From Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981

After the pioneers were settled on their homesteads, education and religion were considered. The first schools were either held in their homes or church buildings. In 1876, there was a rural school near where Grand river was laid out in 1881. The 1894 plat book showed 8 rural schools were set up for each twp. although some locations and names were different than the 1923-24 Official County Directory. Reorganization of the school district, in 1958, closed all the rural schools that were still open. Progress, they say! Some feel the basics learned in the rural schools are still important and must not be forgotten in the larger schools of today.

Those in Richland Twp. were:
1.Brick
2. Glenwood (Conwell, Chew)
3. Denham (Dunham)
4. Daughton
5. Grand River (Country then town)
6. Comstock (Union)
7. Liberty (Foland)
8. Westerville

Brick School - Tennessee Neighborhood Picture taken in 1913. The building was later moved to Grand River and is now used as a music room for Grand Valley Elementary School.

Cont'd