Washington Township Country Schools
Summary from the survey completed in 1997- 3 homes
- 4 gone
- 1 Museum
This township has a spiral numbering system different than the rest of the townships in Grundy county.
Washington No. 1
Section 2 Southwest (or mid west)- GONE - fell apart and burned - The 1st school - moved to farm of Pete Meinerts used for home for a while 1920 - later used for storage
Washington No. 2
Section 4 Southwest corner- Moved to 604 2nd. St. Grundy Center - Doc Groenewold Home
Washington No. 3
Section 8 Southeast corner- or (Sec. 9 S. Central) - ?
MORRISON - Sec. 14 - 2 story 4 room brick school
now Grundy Co. Museum and Conservation
Washington No. 4
(or 8) Section 30 Northwest corner- (See below)
Washington No. 5 a.k.a. Barfelt School
Section 33 Northeast corner- moved to Sec. 27 SE - Carol Freed home
Washington No. 6
Section 26 Southeast corner- GONE after 1950s
W. L. Mooty Buys Old Schoolhouse
W. L. Mooty, Grundy county representative, bought the school building in District No. 6, Washington township. The building was sold at auction and Mr. Mooty was the high bidder. It was sold for $665, which is the highest price that has been paid for school houses sold at auction during the past few months. The building is on the Mooty farm.This is the last rural school building in Washington township. One school building remains in Morrison, and that is now the property of the Reinbeck Consolidated district.
The rural school in District No. 5, Palermo township, together with the schoolhouse site will be sold at auction next Saturday, April 4th. Dale Bockes is president of the school board in this district and Donald Gummert is secretary.
--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 April 1953, pg 1
Washington No. 7
Section 16 Southeast corner- near Ted Meinert - Purchased by Al Wumkes - moved to farm near Morrison and used as tool shed then
Washington No. 8
(4) Sec. 30 Northwest corner - E side of road across from Dave Bertram- Gone before 1960 -
Henrietta Buck last teacher - 2 story - lower story could look outisde - 4 classes up and 4 down - when it was very hot they used only the lower level - Across the road from the Hans Kuel farm where they got water. About 1928 to 34 there were 48 students. Francis Winslow said it was moved S toward Lincoln (in Tama Co.) for a home.
Washington No. 9
To Vote 3 New Schools
The proposal to erect three new school houses in Washington township will be voted upon Saturday at the Washington Center school house, No. 7. The wording of the ballot is as follows: "Shall a tax of $9000 be voted for the purpose of building three school houses in Washington township?"The payment of this tax will be spread over a period of three years, $1000 each year. The buildings will replace those in Districts Nos. 1, 2 and 4.
New buildings were erected in Districts Nos. 5, 6 and 7 three years ago. Thus, with the building of these three new schoolhouses all the county distrcits will have new buildings, the balance of the township school children being taken care of in Morrison and Grundy Center.
--Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 7 May 1919, pg 1
School Houses For Sale
The school houses in Districts 1, 2 and 4, Washington township will be offered for sale at public auction, for cash in hand, on Saturday, November 22nd.New school houses have been built in these districts and are all nearly completed. It is expected that they will be ready for use in a few weeks.
--The Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 19 November 1919, pg 1