HISTORY OF THE CLARENCE SCHOOLS
It is thought that the first school was taught in a loft over Fish and Gerez store which stood on the site now occupied by the Baltisberger and Kline Department store.
In this early day during the Civil War period “select schools” were taught by tutors. Eunice Frink and Howard Bell were teachers who held these schools in their homes during the first decade of Clarence school history.
About 1865 the first public school house was built on the property where Kermit Roelf and Lavern Kintzel now live. It was a small one-room frame building. Mattie Johnson was the first teacher. Some of the time the school was so large that the “overflow” had to attend the “select schools”. There was no grade organization in this first school. Teachers were paid $15 per month.
Lizzie Freese and Joshua Hammond were the other teachers who served during the days of the one-room school.
Two interesting incidents were recalled by Mrs. Eliza Cruise, of that early day. She remembered well the time, when as a small child, she saw the schoolmaster's head bowed over his desk, and later learned that he had been asked to resign because the “big boys” were too much of a discipline problem. The other incident recalled by her was the time when the first pair of overshoes ever worn in Clarence, a clumsy overboot made out of horse hide with the hair on the inside, were given to Fred Schaaf during the very cold winter.
This first school building, after serving its usefulness as the seat of learning in Clarence, was moved to a site on Main street and was torn down at the time the Ford garage was built in 1926.
The first graded school building in Clarence was erected in 1868, at a cost of $9,000 including grounds. It was a wooden building of two stories; four large school rooms, two recitation rooms and one music room, a small library and some modern apparatus. The building was built after a plan proposed by W. B. Hanna, and in many respects, was a model of convenience although Mr. Hanna was not a practical architect. The building was erected by A. D. Young, contractor and builder, of Vail, in Crawford county. The only objection to the building was that it was built from lumber not properly seasoned, and the failure of Mr. Hanna to make provisions to deaden the floor. An admirable feature was a large hall, intended for a play hall. In time of rain or bad weather, when scholars could not go out on the open ground, this was a great advantage, “It is true, “ said Mr. Stuffs, the principal, “that it is sometimes like bedlam turned loose, but as the scholars of the different rooms have recess at the same time the noise is not so objectionable.”
W. T. Stubbs was the principal in charge of the school, a position he held for eight years and one term, 1870-1879. The average daily attendance of scholars during the winter of 1878 was 165.
The yard was furnished with a new well and walks, the house repainted and blinds put on, and the lightning rod, injured in 1874 when the house was struck by lightning, was replaced by a new one.
The average length of the school year in the 1870's was nearly 38 weeks; the longest having contained forty, and the shortest thirty-five. The school did not attain its full membership in a day, a term, or a year, but with a roll call on the first morning of only seventeen, it went on increasing. In the spring term of the second year the enrollment reached forty-three and in the following winter sixty. In the fall term of 1873 it was seventy, the largest number ever enrolled in one term. Up to this time there had been but three departments. It now became necessary to add another and to regrade the school. The membership during the whole twenty-eight terms had been three hundred and ten.
Earliest available records date back to the fall term of 1883. G. F. Skinner was principal then. He and his wife served the school until 1891, a period of eight years.
In that early day the elementary school was divided into three groups: Primary, Intermediate and Grammar rooms.
Carrie Decker, Emily Graves and Minnie Boling, taught the Grammar room from 1883 to 1892. Subjects included the three R's, Grammar and Spelling. Declamation and Physiology appeared in 1887.
In the high school the Skinner's had an enrollment of 57 in the fall term, 59 in the winter and 29 during the spring session in 1883-1884. Pupils ranged in age from 13 to 21. It was during this term the fourth year of the high school curriculum was added. Joe Fell was the first student to meet the requirements of graduation under the modern four year plan, being the only graduate in 1884.
In looking through the records one pupil was more outstanding than all the rest. During his high school course Charles Smith received one grade of 95%, one of 97%, and all the rest were scored 100%.
J. A. McLaughlin guided the destinies of the local school from 1891-1892. No record can be found showing who taught Primary. Mrs. Alex Grant instructed the intermediates, Minnie Boling had the Grammar group and Gertrude Simmons was assistant Principal.
J. H. Morgan's regime began in 1892 and ran through to 1904. Few changes were made in the management of the school although Mr. Morgan added Elocution in 1894.
Some teachers who worked in the Morgan era were: Primary – Mrs. Lulu B. Ramsey came during his stay but no record of other primary teachers is available. Intermediate – Mrs. Alex Grant, Elma Sheldon, Edith Brink, Dora Evers, Clara Wallace and Lucy Woods. Grammar Grades – Minnie Boling, Violet Starr, Lydia Bauman and Myrtle Bixler.
Gertrude Simmons was Mr. Morgan's faithful assistant for many years in the high school.
L. B. Stewart was elected to superintend the school in 1904. The records shows writing appearing under its modern name, Penmanship.
From 1905 to 1909 M. R. Fayram came to head the school. He instituted the first modern curriculum and divided the school year into two semesters instead of the three term plan.
In 1906 music was given a place in every grade in the school for the first time.
Mr. H. H. Kent was elected principal in 1909 and served the school one year. The record shows the following classics read that year: “Macbeth”, “Last of the Mohicans”, “Twice Told Tales”, “Silas Marner”, and “Treasure Island”.
J. R. Neveln, whose three brothers were Iowa school superintendents, was selected by the board in 1910.
E. I. Heuer was superintendent from 1913-1914.
Henry Irons came to serve the school faithfully and well from 1914 to 1927, a period which saw many changes including a building program and consolidation. The community was most fortunate in being able to hold the services of a man whose shrewdness and keen business ability kept the educational opportunities for its children at such a high level. Truly the Irons regime was outstanding among the group of educators who have served the Clarence Schools.
On March 8, 1915, a $30,000 bond issue for a new building carried by a four to one majority. The rural districts were given the opportunity to vote on consolidation before the new building contracts were let. On March 29, 1915 the vote still stood against consolidation.
In 1921 an effort was made to purchase additional ground to meet the expansion of the enrollment and afford much needed playground space. A $22,500 bond issue was placed before the people and carried, but the bonding company found the election illegal and on the second attempt the issue was voted down.
In 1927 R. J. Kidder was elected superintendent when Henry Irons resigned after 12 years of faithful service.
In 1929 Irving Finger came to direct the school. He was responsible for our outdoor playground equipment. He established a new type of discipline and left a new set a records for his successor.
Keith L. Benner was elected superintendent in 1931 and guided the school for the next seven years.
The “New Deal” was probably responsible for the new addition which made the Clarence school plant one of the finest in Iowa. Ever since consolidation our school has been crowded; the stage was inadequate, the gymnasium far too small, and there were not enough classrooms. The Board of Education was told of the P. W. A. grant for new buildings. Investigation showed that they had the support of the public without government help. The election, for a $20,000 bond issue which was held twice, is a matter of history. It carried three to one the last time.
The new addition was built at a cost of $29,000 in the summer of 1934. It contained the best combination gymnasium-auditorium in this section of Iowa. The laying floor is 45 by 68. The stage has a 34 foot opening and crowds of 800 people can be accommodated at plays and basketball games. New class rooms, commodious locker space, a kitchen and spacious halls meant an outlet for the over crowded situation that prevailed before 1934. A new office for the superintendent, which lessens the administrative problem, was included in the new arrangement.
From a staff of four teachers in the beginning the school faculty once boasted 16 but was operating with 12 in 1938. The school enrollment had reached 266. The simple games and playtime activities of the early days has been succeeded by competitive sports in which the school has shared with pardonable pride.
The trophy case in the new building holds a score of silver and bronze awards which are emblematic of team championships in girls basketball, baseball, boys basketball and track.
The Girls basketball team won district honors, two sectionals, two conference championships, and a county title during 1935-36. They were undefeated on the home floor during these last three years and won 48 games and lost 12 during that time.
The high school principal Jenna Beadle heads the list of those who have performed faithfully and well over a long span of years. Miss Beadle came to Clarence in 1919 and taught here for 27 years. Mrs. Lulu Ramsey taught primary for thirty years or more and Arly Glendenning is numbered on the list of those whose tenure was lasting.
The enrollment in the Clarence School during the 1946-47 school year was 209. The enrollment for the 1958-59 school year is 375. The change in size during that time has been brought about mainly through two new consolidations. In 1952 eleven ¾ sections were added from Dayton, and Massillon Townships and a small part of Jones County. In 1954 15 ¾ sections were added from Fairfield Township. This last consolidation changed the name of the school to Clarence Community Schools with a total of 53 ¼ Sections. In 1947 there were 24 people working for the school district, at the present time there are 34.
In 1953 a Bond Election was passed for $250,000.00 for reconstruction and equipping the old buildings and building and furnishing an addition. Construction was started early in 1954 and the building was first used in the fall of 1955. The new addition consists of grade rooms, music rooms, shop, agriculture, and a multi-purpose room. The old building has been changed over to make room for a larger dining room, a new science room, and a new home economics room.
In 1958 a questionnaire was sent out to the graduates from the past ten years. This study showed that over 60% of our graduates during that time have gone on to College or have taken some other type of advanced work beyond High School level.
During the past twelve years 95 Athletic Trophies and 123 Division I Ratings in the State have been won by the Clarence students in State Final Music Contests. One boy and one girl have been honored by being placed on the First All State Basketball Team.
The following subjects are being offered in the High School Curriculum: 4 years of English, 3 years of Science, 4 years of Mathematics, 3 years of Home Economics, 3 years of Shop, 2 years of Agriculture, 3 ½ years of Social Studies, Typing, Bookkeeping, Commercial Law and Drivers Training.
CLARENCE SUPERINTENDENTS
| 1869-1870 | E. D. White |
| 1870-1879 | L. T. Stubbs |
| 1879-1883 | Carlisle |
| | Buchanan |
| | Scott |
| 1883-1891 | G. F. Skinner |
| 1891-1892 | J. A. McLaughlin |
| 1892-1904 | J. H. Morgan |
| 1904-1905 | L. B. Stewart |
| 1905-1909 | M. R. Fayram |
| 1909-1910 | H. H. Kent |
| 1910-1913 | J. R. Neveln |
| 1913-1914 | E. I. Heuer |
| 1914-1927 | Henry Irons |
| 1927-1929 | R. J. Kidder |
| 1929-1931 | Irving Finger |
| 1931-1938 | K. L. Benner |
| 1938-1941 | George W. Case |
| 1941-1943 | R. L. Helt |
| 1943-1947 | G. E. Bennington |
| 1947- | M. R. Johnson |
