MUSCATINE COUNTY, IOWA SCHOOL NEWS

Source: Muscatine Journal, February 20, 1964 page 16
Submitted by Lynn McCleary, January 15, 2013

TRACING HISTORY OF MELPINE SCHOOL IN AREA SIX

Photo – Students of Melpine Gather for Picture in 1909

Mrs. Oren Coram, Correspondent

Sweetland – The schools of Area No. Six have entered a new era, having closed their doors and started at the two new schools Jan. 24. Records show many of them passed the century mark. One of these is the Melpine school No. 5 in Sweetland township with records dating back to 1865 and school sessions as far back as the early 1850’s.

Children of Mrs. Grave Wathan, teacher of the school at the time it faded out, are the third generation.

The first school was held in a log structure with school sessions held as early as the 1850’s. Later a stone building was erected with records on it dating back to 1865. This building was used until 1887 when the present frame building was constructed.

In 1927 the building was remodeled and a concrete basement and two rooms were added. The rear room was a furnace and coal compartment. In the front room were two 20-foot tables and benches used for lunchroom and playroom in inclement weather.

It was during this year the school observed its fiftieth anniversary with open house and homecoming. Directors at the school at the time were Clarence Raub., Andrew Grimm and Elmer Hetzler.

The oldest and former teacher of the school at the homecoming was Mrs. L. S Henneker Patterson, then a resident of Des Moines. She recalled having attended the school when it was a primitive log structure in the 1850’s. She later taught at Melpine school in 1867 when 72 pupils attended. Seats were not available for all and many were forced to sit on the window sills. She noticed the artwork in the school and spoke of the advantages the children had as compared to the early days.

Artwork Taboo

Then, drawing and cutting pictures during school time would have required punishment. There were no grades when she taught. Everyone was taught the three ‘R’s’. Because of the short terms of the few weeks during the winter and spring many students attended these schools in their late teens and early twenties as this was the only education they would receive.

Other former teachers present at the homecoming were Ira Davidson Borger of Muscatine, Mrs. Emma Atwell Baker, Mrs. Bessie Raub Moorhead and Miss Mary Raub. The latter were sisters.

Mrs. Baker recalled an incident when she taught the school in 1902-03 when some of the pupils drove a horse to school and kept it in a shed on the schoolgrounds. Some of the older boys arranged the harness, so the horse was suspended from the rafters of the shed. She suggested the guilty ones might be present at the anniversary but no one laid claim to the honor.

During the life of the school one four-generation chain has passed through its doors – Glee Cole (deceased), Richard and Donna Cole and Robert Cole. There have been eleven three generations: Arthur Hetzler, Raymond and Darrell Hetzler, John, Robert and Robert Lee Martz; Arnold, Floyd, Jane, Connie, Dan, Bill and Gary Petersen; and Arnold, Grace, Ann, Joe and Don Wathan.

Wages for the teachers during the life of the school ranged from $20 a term to about $2.50 a week in the early days to $350 to $400 a month recently.

The history of the school is supplied by Andrew Grimm who started at the school in 1899. He was director of the school 18 years and still lives in Sweetland township within a few miles of the school. He says he not only recalls the change in the schools but also the transportation. He used to walk one and a quarter miles both ways, as did most of the pupils Grimm, Ralph Sywassink and Walter Barnhart recently appraised the schoolhouses of Area Six.

Other Schools

The ground for Union School No. 8 was leased to the school in 1861. Muscatine attorney Wayne Eckhardt attended the school in 1916 and Miss Helen Bamford in 1909. The oldest pupil still living who attended the school – Mrs. Clara Norcross, now 87.

The Patterson school south of Pleasant Prairie is one of the oldest to go out of existence. German church meetings were held in the school in its early days. There has been a four generation chain at that school; August Paul Jr. in 1856; Henry Paul 1891; Lyall Paul, 1918; Margaret and Martin Paul, 1952. Mrs. Henry Paul taught the school in 1906. Mrs. Lyall Paul taught in the school in middle Thirties.