Decatur County Journal
October 22, l9l4

The new school house in Eden Township known as Eden No. l was opened Monday of last week. The new building replaces a structure that had been serving as a school house since l868. A feature of the opening day was a special program and a dinner. Many people of that neighborhood together with others from a distance who had one time been pupils of that school, were in attendance. MISS WINNIE SHIRA, the teacher of the Eden No. l school, had worked hard in arranging for the opening day and her efforts were crowned with great success.

The day was a most enjoyable one and those in attendance had a most delightful time. MRS. LAFE MITCHELL, of Leon, was in attendance and had with her the first school register used in the old school house dated away back in l868. As the roll was called from the old register MRS. J.M. CHASTAIN, of Leon, a former pupil of the old Eden School, answered, telling so far as she was able the whereabouts of each one and what they had been doing in life since the old school days. ROBERT TURNED, now a resident of Lamoni, was the first teacher of Eden No. l school and most all of the pupils who first attended there are still living. Forty of the pupils of that school have taken up teaching successfully. MRS. ROY GAMMON read a newspaper that had been prepared and read at a meeting of the literary society at the old school house 26 years ago.

Another newspaper written by W.E. GAMMON and his daughter, MRS. LAFE MITCHELL, of Leon, in l87l, was another pleasing feature of the opening day of the new school building.