosophy, physical geography, and American literature to the course of study for that division.

         Since my last report, we have held five educational meetings in different parts of the county. The results have shown that they were productive of good. Our custom has been to provide a lecture for Friday evening, and Saturday has been devoted to class exercises and general discussion of education topics.

         This year we have been proffered one or more columns in one of our county papers, “to be devoted to the promotion of education in general, and Cedar County in particular.” The column is under the supervision of a corps of editors, composed of teachers of the county.

         Several new school houses have been erected during the past year, and in every instance an effort has been made to construct them in accordance with the best plans. They have all been furnished with patent seats and furniture, and a sincere desire seems manifested to make the school life of the children pleasant and desirable. The schools usually are deficient in apparatus. But even this is being remedied in many districts.

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         The following is the present condition of the schools;

1877.
EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS OF CEDAR COUNTY.

Number of districts in township	12
Number of sub-districts	96
Number of independent districts	43
Number of ungraded schools	131
Number of graded schools	8
Average number of months taught during 1877	7 ½
Number of male teachers	90
Number of female teachers	194
Average compensation of males per month	$39.26
Average compensation of females per month	28.38
Highest wages paid to male teachers	111.11
Highest wages paid to female teachers	60
Lowest wages paid to male teachers	20
Lowest wages paid to female teachers	20
Number of children of school age	7,226
Number of children enrolled in public schools	5,863
Total average attendance	3,515
Total cost of tuition per pupil	$1.62
Total amount paid teachers	42,786.26
Total amount of school funds received	108,079.21
Total amount of school funds expended	66,590.94
Balance on hand	41,488.27
Number of first grade certificates issued	58
Number of second grade certificates issued	78
Number of third grade certificates issued	21
Number of applicants rejected	83
Number of schools visited	147
Number of visits made during the year	134

         The growing sentiment, recognizing woman’s worth as an educator, manifested itself in Cedar County by the election of Miss Eunice E. Frink to the office of County Superintendent of Schools, her first term beginning January 1, 1876. She at once began a systematic course, to elevate the condition of the schools throughout the county, and to increase the efficiency of the teachers.

         The endorsement of her work by the public, was shown in a largely increased majority in November, 1877, when she was re-elected for a second term. Let it be said, too, that no personal effort was made at either election, a fact that cannot be said of many office-holders of the sterner sex.

         Miss Frink commenced her second term by vigorously continuing in rigid and actual examinations of candidates for teaching and insisting on thorough work, in the school room, bringing into her work long experience in teaching, a strong will, earnest desire to do good, a fidelity to official duty rarely met with among public officials, uniting energy, and a firmness, yet gentleness, that cannot fail to make a favorable and lasting impression upon the education interest of the county.