Source: "Osceola Centennial Issue ..1851-1951", Osceola Tribune, Tuesday, September 18, 1956
According to these accounts the first schoolhouse, probably a one-room, log affair, was constructed soon after the settlement of Osceola at the corner of Cass and Adams streets. Date of construction, when classes were first held, and cost of the building are lost in antiquity.
After the increasing numbers of students caused this building to become outmoded, classes were held in the courtoom, on the second floor of the frame courthouse at the northwest corner of the square, where the county jail now stands, and in the second-story rooms of business houses around the square.
For a time, before the construction of the first Methodist church in 1858, the Methodists used the school at Cass and Adams for a meeting place.
For a time in the middle 1860's school was held in a two-story frame building, located on the present city hall lot. This was the first complete school since the days of the early one-room log school, and served until the West ward building was ready for occupancy.
Memoirs of Elizabeth Kegley Foster, first white child born in Clarke county, recall her attendance at this school.
She describes it as a two-story frame building, with two rooms downstairs and one room upstairs. R.A. Dague was principal at this time, and there seems to be some substantiation to her comment that he was the first "professor", as the combined principal and superintendent was known in those days. (Another source says the first teachers in Osceola and working under Dague were Emma DeZelden and Georgia Devaul.*)
West ward, the oldest Osceola school building still in use today, was the first brick school house to be built in this community, after the need of one large central building for all became apparent.
Work was started in 1868, and the building was completed in July 1869, in time for use that fall. J.E. Perkins of Council Bluffs was the architect and contractor, and he was paid $16,500 for the work.Total cost for the building plus furnishing, heating plants, and fixtures was almost $23,000. The comment was then that it was money well spent, and the building well worth the money.
There was some difficulty in getting seats for the students, but finally 250 were purchased at a cost of $1,600. At that time a high wooden fence enclosed the school on three sides, and on the north side was an iron fence. The building sat on a half acre of ground. (picture of building)
A description of the building's interior, as given in 1869, follows:
"In the first story or basement are two rooms that will comfortably accommodate from 80 to 100 scholars each. Raised platforms for the teachers complete the present furniture. The entrance to the second floor is up a short flight of stone steps on the north or front of the building facing the B.& M. Railroad. Space is partitioned off the same as the basement and will accommodate the same number of scholars. Two ante-rooms, one on each side of the entrance hall, are arranged the same as the one in the hall below for extra clothing."
"Five windows light each room and everything that fancy could dictate for comfort and convenience is provided. From the hall of the second story a winding stairway ascends to that on the third floor, upon each side of which are ante-rooms."
"The school rooms are partitioned off with nine folding doors. Woodwork in the second and third stories is oak grained as is all the wood work above the basement rooms. The joist supporting the floors are 3 x 12 inches, strong enough to need no supporting pillars."
Prof. W.A. McKee, former Knoxville principal, was hired to be the first "professor" in the grand new $20,000 school, as it was termed in educational circles. He received a salary of $1,000 for the school term.
The high school department faculty in 1871 consisted of W. Lingle, Belle Chenoworth, F. M. Archer, Hattie Carter, Mary Pilcher and Cynthea Barstow. (Osceola Centennial Issue 1851-1951, section 3, page 5.)
First Osceola high school class started its first year in the West ward building in the fall of 1873, graduating after the four year term in the spring of 1877.
In 1875 members of the board were W.H. Thompson, president; W.M. Wilson, secretary; J.V. Banta, treasurer; directors; A.C. Johnson, W.L. Myer, F.M. Kyte, John Chaney and B.F. Garretson. Instructors were Principal and superintendent, B.F. Hood; R.E. Gardner, grammar; Miss C.J. Garretson, 2nd intermediate; Miss Sue Henry, 1st intermediate; Miss Jennie Stivers, 3rd primary; Miss A.W. Protzman, 2nd primary; Miss E.F. Mitchell, 1st primary.
Both high school and grade school classes were held in the West ward building until the East ward was completed in 1882. During the years of construction of the East ward there was an overflow of pupils, and again the old frame building on the city hall lot was secured for extra class room.
The East ward school building begun in 1881, was completed for use in the fall of 1882, at a cost of $15,000. At this time the last three years of high school were moved to the new building.
The completion of East ward marked the first time that the ward system for pupil attendance was put into practice.
Both West and East ward had grades from kindergarten to grade 9.
The first high school class to graduate from East ward did so in June 1883 . Its four members included: Fannie Dibble, Annie Evans, Bertha Scott, and George Babb. Professor Shotts was principal (superintendent) at that time. (picture of building)
In March 1894 the voters approved a measure to sell $10,000 worth of school bonds, for the erection of a new high school. From then on, things moved fast.
Early in April the school board bought four lots in the south part of Osceola, paying $2,000 for them, having decided on this location for the new South ward building.
E.W. Touet, in May, was awarded the contract to build the new school, at a cost of $7,420, with the understanding it would be done by September 3, for the fall term. Bricks, 300,000 of them, were to be made at a kiln on the Touet farm. Work started immediately on the foundation.
One thing bemoaned by the citizens was the fact that there was no cornerstone laid when the construction began late in June, to contain valuable school records which might be perused in later years.
The building was completed in early September and a dedication service held, with Pres. T.A. Trent of the school board in charge. The new seats had not yet arrived, but the crowd made the best of temporary accommodations.
Appearing on the program were local dignitaries and music was furnished by the Osceola orchestra directed by Prof. Adams. Young ladies making up the orchestra were Miss Jennie Nance, Blanche Painter and Pearl Johnson.
High school started on Sept. 17, 1894, with Prof. I.N. Beard as principal, and 153 students. Outside students paid fifty dollars tuition.
The new school's interior was described as follows: (picture of building)
"The new school house is one of the brightest and cheeriest places to be found in town. It's finish of light wood, grained and hard boiled with a broad band of Indian red near the bottom of the walls in the plaster, hard finished above that and white, is very handsome. the halls are wide and light and the rooms very pretty. The influence on children andyoung people can not be other than refining."
In March, 1916, after several years of preliminary discussion regarding the need for a new and large school here, the voters of Osceola passed by a large majority a measure to issue bonds amounting to $100,000 for the erection of a new high school building.
After some consideration, the school board voted to erect the new building on the Barnard block on South Main street. This would be the block between Cass and McLane streets, on the east side of the street.
This plan met with immediate objection on the part of many of the citizens, and in January 1917, the then county superintendent, Bessie Hart, issued a decision that this location would not be adequate for the building. While her decision carried no legal weight, nevertheless the board set out to find a new location.
Two alternate sites were picked out, one on the west side of the square now occupied by Jeffrey Amusement Co. and the two lots on each side; the other on North Main street. In a referendum on Monday, April 2, 1917, Osceola voters selected the North Main street site by 419 to 111.
Before construction could commence, World War I broke out, and with other complications delayed the breaking of ground until September 28, 1918. However, after work begin it progressed at a good pace, and by the middle of January, 1919, nearly all the outside work was done.
Despite a carpenter's strike and other unfavorable conditions which had to be overcome, the new $125,000 high school building was completed before June 1, 1919. As finished, it was the most modern high school in southern Iowa, and was 144 x 95 feet overall, and three stories high. The original blueprint called for a slightly larger sized building, but construction costs had risen so sharply that a compromise had to be reached and the size was cut down.
It was described as certainly a splendid building, built in a most permanent and beautiful manner, that would stand for centuries as a monument to the progressive spirit of the good people of Osceola. All of the latest in classroom equipment, ventilation, and lighting were included in the construction, and the Osceola high school gymnasium, seating 350-400 was then the envy of every high school pupil in this immediate area.
The building was completed in time for the annual operatta of the music department, and class day activities, and on Thursday, June 12, 40 members of the Osceola class of 1919, became the first class to graduate from the new high school. They received their diplomas in commencement ceremonies which were held in the new high school auditorium.
