WASHINGTON COUNTY, IOWA

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100 Years of Public Schools in Washington, Iowa (1840-1940)

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100 Years of Public Schools in Washington, Iowa (1840-1940)

Prepared by Dr. Melvin Gingerich, 1940

PREFACE

This history of the public schools in Washington, Iowa, was produced by the cooperative effort of a large number of people. For the past five years, students enrolled in Junior College American History have copied records and written papers pertaining to various phases of city school history. National Youth Administration students have copied records and typed materials. Miss Edith Shields' thesis entitled History of Washington, Iowa, 1839-1860 furnished a number of items. Miss Everstine Daniels of the Federal Writers' Project furnished her records of Washington County history. Court house records, files of the local press, printed courses of study, high school year books, county histories, and the minutes of school board meetings contributed the major share of source material used in the study. The high school typing class prepared the stencils, and the cover was designed by Miss Ladeema Wood and high school art class.

Because the official school records before 1900 were destroyed in a fire, it is very difficult to reconstruct the story of the Washington schools during the first sixty years of their history. Items in the local press were the most fruitful sources, but these often did not tell a continuous story. Consequently, the story in this booklet is often disconnected. An effort was made to select for each five year period typical incidents that would characterize that half decade and that would show significant trends in the development of the public school system. If this has not always been accomplished, the balance can be placed in part upon the paucity of records and upon the limited amount of time available to the writer of this booklet. To write a definitive history of the Washington, Iowa, schools is a task awaiting a scholar who is searching for a thesis topic. It is hoped that this introductory compilation of materials may serve as a guide to some future scholar who will choose to write on this subject.

This study was made at the request of Mr. E. A. Ralston, Superintendent of Schools, and of the Washington Board of Education. It is being given with the compliments of the Board of Education and the Washington Public Schools faculty to those attending the dedication of Washington's two new grade schools on January 9, 1940.

January 1940, Melvin Gingerich

Washington Public Schools, 1840-1940

1840-1844

In 1840, there were only twelve families in Washington, Iowa. In June of the previous year, what is now Washington County, and the first settlement on the present site of Washington was made in the latter part of 1839.

This village of twelve families and the surrounding community, however, was large enough to justify the organization of a school. Whether their first school was opened in the summer of 1840 or in the summer of 1841 has been a debated question. Nathan Littler in this history of Washington County stated that he was a student in the first school, a small log cabin in the southwest part of town. The teacher was Miss Mary W. (Polly) Ashby, and she received as compensation for teaching the three months summer term a total of $50, which amount was raised by private subscription. Miss Ashby gave 1840 as the date for this school.

Littler, however, thinks that Miss Ashby was mistaken and that the date for the first school was 1841, while H. A. Burrell in his country history states that Martha Crawford taught the first school in Washington in 1840, and that Miss Crawford was followed by Martha Junkin.

The first court house in Washington was completed in the summer of 1841. It was located on the southwest corner of the square where the Pioneer drug store now stands. This building was used for many purposed, including that of housing a school for at least two years and perhaps longer. Burrell says that Sarah Young taught in the court house in 1842, followed later by Norman Everson and Caleb Campbell. During the fall season of 1842, Sarah Young obtained permission from the county commissioner to teach a three months' term in the court room, for the use of which $6 was to be paid by the patrons of the school.

The first school house in Washington was constructed in 1843 several accounts state. It was a brick building and stood in the northwest part of town. When Burrell's history was written in 1909, this school was standing. Littler states, however, that in 1844 the county commissioners gave for school purposes lot 3 in block 24, in the original plot of the town, and lot 1 in block 1, in the addition on the west side of town. He thinks that in 1844 or 1845 the first school house, a one-story brick structure was erected on the lot 1 in block 1 referred to above. This building was perhaps a block north of the present Junior high school wrote a local historian in 1930.

Miss Ashby was born in Maryland in 1812 and came to Iowa by covered wagon in 1839. She had few conveniences in this pioneer Washington school. The floors and benches of this school house were made of split logs. The teacher made the ink for the entire school, and the pens she cut from goose quills.

1845-1849

How many terms of school Norman Everson taught in Washington, the records do not disclose. Everson was born in New York in 1815. After graduating from college in his native state, he taught school and studied law in Kentucky. Coming to Iowa Territory in 1841 to practice, he discovered that clients were too few to earn a living in that profession, and so he taught school to add to his income. Later he was postmaster of Washington and in 1850 was elected to the State Senate. In 1857 he established the first bank in Washington and in 1868 erected Everson's Block and Opera House.

Caleb Campbell perhaps followed Norman Everson as a teacher in the Washington school. He was an old school Presbyterian elder and one of the best men that ever lived in our town. He proved to be a successful school-master, governing the school more by moral suasion than the use of the rod. He did not claim or possess scholarship of the highest order, but was able to teach successfully all the branches generally called for in the schools of those days. English grammar was a study rarely introduced into common schools in the early times. But during his term, a few of Mrs. Campbell's pupils, ourself among the number, desired to study grammar. Accordingly, a class was organized, and, at his own expense, the teacher secured the services of Albert Sturges in the schools to come daily and instruct the class. Thus wrote Nathan Littler.

No figures showing the enrollment in the Washington school during the first decade of its history are available. The school inspector's report made on or before the first Monday of March, 1847, showed that Washington Township had 176 pupils. The records also show that on March 9 Norman Everson drew $79 from the school fund for the year 1847. Whether this was his salary from January 1, 1847 to March 9, 1847 or whether it was his remuneration for the entire school year is not clear. Not all of the children of school age were in the public school age were in the public school, however, as a number of private schools were in operation during part of the forties and the fifties. According to the record, a private school was conducted by the Associate Presbyterian Church for a few years after 1845. George C. Vincent conducted several farms of school in the upper story of that church. In 1847 Joshua Tracy taught one term there.

1850-1854

When the first Washington Academy was organized records do not disclose. But in The Washington Argus of April, 1854, appeared the following advertisement, This institution consists of a Male and Female department is founded on the model of the best institution of the kind in our country. A primary department is also connected with the academy. The summer session will open on the first Tuesday in May next and will continue for five months. The price of tuition is from $5 to $6 per session. Good boarding and lodging can be had in private families at $1.50 per week. Thos. H Dinsmore.

Mr. Dinsmore's school was referred to as a select school and was sponsored by the Presbyterian church. The school must have opened in the late fourties because Walter McKinnie wrote in 1849, Mr. Dinsmore's school is going finely. They seem to be very well pleased with him as a teacher. Anna has gone nearly all the time since the school commenced. Burrell's history state that in May of 1854, Dinsmore and eight other trustees projected the academy. But it may have operated as a private school several years before it was incorporated.

In the Argus of Mary 27, 1855 appeared the following account concerning the activities of the Academy, Our citizens have been entertained the past week by the closing examination and exhibition of the Institution. The examination of the students as to the progress they have made in their studies the last session, reflected much credit on the Principal, Rev. T. Dinsmore. At the exhibition on Wednesday evening, at the court house, those engaged in the exercises acquitted themselves so handsomely in their various parts, as to receive the applause of all present. The House was very much crowded, many persons being unable to obtain seats.

The County Records show the sources of revenue from which the public schools were supported in the period 1848-1852 to be tax duplicates, Breach of peace, collection from estrays, and from delinquent tax and interest on the school fund. By 1851 there were in Washington Township 363 between the ages of five and twenty-one.

Among those who attended the public schools in the early fifties was Hugh Kendall. In later years he remembered as his school mates {as} children by name of Dawson, Young, Kilgore, Hayes, Guzman, Stewart, Donahey, Yockey, Mather, Moore, Barnes, Wesley, Orr, Whitcomb, Ross, Organ, Lee, Terry, Wright, Curry, Woods, Meek, Brokaw, Kendall, Parker, Keck, Anderson, Spillard, and Covert.

1855-1859

In 1856 the erection of a two-story school house was begun on the lost where the Junior High School building now (1940) stands, but is was not completed until 1857. It had one study room on each floor with a small recitation room adjoining. In this building, for the school year 1856-1857, Rev. White acted as the principal of the upper room. His wife served as his assistant. Miss Maggie Melville, was her assistant.

The following year Miss Maggie Melville assisted by Miss Celia Chipman resided over the upper room, while Miss Amanda Fairbanks, assisted by Miss Lu Melville, had charge of the lower grades. Early in the year Miss Melville resigned and Miss Robertson took her place. Before its close Miss Fairbanks was promoted to this room and Miss Margaret Fulton, assisted by Miss Todd, held the lower room. This was reported in the school directory issued in 1905.

From 1858 to 1862, the following persons acted as principals of the upper room: Mr. Milliken, J. A. Henderson, W. W. Andrus, Mr. Criswell, Nort P. Chipman, G. G. Bennett, and V. W. Andrus. In the lower room during the same years the following served as principals: Miss Yates, Miss Maggie Axtell, Miss Clara Allen, Miss Helen Chipman, Miss Ellen Israel, Miss Williams, and Miss Everson.

In 1857 this notice appeared in the Washington Press, At a meeting of the City Council held on Saturday the 11th inst. it was Resolved that proposals be received by this Board till twelve o'clock Friday the 17th inst. For three months school to be taught in the Public School House of this city to commence on the first of May or as soon thereafter as the house may be in readiness. It has been previously resolved to employ a female teacher, therefor sone other need apply. Proposals may be left with either the mayor or recorder or presented in person or by proxy at the next regular meeting of the Board. At this meeting the Council will be glad to meet those who propose to teach, that they may examine their qualifications. S. P. Young, Mayor.

The school book adoptions of 1859 included Towne's Series of Readers, Towne's Speller and Definer, Olney's Geography, Comstock's Natural Philosophy, Davies' Geometry and Surveying, and Webster's Dictionary.

In July 1859, the editor of the Washington Press reported the public schools in good order . . . under the disadvantage of the crowded state of rooms . . . 3 or 4 to each seat . . . 2 teachers in each room. We must have a new School House.

The next week the Press carried a proposal to postpone the opening of school until October, having a four rather than a six months term since the teachers' salaries were a year in arrears.

1860-1864

Because of the crowded condition in the two room school, other buildings were used to accommodate a part of the student body. Some of the students attended school in a building located where the Court House now stands and others and others went to school in a building west of the present Junior High (1940)

In 1862 Mr. Andrus joined the army and Samuel McLane was elected superintendent. He remained two years and graded the school into six grades. In the High School, he was assisted by Miss Lila Ziegler, Miss Jennie Cleaves, and Miss Jennie Hogan.

Epidemics of contagious diseased presented a difficult problem to school administrators, and sometimes the schools were closed to prevent the spread of disease. In February, 1863, it was reported that for several weeks there had been quite an epidemic Diphtheria, Scarlet fever, Scarlet rash, etc., prevailing in this place, especially among the children, several deaths having occurred. Owing to this cause the public schools of the place had become so reduced in numbers that the Directors decided last Monday that it was best to dismiss them altogether for the balance of this term, which has accordingly been done. The Press, however, believed that there was no basis for the smallpox scare because our citizens have been, for months past, fortifying against it by vaccination; and the more thoroughly to effect this, the town has been divided into districts, and assigned to the resident physicians, to see that every man, woman and child is vaccinated.

Teachers' institutes were being held for Washington county teacher as early as the late fifties. The teachers were notified through the Press concerning this date and programs of these meeting. In 1863 met on March 23 and was in session six days. Lecturers were Moses Ingalls of Muscatine and Prof. O. M. Spencer of the State University. Teachers were reminded that schools were to be closed and that all teacher were to attend with the understanding that their pay went on through the week of the meetings. At the close of the six days7apos; session, the resolutions committee offered fifteen resolutions. Resolution 10 stated that no child should be sent to school until it had learned the alphabet.

Other items of interest in 1863 and 1864 are given here in brief. In the March, 1863, school election, C. S. Cleaves was elected president over Norman Everson; a total of 104 votes were cast. The county superintendent reported that the salaries for summer terms were as low as five and six dollars a month. Teacher who attended the State Association meeting in Grinnell in August, 1863, paid full are to Grinnell but returned for free. The school directors called a meeting of citizens in January, 1864, to consider the building of a new school house. In February, a citizens' meeting recommended to the voters that they vote a tax sufficient to build a school house accommodating 450 scholars.

1865-1869

Samuel McLane served as superintendent of the Washington school from 1862 to 1864, at which time he became county superintendent. McLane was followed by J. K. Sweeney, who served four years. Sweeney introduced the honor roll into the school system and had published in the Press the names of those students who ranked highest in scholarship and deportment.

After Washington College blew down in July, 1864, S. E. McKee of the Washington College faculty opened a private high school in the upper room of a building on the south side of the square. He proposed to teach the courses that had been taught in the college.

After much publicity in the Press concerning the poor school building in Washington, a tax of five mills for school purposes was carried by a 17 majority in March, 1865. In November, 1865, the average attendance had been 344, a number entirely too large to be accommodated in the old building. Because the public was dissatisfied with the building site purchased by the school board in 1865, a new board was elected in March 1866. After much controversy as to whether one, two, or three buildings should be erected, it was finally decided in May that one building should be erected. It was to be a six room brick building accommodating 368 pupils. Because of its location in the south part of town, it was known as the South School. Its location was on the site of the present old Lincoln School (1940). This building was completed during the summer of 1867.

In July 1868, the school board elected S. W. Lewis superintendent of public schools. Mr. Lewis served as superintendent for twenty-five years with the exception of the year 1871-72 when T. H. Smith held the position and Lewis had charge of an Indian school near Omaha. He was born in Ohio in 1835 and was educated in the schools of Ohio, Iowa and New York. Mr. Lewis was a member of the Friends church and was an ardent abolitionist and prohibitionist. He served as treasurer of the Iowa State Teachers Association for nearly twenty years, was a member of the State Educational Council, and taught in many teachers' institutes.

Mr. Lewis' assistant in the high school during 1868-69 was Miss Hamilton, who he soon married. During his superintendency, the course of study was revised several times and the plan of grading was changed from term to yearly promotions. In June, 1868, the ten months' school year was shortened to nine months, the plan to take effect the following year. The school year was divided into three terms of twelve weeks each, the fall term beginning in September, the winter term in December, and the spring term in March.

1870-1874

The course of study for 1870 provided for Primary, Secondary, Intermediate, and Grammar departments. Each department offered a two year course. Following the completion of the grammar course a student was admitted to the high school. Class A of the high school represented the graduating class and Class C of the freshmen. Class D included those pupils who for satisfactory reasons took a partial course, or were irregular in their classes, or were absent from two or more of the examinations. Class A studied algebra, rhetoric, and natural philosophy the first term, geometry in instead of algebras the second term, and astronomy, algebra, review of the common branches, and chemistry the third term.

The first class to graduate from Washington High School was the Class of 1870. The seven members of the class were Julia Dicken, Alice Yearich, Charles W. Beard, Kate Smith, Vira Kilgore, Jennie Wideman, and Dora Conger.

In spite of the fact that a new building had been completed only few years before, by 1870 the new school house was crowded. The Press reported in March, 1870 that there were 938 of school age but seats for only 530. In April they reported that 633 students were enrolled during the school year. There was agitation to shorten the high school course to make additional room, but as the average attendance in the high school was less than fifty, this proposal was not adopted as a solution.

In 1871 teachers' salaries were reduced drastically and a fraction of the school board wanted to abolish the office of superintendent. The argument for reduced salaries was based on the fact that the prices of corn and hogs had dropped. A school statement for 1872-1873 asked for $1600 for teachers and $1100 for the contingent fund. In 1874, the statement asked for $1100 for each of the funds.

The real Washington Academy had its official beginnings on February 29, 1872 when the Academic Association was incorporated with $20,000 capital. A sixteen thousand dollar building was erected in 1874, where the YMCA building now stands (1940). H. A. Burrell wrote in 1909, The school has graduated four hundred and ten of both sexes, some of whom have made shining marks in many places. It has been in the care, in turn, of Prof. S. E. McKee, twice; W. P. Johnston, two years; Martha Rudd, one year; J. C. Burns, two or three years; John T. Matthews, W. C. Allen, C. S. Dodds, R. D. Dougherty, seven years. For several years there has been an average attendance of one hundred dollars per year in tuition and as much more for rent, board, etc. And several families have moved here to educate their children. The school has been of distinct economic value to the town.

1875-1879

Items of interest from the Press dealing with school activities in the half decade following 1874 include the following:

May 19, 1875, - Isn't that small frame school house next to the old brick a disgrace to the city? It is a sort of Black Hole Calcutta. Some 50 or 60 urchins are shut up in it, three on a seat, thick as seven in a bed and the sun pours in on their heads on the south side. The city needs more school room.

February 16, 1876, The rat-hole west of the old brick is a shame, a disgrace to the city. Children are packed in it like herrings in a box or sardines in a case, in summer oozing in their own oil, and in winter the huge stove roars like a small Gehenna, and children are eternally taking cold. The shanty has been on fire several times.

March 22, 1876, The school board called another election April 3 to vote on an issue of bonds not to exceed $8,000 to build a new school house. More room is needed new and it will take a long time for tax enough to accumulate. Meantime we are paying hundreds of dollars for rented rooms.

April 5, 1876, At the election on Monday the question of issuing bonds not to exceed $8,000 to raise funds to build a new school house, 186 votes were cast, 97 for the issue and 89 against.

The new building was erected in the west part of town during the summer of 1876 and was named Centennial, having been erected one hundred years after the Declaration of Independence. This building was used until June, 1939.

October 4, 1876, All scholars below the Intermediate grade living west of the Baptist church and north of the south side of the square will go to the old brick. Scholars below the Grammar A will go as is most convenient, to the new school house or to the High School building. This arrangement is for the first morning. Changes will be made as may seem desirable.

March 12 and 19, 1879, possibly, a prettier brace of directors may at some time have been elected, but surely, none more truly good.” “A. H. Wallace was re-elected president of the school board Monday night for the seventh or eighth time, we believe.

Mr. A. H. Wallace was elected to the school board for the first time in March 1871. He served continuously until his death some time after the school election of 1913. The local paper of March 20, 1913 stated, A. H. Wallace has in all probability served longer as a member of the school board than any other person in Iowa. He has served nearly forty years, and has been president for thirty-five years. This is some record and during this time he has witnessed every building, used as a school building, erected in this independent district. He has certainly had a hand in advancing Washington's advantages.

1880-1884

The superintendent of schools in his report of the high school in March, 1880, wrote, The boys generally are less interested than the girls. If this were the case in Washington only, our school methods might, perhaps, be blamed for such a state of things; but other places are as bad in this respect as ours. The number of boys in the district is 461, or 45 percent of the enumeration. In the grammar room there are 22, or 37 percent. In the high school 19, or 24 percent. Of the 49 who have received the certificate of graduation in the last five years, only eleven were boys, or a little over 22 percent. It was also reported that the high school course of study in use in 1880 was adopted in 1873.

May 26, 1880. School Exposition. Perhaps 1000 articles were on exhibition, half of these being specimens of school work, such as slate exercises, figure work and penmanship. The culinary department was filled with cake, bread, etc. The boys made lots of things: boxes, saw horses, ladders, etc. The girls ran to needle work, mottoes, bric-a-brac of various sorts.

August 8, 1883. Notice.The teachers' examination for this month will be held August 24th, and 25th at the Centennial School Building, beginning at 8 o'clock. All intending to teach this fall are expected to attend this examination, the only one before the last of September. Nette Rousseau, Co. Superintendent.

August 8, 1883. By the way, where' the sense in these annual, never-ending examinations of the same teachers? The normal is over. The 200 odd school Ma'ams have gone home. Our desert was filled with oases for four weeks. It is Sahara again, and not Sarah!

May 21, 1884. At the school election, the 14th, 303 votes were cast. On issuing $8000 bonds, the vote was 275 for, and 23 against. To build on old lot, 26; in second ward, 264. This is well. That ward has always been democratic in city elections, for it has but one church and no school house. By all means, let them have the school house on top of the hill, and no saloon in the valley after July 4.

Following this election, there was much dissatisfaction because of the selection of the Heights as the site for the new school. It was argued that the location was too near the railroad and that more children would have to cross the tracks than would have cross if the school were located in the east part of the city.

December 3, 1884. On Monday the new school house on the Heights was opened for use, and the old brick and the Henderson school house were discontinued. The old brick has been in use about a quarter century. The new house was not fired up till Saturday, and the greasy steam pipes were still smoking and smudging, Monday a.m. The house has a capacity of 200 pupils, Miss Swisher has charge there with Mrs. Livingston and Misses Wilde and Harris as lieutenants. The house seems to be well constructed, and within the appropriation ($8,000, though the walks, out housed, steam heating, etc. may carry the total cost a little beyond that) and it is a sightly building.

1885-1889

Among the items found in the Press from 1885 through 1889 were school reports, notices of school board elections, and summaries of school programs. Below are typical items:

The city schools opened August 30, 1885, with 573 pupils. All of the Brighton teachers visited the Washington schools on January 7, 1886. Superintendent Lewis was one of twenty-two awarded a life certificate. The high school closing exercises will be held in the Graham Opera House, Friday eve, February 26, 1886. Admission 25 cents. Everybody and his girl will be there. A Class of eleven will be graduated from the Academy, June 10, 1886. Reserved seats at the C. H. Wilsons, 35 cents.

February, 1887. The tax levy needed for the coming year is about $2000 for school house, $1900 for contingent, and $5000 for teachers' fund.

February, 1887. The high school commencement will be held in the Graham Opera House, Friday evening, March 2. No flowers. The class voted it down. Flowers or other gifts will not be received during the performance.

March 16, 1887. Good deal of stir over school election this time, pulling and hauling, drumming out voters. What the ruction was all about, no one seems to know.

Report for year ending May 27, 1887. Enrollment - 686. Average attendance - 555. During the year there was much good studying done, but some did not see the advantage of strict attention. Cooperation of teachers and parents and the will of the students make a scholar. School and teachers are only helps to education. Boys should be taught that two years of solid study are worth more in business than two years of actual experience. --- D. W. Lewis.

The teachers elected for 1888-1889 were for the south building, D. W. Lewis, principal, Miss Buchman, assistant, Miss Anna Campbell, grammar, Miss Ila Watters, second primary, Miss Minnie Harvey, first primary; for the west building, S. P. Wylic, principal and grammar, Miss Ettic Stiles, intermediate, Miss Maude Daughtery, second primary, Miss Maggie Smith, first primary; and for the north building, Miss Lucy Swisher, principal and grammar, Miss Sade McJunkin, intermediate, Mrs. E. Livingston, second primary, and Miss Mary Wilde, first primary.

1889 commencement. There will be 23 high school graduates this year. Exercises in the Graham next Friday eve, March 1, to begin, if possible, at 7:45 sharp. No public presents. The time can't be taken up with toting flowers, books, bric-a-brac, etc. Can take presents privately behind scenes, if you ache to do it, but no offerings in front. Admission to dress circle 15 cents, gallery 10 cents. Spring term opens next Monday, March 11.

1890-1894

June 4, 1890. The kids of the intermediate and primary city schools gave a gay exhibition in the opera house Thursday night. Every seat sold. There were drills, declamations, song, recitations, dialogs, etc., and the small fry had a good time and amused the crowd.

In October, 1890, there were 664 students enrolled in the public schools. Three of the teachers attended Teachers Round Table at Burlington, November 1.

March 4, 1891. Parents, I do not urge you to start your children to school before they are six or seven years old, but I earnestly request that your start your children when they are old enough to attend, at the beginning of the spring term. D. W. Lewis

March 4, 1891. An article on commencement activities stated One likes to see and hear Superintendent Lewis on these occasions, he fathers his pupils so beautifully. He is an enthusiast in his work, and takes lots of pride in his boys and girls.

April 6, 1892. Parents, some of your children are having too many parties. They come to school with their minds full of nonsense, and it is impossible for them to learn their lessons as they ought to learn them. D. W. Lewis.

September 6, 1892. School kids must show certificates of vaccination. No vac, no teach. Monday city school enrollment about 620, every kid with a vac.

December 28, 1892. The schools closed with an exhibit illustrating the work in form study and drawing that the pupils have been doing the past four months under the direction of Miss Seams, the special teacher in drawing. Most of the pupils and many citizens visited the exhibit.

January 4, 1893. Prof. D. W. Lewis was re-elected treasurer of the state teachers' association. He has served 25 years. They gave him a vote of thanks. About 700 teachers were in attendance at the Rapids last week.

March 29, 1893. Prof. D. W. Lewis will not be a candidate for re-election. His term and 24 years of faithful service end in May. In October he well go to California to live, after teaching in our next normal, seeing the world's fair, etc. There are a hat full of applications for the place and may the best man win. George H. Mullin was elected to succeeded Mr. Lewis. He served seven years.

October 11, 1893. A class in Kindergarten will be held in the cast room of the old skating rink building, commencing Monday, October 15, 1893. Anyone wishing to send pupils will leave word with E. E. Thomas at the music store.

March 28, 1894. Another city school will have to be built in the near future; the rooms are so crowded. No teacher can do justice to 50 pupils.

1895-1899

March 20, 1895. Dr. J. C. Robertson was elected director in the Bluffs by some 800 but bond issue and new high school tax were beaten out of sight.

January 29, 1896. The state will likely establish another normal school. Why not in Washington? Instead of voting $30,000 for high school, turn it to normal; let Academy stock holders sell their property and offer it, to which state should add $50,000 to make a really great school. In later meetings it was learned that stock holders were willing to trade in their stock and Win Smouse was willing to give the land and cash. It was suggested that the academy be sold to the city for a high school because the city schools were crowded.

May 6, 1896. A $10,000 ward school house was authorized by public vote Monday, carrying 246 to 28. It is most needed in the east end of town. It will be a sanitary school house.

In June the school board paid Win Smouse $1800 for four lots which were to be the site of the east school. In July it was reported that the new school house was to be the first sanitary school house in the county, but that it would not relieve a bit the crowded conditions, and the renting of extra rooms was to go on. The teacher for the new school, it was announced in December, were to be Jas. Brookhart, Misses Laura Springer, Minnie Klass, and Gertie Kendall. The new building was occupied on the first Monday in January, 1897. This was the building known as Wallace School, it being name in honor of a board member, A. H. Wallace, who had served on the school board twenty-five years.

April 7, 1897. Our high school board decides to add another year to course, no new studies, but more drills on old ones; no new teachers or expenses required. Takes effect after this school year. This year's class can keep on or graduate as they choose. Thirteen graduated that spring while 43 took advantage of another year of reviewing.

February 9, 1898. Several of our citizens favor substituting Hebrew for Latin in high school. March 30, 1898. Several of the old teacher quit to marry. August 10, 1898. $7000 city school bonds were refunded at 4 percent, one bank taking them all.

February 1, 1899. The high school building burned Saturday a.m. The building cost $12,700 in 1866 and it was insured for $6000 at the time of the fire. After the fire, most of the general talk was for two four-room housed, one on the site of the house burned, and one on the Old Brick place.

March 29, 1899. In the school election, a bond issue of $22,000 for erecting two school buildings carried. The building contracts were let in May. The new ward school which named Lincoln and the high school, where the Junior High now stands (1940), together cost $21,802. This covered everything but heating and seating. Building plans proceeded at once and the board leased the armory for a month to house students attending “Old Brick” while it was being torn down. Work on the buildings started in May.

The new Lincoln school was occupied in the middle of November, 1899. Open house at the new high school was observed on January 1, 1900.

1900-1904

May 23, 1900. Since some teachers have no ear for music, why should they teach it? Secure rather a music teacher. July 4, 1900. W. A. Pratt was unanimously elected superintendent of city schools at $1,400. There were 27 applicants. July 11. 1900. The kindergarten gave an entertainment at the High School for benefit of the kindergarten. Success was due to Miss Davidson. Proceeds are to be used for a new floor in their room. December 12, 1900. Prof. J. J. McConnell of the state University visited the High School and said he'd never seen brighter youngsters and admire the building.

January 23, 1901. St. Mary's school house, three stories as planned, will cost about $7,000. March 13, 1901. Liquid air demonstration brought in $331.90, of which amount the high school cleared $107.26. May, 1901. High School band uniformed. August 1901. The school board added kindergarten to city schools, to be run in Smouse's Hall by Miss Davidson and two helpers. September enrollment was 811 with 190 in high school, while the city school enumeration was 1,208.

The southeastern Iowa Teacher's Association met in Washington April 3-5, 1902. 25 teachers were hired for 1902-1903. Teachers were paid $10,200 for school year 1901-1903. During the school year ending June 6, 1902, the 7th and 8th grade read 1201 books. Only a few mother's meetings were held in the various buildings during the school year 1901-1902, but much good came from them. The superintendent made 500 visits to the schools and held 70 grade teacher's meetings besides teaching four classes in the High School.

1902-1903. Washington high school eleven played Columbus Junction. Score, 0-0. The team played Kalona on Thanksgiving Day, a tie score. Students below eight grade took part in a tri-county spelling match. In April, 1903, the school board selected R. B. Crone of Tipton, Superintendent of city schools. Seth Thomas was elected principal of the high school in May 1903. 31 graduated from high school in June, 1903.

1903-1904. Ralph Motts and Frank Buckley starred in the October Columbus Junction-Washington football game. Game ended in a tie. Manton Hebner of the junior class gave a talk to the high school on the topic of football. The high school organized a Mandelin Club of twelve members. Girl's basketball was increasing in popularity. Telephones were placed in all of the school buildings.

November, 1903. The Washington, Iowa, High School football team is captained by a negro (Ralph Motts) under whose leadership the team has won every game played up to date. Washington was defeated by Fairfield in a basketball game.

May, 1904. The school board added music and drawing to the course of study. September, 1904. 909 children were enrolled in the schools with 1398 in the city between ages of 5 and 21. The high school went overwhelmingly Republican in the November straw vote. December, 1904. The high school presented The Messiah. October, 1904. H E. Case was hired to teach science.

1905-1909

January, 1905. The High School girls' basketball team defeated the academy girls at the commercial club building. The academy girls claimed the championship of south-eastern Iowa.

September, 1905. The schools opened with 870 enrolled, and 29 teachers. Student season tickets to athletic contests were sold for $1.50. October, 1905. A delegation from the Pella schools visited the Washington schools.

January 31, 1906. Kindergarten schools will begin Monday, February 5. The board has decided to add another month to kindergarten year and that accounts for its beginning in February.

February, 1906. The Centennial school building took fire at ten o'clock on a school day morning, but the children were quietly dismissed and marched out of the building before they knew why they were being excused. The fire company quickly extinguished the fire and the building was repaired. During the time when repairs were being made, the first three grades met at the court house and the fourth grade in the basement of the high school.

February, 1906. Prof. Forest C. Ensign inspected the high school and reported himself pleased with the what he saw. March 7, 1906. Kids went back to Centennial school house Monday.

April 18, 1906. Our high school graduates are now admitted to the Northern Circuit of America (North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools) and may enter the Universities of Michigan, Wisconsin, or Minnesota as well as Chicago, Northwestern, and Iowa.

In 1905-1906 the kindergarten was held in a building on the corner where the court house now stands. Their activities included games, marches, rhythm work, story telling, and general discussions. In 1909 Miss Noyes was principal of the kindergarten with Miss Carol Forgey and Miss Verne Ashby as her assistants. Sometime during the year, Miss Vera Alberson replaced miss Ashby.

Bruce Francis of Mt. Pleasant succeeded R. B. Crone as superintendent of schools in the fall of 1908. In 1909 he was succeeded by A. C. Fuller.

In 1908 a part of commercial course was added to the subjects already offered to the high school students. Up to that time subjects offered included, German, science, civics, history, economics, mathematics, Latin, and English.

In January, 1909, the school board purchased twenty gallons of formaldehyde to be used to disinfect the school buildings. In March, 1909, the board purchased a strip of land twenty-six feet wide along the east side of the Centennial School grounds. Permission was granted to the graduating class of the high school to present a play at the graduating exercises.

A summer review term of one month for sixth, seventh, and eight grade pupils was planned for the summer of 1909. In June 1909, the school board signed a petition calling for the paving of South Iowa Avenue. In the winter of 1909-1910, drinking fountains were installed in the city schools.

1910-1914

In March, 1910, the school board voted to have manual training in the schools. The proposition to issue bonds to provide for a new building for a manual training department and a grammar school was put before the voters in the same month. Women were permitted to vote in this election for the first time in Washington. As a result of this election, the old Academy was purchased for $12,000 and was remodeled to house the manual training department and the grammar school. This building was named the McKee School.

When the state inspector visited the high school in 1910, he was very well pleased with the commercial courses being offered and congratulated the faculty and school board on the fine work they were doing. He recommended that the laboratory equipment in the Science Department be increased.

In 1911, a full commercial course was offered for the first time, which gave Washington the distinction of being one of the first schools of its size in Iowa to have a complete commercial course.

The enrollment in the high school jumped fifty percent at the opening of school in 1911. The average attendance had been near 180, but in that year it leaped to 277 students. Four reasons were given for the increased attendance.

1. The new manual training department
2. The expansion of the commercial department
3. The new tuition law
4. The closing of the Academy

Of the 227 students enrolled, 77 were tuition students.

The number of graduating from high school in 1910 was 22; in 1911 it was 30; and in the 1912 the number mounted to 40.

It was in 1911 that the policy of excusing students from examinations who had average grades of ninety was inaugurated. In 1912 domestic science was added to the course of study. The high school curriculum then included normal training, manual training, commercial training, and college preparatory courses.

In March, 1913, a Y. M. C. A. group was organized in Washington High School. The organization upheld high ideals and opposed such practices as the use of profane language, gambling, and drinking. Their purpose was to create, maintain, and extend throughout the school, high standards of Christian character. Charles Vincent was the President, Walter Meek the secretary, and Robert Brinton the treasurer. After the Y. M. C. A. building was erected, this organization became the Hi-Y.

In 1910 the kindergarten was put into each of the four ward buildings, but from November, 1915, to 1919 they met in the Commercial Club building or City Hall. In 1919, they were once more placed back in the four ward buildings.

In June, 1913, high school tuition for non-resident students was raised to $5 per month. Upon the resignation of Superintendent A. C. Fuller, C. D. Loose was elected to the position in July, 1913. The school board recommended in September, 1914, that each ward school and the McKee school have fire drills.

1915-1919

Because of the over-crowded condition of the high school, in May 1915, a mass meeting was held in which many of Washington's prominent citizens gave speeches in favor of a new high school. The school board was asked to consider plans for the expansion of the Washington school plant. In June of the same year, the board visited new buildings in Moline, Rock Island, and Davenport. The architects' drawings for a new building were displayed in Nicola and Harmon's window.

A petition with 142 names asked for an election on a $100,000 bond issues to finance the building of a new high school. The election was held September 14, 1915, but the $100,000 bond was defeated by a large majority. Another election was called for May 15, 1916. This vote was also lost by a large majority.

Because of the crowded condition of the Washington schools, the old M. E. church was rented for school purposed in September, 1917.

Another mass meeting was called on November 17, 1917, to discuss the problem of a new high school. In an election in December, 1917, a $150,000 bond issue was carried by a large majority. As a result of the election, the school remained on the accredited list.

On February 8, 1918, an election was held to decide on a site for the new school. Of the four sites, the Cherry, Bailey, Wilson, and Smouse, the Wilson site won. The properties on it were sold and the site was soon cleared.

The cornerstone of the new building was laid on November 15, 1918. Dr. McMicheal of Monmouth delivered the address. Stored in the cornerstone were the names of those on the Board of Education, a list of the teachers, coins of 1918, a copy of the Evening Journal, and a copy of the Washington Democrat.

School was opened in the new building on September 15, 1919, although the work on it was not completed. The Fortune Hunter was produced in the auditorium on November 4, 1919. The formal opening of the building occurred on November 20 and 21, 1919.

During the World War, many students enrolled in the Junior War Garden League in order to raise food stuffs for their own use. By April, 1918, at least 180 students had purchased Thrift Stamps and War Savings Stamps. An attempt was made to have a 100 percent record in this campaign among the high school students.

On April 26, 1918, a crowd of people estimated to be 2000 witnessed one of the students from the German class touch a match to the kerosene-soaked German books carried out of the high school building. The people sang America as the books burned. Later a large picture of Kaiser Wilhem was burned. German was no longer taught in the high school and the next year French was substituted.

J. L. Packer was elected superintendent of schools in April, 1917 to succeed C. D. Loose. Superintendent Packer tendered his resignation in December, 1917 because of his illness. In March, 1918, C. J. Smith was elected superintendent for the year 1918-1919.

1920-1924

In 1920 the high school curriculum included English, physics, history, Frenc, general science, chemistry, Latin, agriculture, normal training, home economics, manual training, commercial work and mathematics. The next year Spanish was added. In 1922 French was dropped and in 1924, Bible, public speaking, and mechanical drawing were added.

After the acceptance of Principal F. K. Williamson's resignation in February, 1920, Miss Della Patton of the high school faculty was appointed to take his place. In April 1920, W. C. Harding of West Liberty was elected superintendent.

In the school election of March 14, 1921, Mrs. Jennie Hearne Brookhart was elected a member of the school board. She was the first woman to serve on a Washington school board.

Seventy-nine students graduated from Washington High School in May, 1922. The names of the honor students were starred on the commencement program. In September, 1922, a new athletic filed was leased. Tubular fire escapes were installed in 1923 at the Wallace, Centennial, Lincoln, Heights, and Junior High buildings.

During the winter of 1923-1924, a large keystone in an arch of a second story Centennial School window fell from its position and crashed through the cellar door. An engineer from the University of Iowa employed by the school board declared the building to be unsafe and that the cost of repairing it would be too much to be considered. The school board in February then vacated the Centennial building and rented the Dempsey house for school purposed. The board believed that the best way to solve the problem would be to build an addition to the high school for the seventh and eighth grades and send the Centennial students to the old junior high school. They, therefore, upon the petition of a sufficient number of citizens arranged for an election to be held March 10, 1924, to decide for or against a $30,000 bond issue to be used for enlarging the high school building.

The bond issue was defeated by a large majority. Three new members opposed to the bond issue were elected to the school board. Those opposed to the bond issue insisted that the Centennial building could be made safe for less than $1000 and that repairs could be made in a comparatively short time.

The new board proceeded to repair the Centennial building and on March 24, the pupils were moved back into the repaired structure. In the first week of April, a short vacation was held to allow making minor interior improvements.

The 1922 high school football team won nine straight victories and held undisputed claim to the Southeastern Iowa Championship. They tied with two other schools for the State Title. The coach of the team was A. D. Dickinson and the Captain was Harry Rice.

1925-1929

The Junior High School began using the Y. M. C. A. gymnasium at the beginning of the second semester of the school year 1924-1925.

In January 1925, J. H. Peet was elected superintendent of schools to take office August 1. In March, 24 high school, 10 junior high school, and 18 grade school teachers were elected. Other teachers were elected in later meetings of the board. It was decided in April, 1926, that no teacher having less than one year of teaching experience was to be employed in the Washington schools. After March, 1927, new teacher's contracts provided that if a female teacher married during the term of her employment, her contract might be terminated immediately at the option of the school board.

In the years of 1925 and 1926, interest in a public junior college made its appearance in Washington. The question was debated for a year and it was discovered that the city was generally favorable to the idea. Finally, on April 2, 1927, the school board, after a general discussion and consideration of three petitions in favor of such action, moved the establishment of a public junior college.

The first junior college faculty, beginning their work with the school year 1927-1928, were Harland W. Mead, dean; Althea Mongomery, English and speech; Joan Carrott, Franch; R. H. McCleery, dramatics; Edith Shields, history; and H. H. Rice and Eoma Clemons, physical training.

To illustrate the varied activities of the public schools in this decade, one need merely call attention to the art exhibit of the public schools in the city library in March 1927; to the two columns of junior high poetry in the March 19, 1927, Evening Journal; to the entertainment furnished by the high schools boy's quartet; to the district declamatory contest in Sigourney in April, 1927, in which Washington glee clubs participated; to the Lincoln school operetta, The Rainbow's End, presented in March, 1927; to the inter-class basketball games; to the Hi-Y programs; to the normal training club party; and to a glee club party; all of which are referred to in several copies of the March, 1927 local papers.

In May, 1925, the Washington High School Boys' Glee Club were winners in the state contest and the Girls' Glee Club placed second.

Mr. H. E. Case became a member of the Washington High School faculty in 1904 and served continuously until the end of the first semester of the school year 1927-1928, when failing health would not permit him to continue his work. The Hi-Life paid him tribute in these words: To know him is to love him. No one who has long remained under his teaching could fail to absorb something of his spirit. Dad Case, as he is lovingly called by every student that has enrolled in the Washington High School in the last twenty-four years, has been a conscientious teacher, a thorough-going scientist, and a true gentleman.

1930-1934

During the summer of 1931, the new athletic field, which came to be known as Case Field, was graded, tiled and sodded, and bleachers for 1000 people were constructed. The field was lighted for night games, the lights on the eight high poles furnishing 72,000 watts of electricity. The field was dedicated Friday evening, September 25, 1931, in a scoreless tie game with Ottumwa. Preceding the game, Glen Mace in a brief address paid a fine tribute to Daddy Case, a former teacher in Washington High School, who had done much to encourage athletics. Mr. Mac formally announced that the new field was to be known as Case Field. Following the opening kick-off by President A. E. Atchison of the local school board, Mr. Mace announced each play at the microphone of the public address system that had been borrowed for the occasion.

The enrollment in Washington Junior College for the school year 1929-1930 was 62, making it rank eighth in size among the twenty-eight junior colleges in Iowa. The first class to graduate from Washington Junior College was the class of 1930. In the class were seven students, two of whom had entered Junior College in September of 1927, when the institution was established.

The Washington Junior College Little Theatre was organized in October, 1930, with fifty-one members under the Delta Psi Omega, national dramatic honor fraternity. Washington Junior College had presented The Monkey's Paw at the University of Iowa, in May, 1930, winning first place in the state contest.

In 1931, the Washington Junior College basketball team under the coaching of George Freshwaters won the state junior college championship. In 1932 they again were state champions, and in 1933 they again were in the state finals but lost to Albin by one point.

The George W. and Ella Griffith Scholarship to pay a year of tuition in Washington Junior College to some members of the Washington High School graduating class was award for the first time in 1930. Burdette Westermark was the first recipient of this scholarship. During the fall of 1929, the American Legion Auxiliary decided to award a Junior College Scholarship. This scholarship, paying $50 a year for two years towards tuition, was first awarded to George Jones. The American Legion in 1936 also established a Junior College scholarship.

As a result of the financial depression following 1929, teachers' salaries were reduced ten percent for the school year 1932-1933. For the year 1933-1934, the teachers' salaries were reduced an additional ten percent, where they remained until the school year of 1936-1937. In keeping with the programs of economy, the high school year book of 1932, Hi-Life, was reduced in size and cost.

December 18, 1933 marks the date of the first issue of the high school newspaper Hi-Lights. It appeared as a part of the Evening Journal every second week. Its first editor was Charles Boar.

On April 19, 1935, Billy Cox won first place in the humorous division of the State Declamatory contest. Earlier in the year, he was the winner of the Boy's Iowa Nine Humorous Contest. J. A. Taylor, high school speech teacher, was his coach.

1935-1940

E. A. Ralston of West Union, Iowa, was elected superintendent of schools on May 1, 1935, to take office July 1. In February 1938, George H. Fields of Waterloo, Iowa, was elected principal of the high school to take office August 1.

The Public School Journal made its appearance as a weekly page in the Evening Journal Wednesday, November 13, 1935. In it appeared news items from each school. The College Cardinal, founded in 1930, was given a proportionate share of the page each week. Miss Joanette Kyle of the high school faculty was the sponsor.

In 1938 the Washington High School Marching Band was a state and national champion. In the fall of 1939, the Band was again a state champion. The first and only Washington High School basketball team to enter the state basketball tournament was the team of 1934-1935.

In June 1937, patrons of the Heights school met with the school board and questioned the structural safety of the Heights building. Following investigations of the safety of the building, the school board called an election to decide for or against a $96,500 bond issue to replace the Heights school. This bond issue was defeated in the election of February 28, 1938. Another election on the same question was called for April 19, 1938, but again the bond issue lacked the 60 percent vote necessary under the new law. In the following May, the school board took action to obtain federal aid towards the construction of two new grade school building to replace the four old ones.

After the promise of federal aid had been received, an election was held on a $127, 369 bond issue. In the election of August 24, 1938, the votes east for the bond issue numbered 1052 and those opposed 449. The aid to be received from the Public Works Administration was to be a sum equal to 45 percent of the cost of the completed project, or a sum not to exceed $104,211.

As nearly all of the parents sending children to the Heights school had signed a statement that they would not send their children there again, Heights school was not reopened in the fall of 1938, but the children in the north part of the city were divided among the other grade buildings, the junior and senior high, and the Y. M. C. A. building.

The first of the new schools was built on North Fourth Avenue and was named the Stewart School. It was opened for use in September, 1939. The second grade school building was constructed on South Fourth Avenue and was named Lincoln School. It was occupied Monday, December 11, 1939. Formal dedication of the two new buildings took place January 9, 1940. The two sites of over five acres each are away from main traffic avenues. In addition to the regular class rooms, each building has a community and recreation room, a library room, a music and art room, a science room, a kitchen, and a nurse's room. A supervising principal, Harry W. Bowles, has charge of both buildings.

The Washington Board of Education has had the same personnel since March 1934. It includes President G. E. Mace, A. E. Atchison, Claude Tucker, Dr. P. L. Etter, and Dr. T. J. Pease. The secretary of the board, Ralph W. Thompson, has served in his position since 1918.

This document was transcribed by Joanne L. Breen

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