Henry County, IAGenWeb

 

EAGLE SCHOOL HISTORY DATES BACK TO 1866

Rome, Ia., Sept 6, 1930 - The thirty-eighth anniversary and reunion of the Eagle school district No. 2 Trenton township which was held recently was attended by a large number of former teachers and pupils. Many traveled a great distance to be present for the day which proved the largest reunion ever held by the district.


A basket dinner was enjoyed at noon after which the following program was enjoyed:

Song - America, Audience.

Prayer - Rev. Chas. Foster.

Reading of Eagle School District History - Mrs. Frank Monson.

Recitation - Maxine Klopfenstein.

Recitation - Marjorie Roth.

Recitation - Cecile Ridinger.

Song - Eunice Monson.

Recitation - Vera Scarff.

Recitation - Erma McBeth.

Recitation - Mildred Klopfenstein.

Song - Old School Bell, Quartet.

Benediction - Rev. Foster.


HISTORY OF EAGLE.

The history of Eagle District No. 2 Trenton township dates back to the year of 1866, when Eagle district No. 2 and Star district No. 8 were still united in the one school known as Old Hickory, located just one mile west of where Eagle now stands, on the southwest corner of the Jacob Roth farm.

In the enumeration of that year we find the names of the families of John Miller, Joseph Roth, Josephus Messer, John Caldwell, Paxton Fitch, Hiram Messer, John Messer, Isaac Schultz, John F. Miller, John Troutman, Henry Shiemaker, Charles Frederick, A. Hostetler, Mrs. Kidonis, Joseph Davis, Catherine Buoyer, T.N. Turner, John Miller, Henry Weatherwax, Paul Huffman, Wm. Davenport, John Roth, Peter Roth, Wm. Lane, Abraham Lane, Abner Lane, James Cook, John Keeton, Elipa James, J.M. Lane, Mary Black, Joseph Moorhead and Jacob Christner.

At the school election March 7, 1868, of the two districts Elija James was elected director for Eagle No. 2 and T.N. Turner director for Star No. 8. At this meeting a tax levy was also made to build the two school houses known as Eagle No. 2 and Star No. 8. The next year on March 6, 1869, Elija James moved that the school house be located on a public road, the nearest the center of the district, which is the location of Eagle school now.


GROUND PURCHASED.

At this time Abner Lane was director and one acre of ground was purchased from him for $100. If Eagle school should ever change location it was in the contract that it should go back to the Lane farm for the payment of the same amount. This farm is now owned by Daniel Roth. This was the last election ever held in Old Hickory.

Some of the teachers of Old Hickory were:

Wm. De Garmoe, Delby White, Sam White, Geo. Beams, Lulu Roth, Jane Nason, Henry Weatherwax and Sarah Green.

The building was erected in 1869 and was made of brick, the sum of $1,500 being raised by tax levy for the erection of same. On the night of June 17, 1882, a storm swept across this part of the country and almost demolished the building. With some repairs however, it was used until March 1892, when at a school election it was condemned and declared unsafe. On motion of John Naffziger a tax of $700 was voted for the purpose of building the present school building. W.O. Scarff, J.T. Scarff and John Naffziger were appointed as members of the building committee. At a special meeting June 25, 1892, a motion was made by L.K. Vorheis that the bid of Fred Burky for the building of the school house be accepted at a cost of $777.


LIST OF TEACHERS.

The following teachers have taught in this school since 1892:

Edd Naffziger, Perry Garrick, Jessie Morrison Watts, Nellie Severe Minear, Beula Coad, Homer A. Roth, Laura Shumaker, Sylvia Price Robertson, Rossie Welch, Sallie Welch Smith, Emma Klopfenstein, Effie Forbes Zerby, Sylvia Branch Neff, Stacy Turney Havner, Anna Kendal Clark, Velma Jeffery Baust, Phoebe Hixon Lewis, Etta Bates Carper, Nellie Golden Lawrence, Emma Oxley Heward, Clara Haines, Della Hollems Shepp, Bertha Scharbaum Griffith, Katie Burkey Monson, Mary Haines, Myrtle McBeth Jarrard, Florence Fishburn Kennedy, Sadie Griffith, Grace Noble, Lily Bates Scarff, Myrtle Hinchman, Wade McBeth, Mildred Hauf Anderson, Mrs. R.E. Moyer, Edna Tulk Stettler, Elsie Scarff, Lydia Wyse Boshart, Verna Roth Gingerich, Dora Beaber Miller, Mabel Roth, Mabel Buck, Rosa Windus and our present teachers are Alta Baust with W.I. Scarff director and Miss Ruth Green county superintendent.

The following ex-teachers and families were present at the reunion: Talitha Collot Morrison, Mary Welch Foster, Emma Klopfenstein, Sally Welch Smith, Velma Jeffery Baust, Dora Beaber Miller, Calvin Messer, Myrtle McBeth Jarrard, Wade McBeth, Katie Burky Monson, Sylvia Branch Neff, Rosa Windus, Alta Baust and Miss Ruth Green county superintendent.

The following ex-pupils and their families were present: W.I. Scarff present director, Wm. Moorehead, Susie Roth Schlarbaum, Caroline Dietrick Bigler, Mary Metz Goe, Orlando Metz, Edd. Crowl, Fannie Roth Ensminger, Almeda Scarff Shumaker, Mary Christner Gisser, Peter Christner, Jacob Christner, Lena Christner Hirchy, Catherine Messer Myers, Jacob Roth, Daniel Roth, Frank Monson, Edd. L. Scarff, Joe Graber, Elmer Graber, Eber Hull, Orlandes Ross, Edwin Scarff, Jay Moorehead, Ino Ross, Gladys Graber, Grace Graber, Glen Graber, Lester Ross, Lillian Monson, Eunice Monson, Hjalmar Monson, Melvin McBeth, Katherine Beaber, Maxine Klopfenstein, Mildred Klopfenstein, Ralph Roth, Marjorie Roth, Kenneth Roth, Cecile Redinger, Kenneth Graber, Erma McBeth, Dale Klopfenstein, Lawrence Scarff, Lester Scarff, Carl Scarff, Vera Scarff, Raymond Moorehead and Warren Moorehead. A number of visitors were also present making a total of all, one hundred seventy three.


["Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye", Sunday, September 7, 1930, page 3. Note: the reunion took place August 24, 1930]

Transcribed and contributed by Pat White, October 5, 2015.

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