West Branch Times, West Branch, Iowa, Thursday, Thursday October 12, 1905 page 4
Transcribed by Lynn McCleary, July 24, 2017

West Branch School House
Dedicated With Imposing Ceremonies
Elegant New Structure Takes the Place of the Building Recently Destroyed by Fire

West Branch has a twenty thousand dollar school house located on a beautiful site of four and a half acres of ground. It was dedicated Saturday afternoon with addresses and vocal and instrumental music, Attorney G. C. Hoover presiding. The several hundred people present were much pleased with the program which was as follows: A song by eight high school girls whose voices blended sweetly, was first on the program. The singers were the Misses Edith Barrington, Lena Crozer, Nellie Mott, Mabel Hathaway, sopranos and Dell Randall, Amy Mott, Macetta Browning, Madge Elliott, altos.

A very appropriate invocation was rendered by Rev. W. B. Davis of the M. E. church, which was followed by the singing of our national hymn by a quartet of our best singers – Mesdames Emma Hathaway and Irene Myers and P. V. N. Myers and T. E. Skeith.

J. C. Crew, president of the school board, in a few words presented the building to the people of the district, which on behalf of the people, was responded to by Dr. L. J. Leech in well chosen words of acceptance, Mr. Rockwell, pipe organist of the First Presbyterian church at Muscatine, then rendered two beautiful piano selections, A hoclu……and Aurie Laurle, with variations. The people were so pleased with his masterly playing that he was recalled and played another number Mr. F. C. Engign, university inspector of high schools, then delivered a very forceful and signally appropriate address of dedication which was followed by the singing of a fine solo by Miss Baumgartner, music instructor of the school, with Miss Loie Randall as piano accompanist.

C. H. Wickersham then gave the history of the school from the building of the first school house in 1853 up to the present time. This was followed by a well sung solo by Mr. Rockwell, Henry Vore then delivered a sharp scintillating address on behalf of the alumni, which was highly appreciated by all present. Asa Staples, one of the old settlers, gave the surprise of the day by reading an amusing descriptive poem, after the style of John G. Saxe, entitled “The Phoenix.” It is a worthy of preservation as a part of the history of our school. A splendid solo, the ‘Village Blacksmith,’ was well sung by Mr. Rockwell, with Miss Baumgartner as piano accompanist.

S.H. Mott, principle of the school, then gave a brief, but pointed address on “Our School,” followed by a pretty duet, well sung by Miss Baumgartner and Mr. Rockwell, which closed this very interesting and instructive service.

School House History

The first school house in this district was built by subscription in 1853. It stood on what is now southwest corner of Main and Downey streets. There was one acre of ground – now occupied by Crook’s hotel building, the Union block, the residence of Mary Ann Albin and L. Randall, the Methodists’ church and parsonage. The building was a small one story structure and is still well preserved as he home of Frank Rowlen and family. Mary Mills a young woman from Ohio, was the first teacher. As the school property was almost wholely paid for by members of the Society of Friends, it was also used as a meeting house until the society erected its own church in 1856. In this building J. Y. Hoover and Mary Jay, and some other couples were married by Friends ceremony.

Although besides this public school, Joel and Hannah Bean, worthy members of the Society of Friends and also experienced teachers, had conducted a select school for several years. As population increased it was felt that the educational facilities were not adequate and public spirited members of the Society of Friends and some others living in the district, subscribed jointly the sum of $1,500 for the erection of a building to be known as the Friends Academy of West Branch. An organization of the share holders was effected and a building committee composed of Joseph Steer, Sr., Asa Staples and James Hurst was appointed. Two building sites were talked of: One on Main street, on ground now occupied by the home of Ann Albin, and the other, two acres in Wm. Oliphant’s field just north of Friends meeting house grounds. How fortunate it was for the future of the West Branch school that this splendid site was finally selected instead of the one on Main street.

In 1867, when the first school house was built on this ground, there was no town of West Branch. There was merely a small cluster of buildings near the cross-roads with several farm houses in the near distance on the ground now occupied by the town. A building 28 x 44 feet, two stories high, and standing east and west, was built. Because of a late change in the Iowa school laws enabling sub-districts to be changed into independent districts and thereby increasing the powers of taxation by vote of the district, and much enlarging the opportunities of an education, the district was made independent, the new school house was rented by the district of the Friends, the proposed academy passed out of history and the first term of the public school was opened in the fall of 1867, with those excellent instructors, Joel and Hannah Bean, as the first teachers in the new school.

In 1870 the district bought the school property for $2,500, laid out the acre of ground into lots on the corner of Main and Downey streets, sold the lots at auction for over $900, moved the old school house to the north side of the new building installed, Mary G. Townsend as teacher of the little ones, and quit paying rent.

In 1877, it being found that the house would have to be enlarged the old school house took its latest journey to the corner of Oliphant and Orange streets and a wing 28 x 40 feet, two stories high, was built on the north side of the main building at the cost of $1,775. (Indulge me to say that I seldom go by Frank Rowlen’s home that I do not have the thought: What blessed purposes the little old school house has served.)

With the new addition came the systematic grading of the school into four regular departments, which was done by Tristram Coggeshall, president of the board and the then principle of the school, Nathan W. Macy, by which a standard was established that graduates of the West Branch high school would be admitted into the sub-freshman class of the Iowa State University. A school library was started at this time – 70 volumes being contributed by individuals to start it. The number of books, magazines, etc. was increased from time to time by a fair in which the handiwork of the students was sold, by literary entertainment, and the sale of tickets at the annual commencement exercises. The board purchased $80 worth of physical apparatuses in 1885, which filled a great want.

In 1890 the school grounds were enlarged by the board buying 2 ½ acres on the west of Mrs. Hulda Enlow, for the sum of $350, thus giving the big boys ample room to spread themselves without with danger to the girls and little children.

In November 1892, on a cold windy morning, but luckily just before school time, the school house with its contents were consumed by fire, caused by some defect in the hot water heating plant, Yes, the house is gone; but the blessed results of the work done within its walls still persist. Insurance was paid the district in the sum of $2,449.60. Bonds for $7,000 was authorized by the voters of the district and a temporary building was built on the south side of the school ground costing $700 in which school work was resumed within two weeks from the fire, with 200 pupils enrolled.

In 1893 a large 2 story, T shaped frame building with 6 school rooms, roomy halls, library room and cloak rooms, was built, P. T. Smith of Muscatine, taking the entire contract of building it. This building cost $7,000 unfurnished. It was warmed by a hot water heating plant that cost $1,500. It also had slate blackboards at a cost of $225. Another library was started and had over 600 volumes besides a valuable physical apparatus.

Just one year and two days ago this building and its contents, the pride of the district, was destroyed by fire caused by a bolt of lighting. Again we were to be tried by fire. Thank heaven the good red blood of our pioneer fathers still courses with vigor through our veins. We will fight the good fight over again, and shall place the education banner higher than before. Result – This splendid edifice built substantially, commodious and modern in all its appointments. A property worth more than $20,000. If the elements spare it, its value can never be estimated in mere dollars and cents.

I wish time and leisure would permit me to give you a history of the work of the school – from its inception in the present time – to tell of the good principals and teachers that have left a lasting impress for good – of the never tiring and persistant work of many members of the school board. (Yes, we have had some poor principles and teachers and some poor members of the board, but we should speak of them softly).

You will kindly indulge with me in closing this brief history with a few words of merited eulogy: First, the memory of the pioneer fathers and mothers, who stinted themselves and gave of their limited means to build the first school house that their children might be decently educated, should live and find a loving abiding place, in the hearts of the people of this district forever. Second: Because much of the success this school has attained was in being started right, its first teachers, Joel and Hannah Bean, should be held in fondest memory. Third: To N. W. Macy, who brought order out of chaos and graded the school and whose discipline was so effective that its impress is still observable in the school, this school will be his debtor for all time. Fourth: During all the years of this history on this ground, there is one man whose never flaging interest and persistant work far transends the labor of others connected with the school. I know you will agree with me that Tristram Coggeshall, the grand old man of the school board, this district and the school should crown with a wreath woven of imperishable gratitude and of love.

This thought comes to me: It is not enough for a man to have a splendid physique. The real man is inside. His heart must be right and his thoughts must be clean. Then he will not shame his fine figure and God who made him. This splendid building is not enough. It must be filled with bright boys and girls anxious to learn all there is to be learned – with good teachers to show them the way – so that in their chosen vocations in life they will be a credit to themselves and the school and bring joy to God who made them.