RURAL SCHOOLS OF INGRAHAM CENTER

 

Ingrahan Township in the early days was divided into three school districts two by six miles running east and west. The schoolhouses were located near Silver City. One of these was on the east side of Silver Creek almost due east of town. L.W. Huffaker taught there several years.

In 1870 at an election held in March the township was divided into nine sub-districts two miles square consisting of four sections of land.

The schools were: 1. Pleasant Hill, 2. Prairie Valley (better known as Frog Pond), 3. Osborne Valley, 4. Prairie Creek, 5. Ingraham Center, 6. Silver City School, 7. Mount Vernon, 8. Silver Creek, 9. Excelsior.

In the fall of 1872 while Grant was busy running for president four of these rural schools were built; Osborne Valley, Prairie Creek, Prairie Valley and Ingraham Center.

These schoolhouses were built by George Wrenwick of Glenwood and painted by William Clipson. Like most rural schools of that time, they were of the “box­car” type. The buildings were 20 by 28. The dimension lumber used was white pine.

In March 1875, Ingraham Township adopted the Independent District Plan. Each district had its board of directors one of whom was president, a secretary and treasurer.

The first of the “box-car” schoolhouses to be replaced was Pleasant Hill. The new schoolhouse was built in 1893 by M.E. Huffaker at a cost of $585. The old Prairie Creek building was destroyed by fire in 1916. Ingraham Center was destroyed by a tornado in 1922.

Between 1915 and 1925 new buildings were erected at Osborne Valley, Prairie Valley, Prairie Creek, Ingraham Center and Silver Creek.

All rural schools in Ingraham Township had been closed before 1953. Pleasant Hill, Prairie Creek and Excelsior were last to close.

Only Excelsior remains as the original box-car type building.

It hearkens in mute testimony to the days of the singing school, spelling match, debating society, rural Sunday School and “The feet that creeping slow to school bent storming out to playing.” — Whittier.