LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, December 28, 1893

THE FIRST SCHOOL.
LeMars, Iowa, Dec. 25, 1893.

EDITOR SENTINEL—You are in error as to who taught the first school in the
log school house south of the present city of LeMars. The Sentinel has
repeatedly said J. H. Betsworth was the first teacher, such is not a fact.
John L. McElhany commenced the first school in this part of the county in a
log house located on the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of
section 20, township 92, range 45. Commencing on June 1, 1868, and closing
August 28. Betsworth taught the next term, beginning December 7, 1868. The
readers of the Sentinel (some of them at least) will be surprised when I
tell them that was no other school house or school in what is now Meadow,
Fredonia, Elgin, America, Marion, Remsen, Henry, Union and Stanton
townships, including LeMars and a strip one mile wide along the east side of
Washington township. Talk about everybody having a school at their door if
you please, everyone living in all of the territory named had to get to the
log house to vote. I have the record to prove all I have said.
~N. Redmon, Secretary school board, America township.

 1915   RULES FOR SCHOOLTEACHERS

1.  You will not marry during the term of your contract.
2.  You are not to keep company with men.
3.  You must be home between the hours of 8:p.m. and 6:a.m. unless attending school functions.
4.  You must not loiter downtown in any of the ice cream stores.
5.  You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have permission from the chairman of the board.
6.  You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.
7.  You may not smoke cigarettes.
8.  You may not dress in bright colors.
9.  You must wear at least two petticoats.
l0.  Dresses must not be more than 2 inches above the ankle.
11. To keep the school neat and clean you must sweep the floor at least once daily; scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water; clean the blackboards at least once a day; and start the fire at 7 a.m., so the room will be warm by 8:00.
        ~Source: Country Extra, Nov. 2008

Submitted by researcher, Mary Vogt