Education
has always received attention and been a great concern to the people in
Onslow. When the town began in 1871 the children of school age were
given instruction in "readin, 'ritin, and 'rithmetic."
The first
school taught in Onslow was not a public school, but a very select or
private one taught by Miss Addie Walters of Clay Mills, during the fall
and winter terms. She would be a great aunt to Bill Walters, head of
Walters Lumber Company, formerly Kennedy Lumber Company of Wyoming. She
was paid for her services by the parents of the pupils whom she taught.
The first public school was taught in the spring of 1872, by Miss
Sadie Doxsee, in a building located at 301 Summit Street, now
incorporated as part of that residence. At that time the school district
was a part of the sub-district No. 3 of Wyoming Township. At an election
held June 13, 1874, the Independent District of Onslow was organized.
Then, by vote of the electors, at an election held on July 3, 1874, the
consolidation of the Onslow school district was completed. The school
was started by the erection of one room and located on the ground just
southwest of the residence at 102 Second Street. (On the southwest
corner of 2nd Street and Anamosa Avenue.) In 1878 a second room was
added and from this date two teachers were required to properly instruct
the children in the fundamentals of education.
Later, part of the
school was used as a barn and was torn down in 1946. The other part was
moved, used as a residence, and eventually torn down with the lumber
being used in constructing another residence.
A modern two story frame building was constructed in 1898. A third
teacher was added to their faculty. Provision was made for four rooms to
make allowance for increased enrollment and another teacher could be
added without delay.
In 1890, Onslow had its first graduation
class of eleven members. According to previous records the next
commencement was held in 1900 with students completing the eleventh
grade. In 1911, the twelfth grade was added with Mr. B. S. Moyle as
superintendent teaching all four grades.
Graduation exercises
were held in the IOOF Hall until 1918. From 1918 until 1925 students
were required to go a high school of their choice to finish the twelfth
grade and receive diplomas. Some went to Wyoming, Monticello, Anamosa,
Maquoketa, or elsewhere. Again in 1926 till 1960 commencement exercises
were held in Onslow. Music was added in 1929. Horse drawn school buses
were used to transport students to and from school.
About 1920,
the rural district of Defiance Hill consolidated with Onslow. About the
same time the south upstairs room was finished for use as an assembly
and classroom. Domestic science and manual training were added as
elective subjects and athletics, a special activity. Baseball was
enjoyed and basketball was played on an outdoor court after the four
o'clock dismissal. Indoor basketball games were played in different
buildings around town. Bonds of $36,000 were voted and passed in 1936 to
erect a new building, then this one was torn down.
In 1936, a new building replaced the 1898 building at a cost of $24,000.
It was a P.W.A. project. This consisted of a home economics room and
manual training room in the basement. Grades were housed on the first
floor and high school on the second floor. We were also privileged to
have a school gym for the first time and inside modern rest rooms.
In 1957, a one story addition was extended to the south at a cost of
$53,000. It has been used for elementary grade purposes. After
reorganization in 1960, the north part has been used as a Junior High
Center. At that time the high school was moved
to the Wyoming building and the Onslow Independent District became part
of the Midland Community District. This district included Center
Junction, Onslow, and Wyoming in 1960. In 1963, Monmouth voted to join
Midland. The Midland name was selected as it identified the Midland
Branch of the Northwestern Railroad that had formerly served the area.
The last rural school to close in Jones County was the Spencerville
District in 1966-1967. This district then became a part of the Midland
District. Hazel Bearinger had been the teacher for twenty-two years.
With the closing of this district Miss Bearinger then became the second
grade teacher in the Onslow center of the Midland District.
TEACHERS WITH LENGTHY SERVICE
Grace Maple,
25 years, 1890-1915
Miss Estelle McCune, 23 years
Miss
Matie Johanna Harms, 42 years, twenty-two in rural schools and twenty
years in Onslow and Midland, 1944-1964, when she retired
Mrs.
Mabel Streeper Gearhart, 44 years, four years in Madison Village
District near Center junction, forty years in Wyoming, Onslow, and
Midland until she retired in May, 1970
Mrs. Mildred Streeper
Dreibelbis, 45 years, four years in rural schools, 41 years in Onslow
and Midland beginning in 1929 and retiring in 1971
Walter Wagner
served Onslow as superintendent for ten years
Mrs. Ava Streeper
Bramer was secretary to the Onslow School Board for fifteen years
THE GRACE MAPLE AWARD
Howard Hall, a former
resident of Onslow and Cedar Rapids, is the donor of a scholarship to
high school graduates of Onslow since 1952 called the Grace Maple Award,
because of his great admiration and respect for his first teacher. From
1952 through 1960, this scholarship was given to the senior of the
graduating class with the highest scholastic rank of the Onslow seniors.
After the Onslow school became a part of the Midland District in 1960,
this scholarship has been administered through the Onslow Presbyterian
Church. Since that time it has been presented to the senior of the
graduating class who is a member of our First Presbyterian Church and
has the highest scholastic rank of the Onslow area seniors.
Graduates receiving the Grace Maple Scholarship Awards:
1952
Kathleen Moran
1953 Warner Wasson and Janet Wagner
1954 Carol
Stickley
1955 James Chaplin
1957 Alice Larkey
1958 Leland
Hodoval
1959 Robert Holst
1960 Leland Haring
This was the last
class to graduate from Onslow High School.
Onslow School Superintendents
1888-1960
1888 - 1889 J. J. Billingsly
1889 - 1890 J. D. Hullinger
1890 - 1891 J. M. Davis
1891 - 1892 F. E. Felenocker
1892
- 1893 A. L. Franklin
1893 - 1894 J. C. Magee & John E.
Cameron
1894 - 1895 A. W. Albertson
1895 - 1896 Dan R.
Perkins
1896 - 1897 Fred Williams
1897 - 1898 W. C.
Cummings
1898 - 1899 L. Buchanan
1899 - 1903 C. D. Walrod
1903 - 1905 Frank Fowlie
1905 - 1906 Hugh Mossman
1906 -
1907 R. W. Fellows
1907 - 1908 C. E. Williams
1908 - 1909
G. W. Dunham
1908 - 1911 B. S. Moyle
|
1911 - 1912 Mr. Evans
1912 - 1914 Ruth Spooner
1914 -
1915 Earl T. Crane
1915 - 1916 Mr. Keyes
1916 - 1917 T.
Lyle Joseph
1917 - 1918 Ralph Bone
1918 - 1919 Mr. Foster
1919 - 1920 Glenn Bailey
1920 - 1922 Guy Stutzman
1922 -
1924 Ethel Koon
1924 - 1928 Mr. Bowser
1928 - 1929 H. E.
Irons
1929 - 1934 J. M. Macualay
1934 - 1936 Ralph
Collister
1936 - 1937 Keith Lemon
1937 - 1943 Arthur F.
Pottle
1943 - 1946 Wilson Briggs
1946 - 1956 Walter Wagner
1956 - 1957 E. A. Heland
1957 - 1960 Ralph Rogers |
|
The Onslow School District was consolidated into the Midland School
District beginning with the 1961 school year.
Onslow High School Songs
Loyalty Song
We're loyal to you, Onslow High
We're scarlet and black, Onslow High
We back you to stand
'gainst
the best in the land
For we know you have sand, Onslow High Rah! Rah!
So on to the front, Onslow High
For that is your stunt, Onslow High
Our team is our fame protector
On boys; for we expect a victory from
you, Onslow High!!!
Last but not least...this song was sung with gusto and raucous
delight at pep rallies before important basketball games. The teachers
and superintendent would watch with a bemused look on their faces.
Nowadays, this song would not be permitted in the school!!!
Beer, Beer, For OHS
Beer, Beer for old Onslow High
Shake up the cocktails, bring on the rye,
Send some sophomore out for
gin
And don't let a sober teacher in . . .
Oh, we never stagger,
we never fall,
We sober up on wood alcohol
Loyal sons of OHS go
staggering to the bar for more Rah! Rah!
So much for the civilizing
effect of education!
