The Davis City Advance, Davis City, Iowa
Thursday, January 7, l897

'DAVIS CITY and DECATUR COUNTY'

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'THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS'

The fountain head, the main spring of all national greatness. Davis City is possessed of a fine two story brick school building, erected at a cost of $l2,000, containing five departments, with about 220 pupils all of whom are in charge of experienced instructors, headed by Prof. J.M. Howell as principal, with four able assistants who are the Misses Sudie Prose, Gertie Sylvester, Maude Bowman and Emma Mark. The officers of the school are S. Radnich, President; Arthur Dorn, Treasurer.

'PROF. J.M. HOWELL'

The head of this faculty was born in Harrison County, Mo., and is a graduate of Grand River College in Grundy County. He has been engaged in educational work for eighteen years, fourteen of which have been in the Davis City schools, besides having taught school in Eagleville, Mo. The professor is qualified in every particular for the position he now holds, and during his fourteen years' residence in this city he has not only proven himself to be among Iowa's most able instructors but has been a valuable acquisition to its social and business circles as well. He has a good home and fortune seems to have smiled on him in more ways than one, as success has followed him year after year. He has the respect and admiration of all who enter the Davis City Schools for educational purposes, as well as the hearty cooperation of the board of trustees and its officers. He is a close student and a valuable educator and pupils receiving instructions there fully appreciate the benefit conferred on them, and occupy themselves dilligently in the acquirement of a useful knowledge, and those graduating under his instructions are eligible to enter any State Normal without further examination.

Prof. Howell is an active and energetic worker in the cause of educational work, and parents out of town will do well to place their sons and daughters under his supervision, and his untiring efforts in the past should convince them of the advisability of so doing, thus enabling them to keep up with the evolution of knowledge.

'CHURCHES'

Next in order comes the various religious denominations which we find established here for the spiritual good of this happy family. We use the word family as applied to a city advisedly. As the members of a household are banded together by the ties of kindred, love and affection, so the citizens of a town are but members of a large family, banded together by similarities of mutual interests and sympathy. As one member of the human family cannot be injured without the rest suffering, so a member of a family or town cannot be affected without a reflex on all the others. All interests center in one grand local point, the general welfare. Davis City seems inspired with the same ambition spiritually as in educational matters.

We find here the Union, Methodist, Latter Day Saints, Seven Day Advents, Presbyterian, Christian and United Brethren all of which have creditable places of worship and large congregations.

'TELEPHONE'

Davis City is connected with all of Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri by a good telephone system, two companies being represented here, viz, the Clearfield Lenox & Mt. Ayr, and the Davis City and Pleasanton. The Messrs. Campbell & Halstead are interested in both companies, and are the managers of the central station in this city. You can halloo all you want for a quarter.

'CIVIC SOCIETIES'

This feature of any town will always be found a safe and religious standard by which to judge the men who constitute the business element of the town.

We find well represented here the A.F. & A.M. with Prof. J.M. Howell, M.W., L. Severe, S.W., G.P. Campbell, Secretary, also the I.O.O.F. with W.R. Adams, N.G., A.O. Patterson, V.G., Ed. Teale, Treasurer, Also the M.W. of A. with G.P. Campbell, V.C., A.J. Sparks, W.A., J.H. Post, Banker, U.G. Griffith, Clerk, O.W. Halstead, Escort, John Tilse, Sen. H. Arasmith, O.S. also the G.A.R. with T.E.S. Doss, Com., W.F. Croix, V.C., H.H. Anson, Adj. is E. Mitchell, Chap. and the Daughters of Rebekah, Mrs. Dora Brown, N.G., Mrs. Josie Kling, V.G., Miss Vivian Lanning, Sec'y.

'MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT'

The present official staff is composed of the following citizens and they are among the leading and representative business men of the town. J.H. Kling, Mayor; J.H. Robinson; A.H. Anson; P.E. Shirley; L.H. Shoemaker; J.C. Keshlear; F.A. Robertson, Councilmen.

To Be Continued . . . 'SHIPPING FACILITIES'

Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
September 2, 2003