| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA |  |
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| LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA | |
Page 187
Transcribed by Sharon Elijah, November 23, 2019
Map of Union Township
| 1. Boston |
| 2. Carson No. 1 |
| 3. Edwards |
| 4. Frog Pond No. 2 |
| 5. Short Creek |
In the extreme northwest corner of the county is the township of Union, which was taken from Columbus City township, and duly organized February 6, 1854. It lies west of the Iowa River. Its citizens are among the best in the county.
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No information was found on this school.
Picture: BOSTON, 1882-1884.
We were able to tentatively identify Maude Hekfield, Della Fox Duncan, ? Hammonds, and ? Jones in this photograph.
The following teachers were at Boston, Edward or Short Creek country schools:
| Years | Teacher |
| 1918-19 | Merle Cecil |
| Ruth Robertson | |
| 1919-20 | Marie Lewis |
| Edna Tobin | |
| Lola Lewis | |
| Veda Pratt | |
| Minnie Swanson | |
| 1920-21 | Jessie Denham |
| Minnie Swanson | |
| Pearl Gustison | |
| 1922-23 | Adrian Norris |
| Florence Johnson |
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Of the many pupils of Carson school, none shares more knowledge or memories than the eight Schweitzers—Pat, Bart, Jr., Melodie, Jim, Joy, Jay, Dave, and Lyn. All but Lyn finished eighth grade at Carson—the school closing at the end of her sixth year. Each of them has always felt that they received something special at Carson. The school was blessed with some outstanding and devoted teachers, each of whom gave to the children different ideas and perspectives which fit together like a patchwork quilt and provided them with security as they left the family atmosphere of the country school and faced the sometimes cold and indifferent attitude of the larger school.
Country schools have become only a nostalgic memory and a facet of American history. But to those of us who lived with them, who enjoyed their fellowship and saw the results of the hours spent in them, we can say with Elizabeth Akers Album in “Rock Me to Sleep:”
Carson school was located in Union Township, about as far as you could go north and west, before it became Washington County or Johnson County. I don’t know when the school was first built. At one time the road ran in front of the school and down the hill, but the road was changed and you approached the school from the rear. In 1927 the school was extensively repaired. In that year, the tremendous sum of $661.04 was spent at Carson school, including expenses such as soap and coal and hauling coal from Gladwin. On September 17, 1927 someone was paid thirty cents an hour for painting sixty hours.
Carson was the last rural school to be open in Louisa County, closing its door in May 1962. And door it was—there was only one door, a safety hazard which would not be tolerated now. Originally the chimney was at the back, but in 1936 it was moved to the middle of the north side. In 1948 the coal burning stove was replaced by an oil burner, but that was the only concession ever made to modern times. When the school closed, running water and indoor plumbing were still not present.
Nevertheless, the pupils received good educations with a lot of personalized help not only from the teacher, but also from the older pupils. The school year usually started in late August. The school was clean and smelled of sweeping compound. Sometimes there was a new teacher and almost always some new books! After this everyone settled down to learn with party breaks for each holiday—Halloween, Thanksgiving and then the big party of the year, the Christmas program. How much work and effort went into this big event! It was a neighborhood gathering, with most of the families in the area attending. Lunch, hamburgers, pie, coffee, pop, and homemade candy were prepared by the school mothers and sold—the proceeds usually used to buy playground equipment.
Picture: CARSON, March 4, 1930
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After the Christmas holidays school would resume, with a lucky break sometimes when the roads would become impassable with snow and there would be an unexpected and welcome vacation. Then would be the Valentine party, the Easter party and the mushroom hunt. Everyone went to the timber close to the school and searched for those elusive morels. And finally, the last day of school again and another year gone.
A family picnic was planned but usually the men were in the field and they would come long enough to eat and then leave. Sometimes toward the end of the school year, the teacher would plan a trip. Some mothers would volunteer to drive and the school pupils would go to Iowa City, Muscatine or Davenport.
After the school was closed, an auction was held. The contents of the building were sold and the building itself was sold and torn down. Carson is no more, but the memories live on forever in the minds of the pupils, the teachers and the parents who watched their children grow and develop into good, useful American citizens.
| Year | Teacher | Months | Salary Per Month |
| 1913-14 | Catherine Boorne | ||
| 1914-15 | Catherine Boorne | Fall | |
| Hallie Lee | Winter & Spring | ||
| 1915-16 | |||
| 1916-18 | Hallie Lee | ||
| 1918-19 | Marie Wehmeyer | 6 months | $60 |
| 1919-20 | Ethel Chown | 8 months | $90 |
| 1920-21 | Ruby Westfall | 8 months | $80 |
| 1921-22 | Margaret Schmitt | 9 months | $80 |
| 1922-23 | Floyd Marston | 9 months | $85 |
| 1923-24 | William Marston | 3 months | $80 |
| 1924-25 | Mildred Brockway | 3 months | $80 |
| 1925-26 | Lillian Brane | ||
| 1926-27 | Verlee Morrison | ||
| Irene Karr | |||
| Margaret Schmitt | |||
| 1927-28 | Margaret Schmitt | 9 months | $85 |
| 1928-29 | Frances Boyd | 9 months | $80 |
| 1929-30 | Eva Wagner (Swailes) | 9 months | $70 |
| 1930-31 | Eva Wagner | $80 | |
| 1931-32 | Alberta Coon | Sept.-Feb. | |
| Pauline Smith | March-end of year | ||
| 1932-33 | Pauline Smith | $65 | |
| 1933-34 | Ethel Wagner | $90 | |
| 1934-35 | Dorothy Colton | $60 | |
| 1936-37 | Arlene Easter | ||
| 1937-38 | Esther Boulton | ||
| 1938-39 | |||
| 1939-40 | Harriet Herrick | ||
| 1941-42 | Jean Buser Allen | ||
| 1942-43 | Marcia Allen Steele | ||
| 1943-44 | Marcia Steele | 9 months | $100 |
| 1944-45 | Marcia Steele | $150 | |
| 1945-46 | Roberta Steele | 9 months | $160 |
| 1946-47 | Cecil Schlichting | 9 months | $160 |
| 1947-48 | Frances Helfrick | $170 | |
| 1948-49 | Lillian Jones | 9 months | $215 |
| 1949-50 | Janet Moran | $230 | |
| 1950-51 | Frances Helfrick | $225 | |
| 1951-52 | Leona Schafer | 9 months | $260 |
| 1952-53 | Leona Schafer | 9 months | $275 |
| 1954-59 | Martha Forbes | ||
| 1959-1965 | Bettie Oakes |
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Edwards school, located in Union Township, was closed in 1920. The pupils then attended Cotter school. The building has been moved to the Bill Baker farm. It was called Edwards because the people who lived on the crossroads were named Edwards.
I moved to Union Township from Cedar County. In the spring of 1915 my teacher was Madge Stapp Haunstein. The teachers following her were Ruley Lee Hendrickson, 1915-16, Milton Jones; Nana Paxton (Bruce); Marie Lewis, with Merle Cecil finishing the year. The last teacher was Edan Tobin (Richards).
Picture: EDWARDS, 1903-04 Souvenir.
District No. 3, Union Township, Louisa County, Iowa 1903-1904 Presented by FLORA SCHABILION, Teacher C. G. Duncan, Director G. R. Wallace, County Supt. |
The students listed on the inside of the souvenir include: Daisy, Ina, Willie and Rena Wilvert; Ethel, Aura, Ira and Myrel Jones; Blanche and Jessie Willey; Flossie, Harvey, Lee and Maggie Ogier; Mae and Albert Wehr; Eddie, James and Eva Colton; Lyle and Grace Duncan; and Hazel Edwards.
The students attending during those years were: Fern Edwards (Marshall); Irene Edwards (Smith); Glen Edwards; Gwendolyn Morse (Mullen); Ralph and Irene Dircks (Frisk); Etta Dircks (Bell); Josephine Griffith (Stapp); Helen & Marguerite Griffith; Chester and Walter Ogier; Everett Johnston; Merle, Gerald and Clyde Duncan; Madie Jones (Fisher); Pauline, Mona and Leo Shaw; Carl and Scott Wiley and Mildred Wiley ()Arthur); Evelyn McGuire (Hendrickson); Donald, Dorothy, Merle and Pearl Colton; Clyde and Darrel Harbison; and Harold and Donald Stock.
The water was carried from a nearby farm until 1917 when a pump was installed. In winter, sleds were pulled to school to slide down a big hill at recess and noon; we also enjoyed playing “Fox and Geese.” Other games enjoyed were “Andy-over” and Pump, Pump, Pull sway,” also known as “Black Man.” Work-up ball was a favorite; it was played with a hard rubber ball, and the positions were batter, catcher, pitcher, first baseman and fielders. The object of the game was to work-up to bat before the bell rang. Another version was “Cross Out;” if the ball was thrown in front of you while running between bases, you were out and retired to the last fielder.
I recall one incident during my first year of teaching. I was nineteen years old and was feeling very proud and mature until one day a particularly hard rain came, and the creek behind the school rose and covered the road. The kids wanted to wade (it was in the spring and warm), so we all took of our shoes and waded down to where the road was washing away. At that time a gas truck came through and told us to get out of the water. He wanted to know where the teacher was. I didn’t tell him I was the teacher, and we meekly waded back to the schoolhouse.
Christmas was always a good time. We had a school program in which everyone participated. We would hang blankets on wires strung across the room for curtains. Everyone came, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors. It was always the high point of the year. No matter how often (or how many years) the same story was told, it was always different with different actors. Everyone had a great time.
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Pictures: FROG POND.
The west side of Frog Pond school, 1977
FROG POND. Gladys Ball’s Frog Pond class, 1935.
Front row, left to right: Arnold Swailes, Danny Boyd, Jean Hottel, Joan Hottel, Eleanor Allensworth.
Middle row: Wayne Marsten, Russell Dunsmore, Allen Dunsmore, Mary Lou Swailes, ? Dunsmore, Rex Swailes. Back row: Billy Swailes, Marion Marsten, Mildred Marsten, Elwyn Waddell, Murel Dunsmore, John Dykstra
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One of the best things about a rural school was the way everyone looked out for everyone else. The big eighth grader who always hit a home run playing softball would roll the ball to the first grader, miss the hit ball, throw wide to the first baseman or drop the ball when the first grader slid in for a home run. This also worked in the classroom, with those knowing certain lessons helping those who were having trouble. The older kids walked to school with the younger ones and watched out for them on the road.
Picture: FROG POND, 1930-1931.
Front row, left to right: Billy Swails, Elaine Swails, Betty Harbison, Dean Harbison, Mildred Marsten. Second row: Robert Showalter, Edith Whitaker, Margery Marston, Janet Harbison, Winifred Lamb, Velma Whitaker. Back row: Max Olseen, Kenneth Swails, Ivan Marston, Rosa Davidson- teacher, Cleo Swails, Floyd Edwards, Glen Teel.
In 1978 Sharon Hoben Jennings wrote an article called, “Country School Social Life Simple, Satisfying,” which appeared in the Columbus Gazette. Sharon had attended Frog Pond school for eight years, 1948-56. The story is reprinted here.
Social life in a one-room school had a flavor all its own. Each season brought with it a special event or activity which set it apart from other seasons.
These events combined with year-round activity form a togetherness that can’t be duplicated even with today’s modern buildings.
Children who lived in Gladwin received their first eight years of formal education at Frog Pond school on the banks of Goose Creek. The one-room school was located two miles west of Gladwin and about nine miles …
Picture: FROG POND. Halloween Party at Frog Pond.
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… from Columbus Junction in southeast Iowa.
At its peak, the school was attended by 25 to 30 students during a school year. This number had dwindled to eight when the school closed in 1955.
When Frog Pond was in its prime, the highlight of winter was the school’s annual Christmas program.
You knew Christmas season had officially arrived at Frog Pond when the faded green curtains were hung on baling wire stretched across the front of the room. This created the stage for the annual Christmas extrava - …
Picture: FROG POND.
Front row, left to right: Cathy Seiler, Kathy Nuncan, Betty Plecker. Back row: Carol Lukavsky, Pauline Swailes, Evelyn Swailes.
… ganza. No talent was spared (if indeed there was any to spare) and everyone was included in the production.
Recesses were given over to rehearsals and as time for the big night approached, much to the delight of the students, some classes were shortened or skipped altogether in favor of last-minute play practice.
On opening (and closing) night, whispers of excited amateurs mingled with the rustle of crepe paper costumes and drifted from behind the curtain. Meanwhile, brave parents squeezed themselves into desks designed for the less ample of anatomy.
The aroma of wet mittens and rubber boots drying near the stove fill the air as curtain time drew near.
Picture: FROG POND. Mrs. Florence Gladd and the 1949-50 Frog Pond class.
Seated on floor, left to right: Henry Swailes, Robert W. Johnson, William R. Johnson, Gerald Dennis, Jimmy Nunnally.
Middle row, seated: Judy Dennis, Cathy Seiler, Judy Sloan, Anna Ferguson, Maxine Dennis, Evelyn Swailes, Barbara Mullinix, Sharon Hoben, Mary Mullinix.
Back row: Pauline Swailes, Ruth Swailes, Raymond Swailes, Donnie Mapel, Arthur Dennis, Kenton Allen, Allen Dennis, Carol Lukusky, Rosemary Mapel.
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At last, with a nerve-shattering screech, the curtains were drawn back across rusty wires and the show was on.
No one seemed to mind if many of the lines were hissed from the “wings” to be repeated by the stage-struck young performers who stood with fixed smiles gazing out at beaming parents.
The play usually consisted of three acts. Time between acts was filled with anything resembling talent that was available. Tap dancing, Christmas songs, accordion playing, nearly all “Gong Show” material, were paraded before an audience literally captive in the small desks.
When the final curtain was drawn and the applause over, who should appear but Santa himself, with shoes exactly like someone’s dad’s, to pass out treats. After a brief social time, parents extracted themselves from the desks, retrieved sleepy children and headed home through the cold night.
The annual softball game between Frog Pond and rival Carson school was the big spring event. Again, everyone participated—if you weren’t athletic, at least you could cheer. Unfortunately, the selection of cheers was meager, consisting mainly of gusty and repeated shouts of “Beating on a tin can, who can, we can, nobody else can, BEAT Carson” (or Frog Pond, depending on which side of the field you were on). Apparently both teams had the same cheering resources.
The game was strictly between students, with the only umpires the teachers. Parents were usually too busy in the fields to meddle in their children’s endeavors and any question concerning rules was settled, if not always legally, at least loudly. Maybe today’s organized little leaguers learn more but they probably don’t have any more fun that the former Frog Pond and Carson school yard league.
Spring also brought with it buttercups and violets which covered the school ground in royal gold and purple splendor. Even the determined picking of dozens of young grimy and eager hands failed to put a dent in their abundance or beauty.
Bouquets of flowers protruded from every available container in the school while huge bouquets of wilting yellow and purple offerings were wrapped in wet paper towels and taken home to moms who were certain they had never received anything so lovely.
In fall the many oak trees surrounding the school and shading the playground produced abundant drifts of crisp leaves. From the first few leaves which drifted down until the last leaf let go, recess time was used to rake …
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Picture: FROG POND. Donald Joe Hankin’s 1952-53 class at Frog Pond.
Front row, left to right: Duane Lukausky, Jimmy Nunnally, Mary Dennis, Cathy Seiler, Judy Dennis, Richard Duncan.
Back row: Evelyn Swailes, Rosemary Mapel, Carol Lukausky, Gerald Dennis, Allen Dennis, Pauline Swailes, Maxine Dennis, Sharon Hoben, and Donald Joe Hankins—teacher.
… the leaves into huge piles. One pile was at the end of the slide and provided a soft landing for those who braved the slope on a piece of waxed paper.
Another pile of leaves was strategically placed in front of the swings where the Evel Knievels of the day astounded the more timid souls with their daring flights from swing to leaves. “Having the wind knocked out” was a common complaint in those days. Recovery was usually fast and complete and seldom kept anyone from further flights into the leaves.
Probably the most popular products of the leaves were houses, club houses for the boys and play houses for the girls. These took many shapes and forms as well as many leaves and provided hours of play. Woe to the boys who invaded or wrecked the girls’ houses or vice versa.
Acorns also provided a source of competition and entertainment with boys and girls each seeing who could gather the largest pile and squirrel them away on the school grounds where the rivals could not find and confiscate them. If there was any purpose for the annual pursuit of acorns other than gathering and hiding them no one knows what it was. Any squirrel who stumbled onto a pile in the winter must have surely though he’d found the rainbow’s end.
Year round, pumping up the water was a daily project at Frog Pond. This consisted of filling a tank inside the schoolroom door from a well which was located several yards from the school. The tank served as both a drinking fountain and sink for the school. A hand pump over the well was used to propel water from well to storage tank. Vigorous pumping by two students was required to accomplish this task while a third hovered over the tank to holler “Full” when the tank reached capacity. An omission of this warning would lead to a flood on the school room floor and a reprimand from the teacher, who also served as school custodian.
Except in extreme weather, pumping up the water was a much looked forward to social event. It was usually done in turns by the older kids and was done during classroom time. The ultimate joy was to get teamed with your “feller” or “gal” of the moment. Second best way was to be teamed with your best friend, but for just getting out of school for a few minutes, most any partner would do and there was seldom a lack of volunteers for pumping up the water.
A school by day, at night Frog Pond often served as a community center for various local social events. Potlucks for incoming or outgoing neighborhood families were among the more popular events. While parents visited over second helpings, children scattered out into the night to pursue activities according to their age.
Little girls pestered big girls while big girls hoped to be pestered by the big boys. However, the boys were usually absorbed in pestering the elite and much admired group known as high school kids who often took advantage of the vintage cars parked up and down the road to pursue a little necking. The older grade school boys could be found creeping up the ditches alongside the cars hoping to sneak up on an unwary and starry-eyed pair.
But now Frog Pond, along with most other country schools, is just a memory.
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| Year | Teacher | Months | Salary Per Month |
| 1918-19 | Elsie McGuire | ||
| 1919-20 | Lula Walter | 6 months | $80 |
| 1920-21 | Florence Wehmeyer | Fall | |
| Vera Walker | Winter | $100 | |
| Elsie McGuire | Spring | ||
| 1921-22 | Elsie McGuire | $80 | |
| 1922-23 | Helen Lee | $75 | |
| 1923-24 | Margaret Bell | 9 months | $85 |
| 1924-25 | Margaret Bell | $80 | |
| 1925-27 | Marie Breneman | $80 | |
| 1927-28 | Myrtle Lee | 9 months | $85 |
| 1928-29 | Myrtle Lee | 9 months | $85 |
| 1929-30 | Myrtle Lee | $85 | |
| 1930-31 | Rosa Davison (Bain) | $85 | |
| 1931-32 | Maxine Godber | $85 | |
| Frances May | $85 | ||
| 1932-33 | Frances May Raymer | $80 | |
| 1933-34 | Dorothy Davis | $50 | |
| 1934-35 | Dorothy Davis | $60 | |
| 1935-39 | Gladys Ball | ||
| 1938-39 | Gladys Ball | ||
| 1939-43 | Luara A. Jarrard | ||
| 1943-44 | Elizabeth Cummings | 9 months | $125 |
| 1944-45 | Madge Boyd | $125 | |
| Jean Jones | $125 | ||
| 1945-46 | Mary Herr | 9 months | $160 |
| 1946-47 | Beatrice Smith | $160 | |
| 1947-48 | Florence Gladd | $180 | |
| 1948-49 | Florence Gladd | 9 months | $225 |
| 1949-50 | Florence Gladd | $250 | |
| 1950-51 | Laurita Griggs | 9.5 onths | $250 |
| 1951-52 | Donald Joe Hankins | 9 months | $275 |
| 1952-53 | Donald Joe Hankins | 9 months | $275 |
| 1953-56 | Nellie Lee | ||
| 1956-57 | Maxine Johnson | ||
| 1957-58 | Closed |
I attended Short Creek school in Union Township from 1912-1919. It was located east of Westfalls, on the north side of the road.
Students I recall include the Duncans-Carl, Merle, Roy, Arvela (the boys usually only came during the three winter months), Winifred Wetstine and of course my own two brothers, Herman and Lawrence.
I walked about eighty rods (1/4 mile) to school. My favorite subject was geography, and I still enjoy anything related to geography. November 11, 1911 is a particular day I remember well. The Armistice had been signed, so at 11:00 that morning the teacher let us go home!
My teachers were Floyd Marsten for three or four years, Florence Arigton (who walked out from Columbus Junction every day) and a lady from Lone Tree, Nellie Richards.