During August of 1870, lumber was hauled from Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, and a one-roomed 20x24' schoolhouse was built east of the settlement of New Chicago, Athens Township on the SCOTT farm, thus was known as the John SCOTT School. There were usually about 30 pupils attending this school. The schoolhouse also served as a community center for public meetings, spelling bees, Sunday School and church services, and where the literary society met. Those who taught at the John SCOTT School were Miss Harriet TIPTON from southwest of Tuskeego and who taught until around 1866; Mrs. Lizzie FAULKNER from the WION neighborhood; Miss Lucinda SCOTT, a sister of John SCOTT; Miss Flora GUILD, a daughter of John M. GUILD; Albert BEARD; Arthur L. LESAN; George M. LESAN of Lesanville; Miss Tina MOFFATT who later married Reverend Charles WATSON; Miss Estella HATCH; Miss Laura CAMP, daughter of Dr. Matt Americus CAMP and future wife of Richard EMERSON; John DRAKE, and Ed FRENCH.

John M. GUILD and John SCOTT were the school's superintendents.

The literary society held their meetings at the John SCOTT Schoolhouse every Thursday evening. Even during the winter months, those who attended filled the little schoolhouse, which is amazing considering how sparsely the vicinity was populated at this time.

The schoolhouse was moved to the site of the Cornstalk College, District No. 6.

History of Athens Township, Arthur L. LESAN, 1931
    Includes history of John Scott (a.k.a. Chicago) School

SOURCE:
Kellerton Iowa: A History to 1891: 1881 -1981 p. 14.

Submitted by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2009