Fillmore County, Minnesota - Chapter 33: Educational Iiistory, 1912 (part 2 of 2)

Bristol. The first school in town was taught in M. ©. St. John's house in the winter of 1854. Mr. St. John employed Adeline Stork to teach. She had seven pupils and the term was thirteen weeks. The family moved into the kitchen to make room for the educational institution. District 59. The first schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1856, of logs furnished hy the settlers. who brought the material and put up the building on section 35. W. i. Adams went to Lansing, sixty miles, for the boards, windows and shingles. The first school was kept that winter by 8S. R. Lewis. Im the fall of 1867 it was moved to section 36. District 60. In 1862 this was organized and the same year the schoolhouse was built. The contract was made with T. Chase to complete it for 4300, but he lost money on the job, and the district allowed him $25 additional. Jt was located on section 22. Affie Linderman was the first teacher. The officers were J. C. Brown, Edwin Teel and Jolm Linderman. In the fall of 1881 the schoolhouse was burned, but was rebuilt. District 61. This organization was effected about 1860, and the first school was taught in a granary belonging to George Drury; it was afterwards kept in M. O'Connor's granary in the summer and in the house in the winter. Maria Flynn was the first teacher. The schoolhouse was built in 1872. The first instruetor in the schoolhouse was Osear Ayres. The first director was MM. O'Connor. District 62, This was organized in 1860. The first school was in a shanty put up for the purpose near Joseph Ogg's granary. It was afterwards kept in N. Ogg's granary, and afterwards in John Shook's. Then a cabin was bought at Buffalo Grove for 415, and moved to section 5, where the school was kept until 1869, when a house was built. It is known as the Prairie Queen schoolhouse. District 65. This was first organized in 1857 or 1858. John Carnegie, John Rice and John Stahl were the first officers. The same year the men in the district turned out and put up a log house, getting ont the shingles by hand. The lumber was sawed at the steam sawmill at Waukokee. Its location was on the land of John Rice, on section 18. Ruth Anderson was the teacher. School was continued here until a new house was built on section 24. District 130. Mary Buskirk kept school in D. Crowell's house in 1858, and only the Crowell children attended. Jn 1869 the distriet was organized, and the first school kept in Norman Brace's house, Mrs. Brace being the teacher. This was in section 32; afterwards it was in a log house in section 31. A new schoolhouse was built in 1872, on section 31, at a cost of $650. Georgie L. Tibbales was the first teacher. James Arnot, N. Braee and John Sims were the officers. District 131. This was organized in 1861, and the first schoo] taught in the house of Joshua Horton, Alice Andrews being the instructor. The officers were Ole Skrabeck, Henry Tarbest and Joshua [orton. The school boarded around in different houses until the year 1866, when a schoolhouse was constructed on section 11. This district has one of the hest single room buildings in the county. It was erected at a cost of about $1,600 and follows the modern ''side light'? plan, the main room having windows on the north only. District 149. This was formerly a part of No. 59 and was set off in 1861, and the first school kept in a house belonging to Burgess & Greenleaf. George Bates was the first teacher. After that the school was kept in the Red Tavern. In 1870 a schoolhouse was constructed in section 33, costing about $700. In 1874 that was demolished and a new one put up in Granger, a two story building costing about $1,200. Sarah D. Teel taught the first school here. District 151. School was first taught in this district at the house of G. G. Roberts in section 18, and afterwards in a log house in section 19. The same year, 1868, the district was organized. In 1870 a schoolhouse was built on section 19 at a cost of $500. Richard D. Jones was the first teacher in the new schoolhouse. This is the Bristol Grove schoolhouse.

York. District 86. In 1861 this district was organized, and during that summer a school was kept by Lucy Canfield in her house on section 21. In 1862 the schoolhouse was got up, 18x24 feet, on section 29. It was afterwards enlarged by the addition of twelve feet to the length. As originally formed the district had eleven and one-half sections. In November, 1881, it was subdivided by a special act of the legislature leaving the east half of the district with the schoolhouse and a new number. The new district thus formed from the western portion held a meeting at the house of Oren Louden on April 29, 1882, and elected officers as follows: Director, L. Conklin; treasurer, Moses Gue; clerk, O. Louden. A tax of $450 was voted to build a schoolhouse on the northeast quarter of section 30. District 87. This was organized about 1860 at the honse of Ek. Armstrong. A house was built of hewn logs supplied by members of the district who turned out to lay then up. The school was started that same summer, and it is believed that Mary Burgess was the teacher. The building was located on the northeast quarier of section 34, In May, 1880, a frame building was put up about seventy rods north of where the old one stood. In the new house Arne Grundyson was the first teacher. District 88. An organization was effected in 1860, and the farmers supplied the logs and then helped put up the structure on section 24. Mary Black was the first teacher. District 89. The first schoolhouse here was erected in 1857, on section 10, by the usual method of contribution in material and work, and that winter 2 sehool was opened and Mary Black was the first to handle the ferule. In 1870 the old building furnished food for the flames. Then the school was kept in A. S. Adam's granary and in a house where Mr. Adams formerly lived. In 1872 a building was erected. In the new house George J. Sanderson was the first instructor. District 184. The first sehoo] taught in this district was in John Boland's house in seetion one, in 1860, by Nettie Terbest, a subseription school for small scholars. In 1865, it was organized and a house put upon section eleven. Maria Flynn was the first teacher in the school-house. A new building was erected in 1876, at a cost of $1,300, and a school was opened by Harris Merrill. District 182 has a sehoolhouse in section 18. The district takes in parts of sections 7, 8, 19 and 20 and all of 17 and 18. It was organized by the county commissioners, March 6, 1895. District 175 was organized in the eighties. The schoolhouse is in section 28. District 184 has a schoolhouse in section 5, and takes in families from Forestville and York. The district was organized by the commissioners, March 6, 1898.

Beaver. The first district in the town was organized in 1857, in the southwestern part, and the first school was taught by Mrs. HH. E. Edmunds in her house. After several years, as no schoolhouse had been built, the district was merged into No. 103. District 31. In 1880, this district was organized, and the first school called to order by Alice Edmunds, in Thomas Bogan's granary. Tn the fall of 1881, the schoolhouse was built on section thirty, and that winter Myron Rumsey taught the first school. District 106. This was first organized in 1859, and was partly in the State of Towa. The first school was in a log cabin in that State in the summer of 1859, and Christine Thompson was the teacher. In 1860, a shanty was built for a schoolhouse, near the state line on the Minnesota side, and the first teacher was Lucinda Tibbles. After using that a while they built a schoolhouse on, the same spot, the southeast quarter of section thirty-five, and that answered the purpose up to 1872, when a good schoolhouse was econstrueted on section twenty-seven which cost $500. Claudia Davis has the honor of being the first here to demand attention of the congregated pupils. District 141. This was organized in 1863, and a shanty promptly put up for school purposes on section thirty-one, and here for two years mental training was going on. Then a building on section fifteen was built. Rhoda Cray was the first instructor. This had been a part of No. 105. District 103. The voters of this district gathered in the fall of 1863, and arranged the new district in the house of Henry Hook. A school was kept in Patrick Leddy's milkhouse, Emma Peters presiding that winter; and Kate Graham the next summer, in James Smith's granary. The next winter an extemporized building was put together at a cost of $115. Emma Peters managed the first school here. District 102. In 1859, the outline of this district was defined, and a schoolhouse made of logs was put up on section five. This served the purpose until near the middle of the seventies, when another was built on the same section. This schoolhouse was used as a meeting place for the Lutherans and also for the Methodists. District 105. The first school in this vicinity was in 1858, and the district was regularly organized about that time. A hnilding was borrowed of Norman Gates and moved from the northwest to the northeast quarter of section sixteen, and here mental discipline for the rising generation went on until 1861, when a schoolhouse was built on the same spot. In 1863, there was a subdivision of the district and the schoolhouse was moved to section nine. The school was kept there until 1876, when the building was replaced by a new one. District 148. At the house of H. O. Bryant in 1866, a meeting was held, and an organization secured by the election of O. B. Bryant, J. C. Preston, and B. F. Holman as officers. It included one-half of section six in the town of York. The first school was opened in a house belonging to 0. A. Boynton, with Augusta Douglass in charge of the exercises. In 1868, a schoolhouse was built up on section one, but in January, 1872, it was moved to section two. Mary Ann Griffin was an early teacher in the district, perhaps the first. District 177 was organized in the eighties. The schoolhouse is in section 15.

Amherst township is divided into several school districts, and all are in flourishing condition. The first school to be attended by Amherst pupils was in Canton township, the district comprising part of both towns and was known as district No.11. The log schoolhouse was built by subscription in the spring of 1857, standing just over the line in Canton township. The first teacher was Helic Ann Churchill. The second was Augusta M. Osgood, who married M. H. Onstine. It was afterwards changed to No. 138. District 188 was formerly 11, and the schoolhouse was in Canton, but bordered on both townships. A frame schoolhouse was built in 1870 ata cost of $800. District 27. This district was organized in Mareh, 1857, and a little log cabin put up for school purposes at a cost of $50, size 14x16 feet, and stood where the present schoolhouse stands, the first school being taught by Mr. Kennedy, of Preston. In 1870 a house was erected at a cost of $650, size 20x30 feet, and was supplied with apparatus worth $66. It stood in the northwest corner of section eleven. District 28 was organized late in the fifties, and a log house put up by contribution of labor. Some vears later this was torn down and a neat and substantial schoolhouse erected on section four, in the southwestern part. District 30 was organized in 1857, and in 1858 a frame building was erected, but afterward sold and used for a blacksmith shop. In 1867 a building was put up in section twenty-seven, in the northern part, at a cost of $350. This was at one time the largest district in town. District 43. This distriet was formerly blended into other surrounding districts, but in 1868 a petition was made to the county commissioners for a separate distriet, which was granted, and the district was at once organized. They soon after erected a neat frame structure on the east line of section sixteen, at a cost of about $300, size 18x26 feet. The first teacher was Emerilla Sutherland. District 133. Previous to the organization of this district, three terms of school had been taught in ihe house of Norman Botton, by Hattie Dauchey. In 1863 the organization of the district was effected under the caption of No. 133, and one year later their schoolhouse was erected in the center of section thirty-five. Mrs. Blackburn first called the school to order. District 29 was one of the first districts organized in the town, being organized in 1857, and a log house, 18x20 feet, erected for school purposes. This served as a schoolhouse until in 1876, when a substantial building was erected in the northern part of section nineteen, at a cost of $1,000, size 24x36 feet. Distriet 8. This distriet was organized in 1857, and a house put up of hewn logs. In 1869 a neat structure of stone, 24x30 feet, was built a short distance north of where the old one stood, in the northeast corner of section thirtecn.

City.And Village Schools

Tt has been the desire of the editors of this publication to pre: sent a complete history of the high schools and graded schools of the county. In some cases the information has been withheld by the superintendents, principals or school clerks, and eonsequently several schools are omitted, with regret, from the following list.

Spring Valley Schools. The educational systen of Spring Valley had its beginning in the summer of 1855, when Juliann Kingsley taught a select school in a building situated east of the present village, on a tract of land which Thomas C. Watson had platted as the village of Spring Valley, the exact location of this dwelling being the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 27.

In the winter of 1855-56 timber was gotten out to build a frame building. School was taught here three months in the sumnner of 1856, by W. L. Kellogg, this being the first public school in this vicinity, and Mr. Kellogg being the first in this vicinity to draw public money from the county treasurer as a teacher.

There is considerable conflicting testimony as to the first school on the present village site. A former history has stated that Stephen Ives taught a school in 1855 at the southwest corner of Jefferson street and Broadway. A pamphlet published in 1858 speaks of a frame schoolhouse ''on the hill'' as already erected. However, W. L. Kellogg, the first public school teacher in Spring Valley is authority for the following statement. ''The first school taught on what is now the platted portion of Spring Valley was in the summer of 1857, when Stephen Ives kept school in a slab shanty on the south side of Jefferson strect, about midway between Section street and Broadway. In 1858 and 1859 school was taught in a building on the southwest corner of Jefferson street and Broadway. A frame building was erected in 1860, on the present site of the Molstad high school building. This building may still be seen just south of the new Putnam school building, on the next street.''

The first school meeting of district 32 was held September 6, 1857. The officers were: Chairman, C. Wilkins; clerk, J. M. Strong; trustees, T. A. Warner, Washington Lloyd and Peter S. De Groodt. The distriet continued as number 32 up to April 18, 1861. The legislature having passed a new school law, the district was reorganized as number 1, and on April 27, 1861, the following officers were elected: T. M. Chapman, clerk; Simon Stevens, Cordella Wilkins and Daniel L'eoville, trustees. May 6, 1862, district No. 1 was divided and district 112 was organized, and the following officers elected: Simon Stevens, directors; Simon Philips, clerk; T. M. Chapman, treasurer.

On April 29, 1871, district 112 was set aside and organized as an independent district. At this meeting it was decided to have a three aud one half months' summer term, and the same length winter term. One hundred dollars was voted for teacher's wages and firewood.

The first teacher employed by district 112 in 1862 was Miss FE. J. Crosby, at a salary of $3.50 a week. The second teacher in 1863 was J. C. Stevens, at a salary of $25.00 per month.

M. F. Varney laid out the ground work for the grade system, but it devolved upon A. D. Gaines, his suecessor, to establish that system in the schools.

A. D. Gaines was a young man, just gradnated from an eastern college. He did not stay long enough to graduate a class. In 1884 the building was remodelled, and in the fall of that year, E. E. Campbell took charge of the schools. The school building was burned February 14, 1885, less than six months from the time that the extensive improvements had been completed. During the summer of 1885 a new bnilding was erected, and this with additions, still stands as the Morstad high school. In the spring of 1886, the school graduated its first class, consisting of three members: Charles D. Gould, Ernest E. Bentley and Nellie C. Austin. Mr. Campbell remained eight years and raised the school from third grade to a place among the best.

As the years passed and the population grew, it was found necessary to erect a ward school for a part of the younger children, and accordingly a schoolhouse was completed on lot 3, block 3, in Billings' and Cummings' addition.

The village now has an ideal educational system in every way. The children who desire academic training are carried through the grades and through the usual four years' high school course, thus preparing them for college. Those who so desire are given normal training in addition to the usual work.

In keeping with the progress of modern times a new school was dedicated December 1, 1911, which is known at the Putnam school, and is the finest school building in this part of the state. In it general science, manual training, domestic science and agriculture are taught along the latest improved lines, and ample provision is made for physical eulture and recreation.

Fourteen outlying school districts have voted to join the association system, bringing under the two mill tax system, an assessed valuation of about $1,125,000. In addition to the three buildings with a seating eapeity of 700, surrounded by ample grounds, the district owns seventeen acres of land about one half

The class of 1911 brought the total number of graduates up to 342, most of whom are actively at work solving the problems of life in the efficient manner taught in the Spring Valley courses of study.

In 1862 only one teacher was employed. In 1912 twenty-one teachers are employed. In 1862 there were twenty-two pupils enrolled. In 1912 there are 580. In 1886 there were tliree graiduates. The class of 1912 contains forty-two members. The total money required to conduct the school for one month in 1862 would not conduet the schools one half a day at. the present time.

Spring Valley has just cause to be proud of its alumni, its carefully selected corps of seventeen teachers, its efficient board of education, and the increased popularity in which its schools are widely held.

The Preston Schools, The first school in Preston village was kept in the spring of 1856 in a log schoolhouse known as the 'Davis schoolhouse,'' located on Main street near the river bank, near the west end of the street, and on the south side. From there the school was moved to the brick house still standing on Jot 4, block 6, Barbara Kaercher's addition, afterward used as the Methodist church, and now used as a residence. This historic building in which so many Preston people were educated is one of the land marks of the village.

The commencement of the project for the graded schools of Preston was in the spring of 1865. The citizens, after discussing the matter, came to the conclusion that the plan was practical, and determined to carry it through. March 20, 1865, notice was given to all concerned that a meeting would be held to determine the publi¢e sentiment in the matter. The polls were opened April 1, 1865, and the count showed that there were seventeen in favor of, and two opposed to the enterprise. A board of directors was appointed and the necessary steps taken to have district No. 45 reorganized as an independent. school district.

The schools grew rapidly, and it was soon found necessary to use the basement of the courthouse. In 1866 it was determined to build a new school, and after the usual preliminaries as to the issuing of bonds and the purchase of property, a brick schoolhouse was erected on the present school property. This building, with changes, is still standing. Two sets of bonds were issued, and the total cost was about $10,000.00, the building being completed and ready for use in the fall of 1868. The edifice, which at that time was regarded as a model school building, was two stories high, contained three rooms and an entry hall, and was well equipped for its intended purpose. Thus matters continued with the primary and intermediate departments on the lower floor and the higher department on the upper floor, the common branches being taught. March 30, 1881, the board passed a resolution that a high school be established, and that state aid be sought under the state laws of 1878.

September 4, 1883, at the annual meeting, Attorney A. D. Gray moved that a meeting be called for the purpose of considering the procuring of more suitable quarters for the rapidly growing school. The motion, however, did not bear fruit until January 6, 1885, when, at a special meeting, it was decided to issue bonds for the purpose of building an addition on the south side of the building then standing. The contract was let to Alex. Galbraith and John Wintey for $2,895.00 and the work completed ready for the opening of schools in the fall of 1885. September 1, 1887, appears the first mention of the school library, Professor W. J. Alexander being appointed the librarian.

April 11, 1890, it was voted to issue bonds for another addition to the building, the contract being awarded to Fred Neuman and John Wintey for $3,900. June 29, 1895, a contract was let to Morgan & Neuman to finish the upper foor of the new north wing, the contract price being $645.00. September 30 of the same year it was voted to borrow $1,500 for improvemenis.

December 18, 1897, the Preston high school became a member of the State Association of High School Boards. October 1, 1898, the treasurer reported that $1,366.73 had been lost by the failure of the Fillmore County Bank, and the next few years were occupied with litigation over this matter. The treasurer and his bondsmen were sued and judgment was had in ithe District court in favor of the school district for the full amount. An appeal was taken to the Supreme court and the judgment affirmed.

March 16, 1901, a contract was awarded for the building of a new high school, and later a contract was let for the installing of a new heating and ventilating system in both the old and the new buildings. The new building was completed and ready for oceupancy October 29, 1901. April 25, 1903, it was decided to make application to the state for the establishment of a Normal department. August 19, 1905, an inventory of school property showed that the distriet was in debt $11,500, that its mew building was worth $13,500, its old building $20,000 and its furnishings and supplies $4,441. May 29, 1909, the Board of Edueation took action requesting the village council to take steps toward seeuring a Carnegie Library. October 11, 1909, the School Board joined the State Soviety of Sehool Boards. April £, 1911, it was voted to establish a normal department, with Alice M. Ide as teacher, the district to receive $750.00 annually from the state. April 20, 1911, application was made to the State High School Board to maintain at Preston an agricultural department in connection with the high school.

The present officers of the Preston Sehool Board are: Preésident, A. D. Gray; clerk, E. A. Highum; treasurer, C. M. Anderson; superintendent, L. N. Towle; trustees, Charles Snyder, Carl Kuethe and B. O. Kyseth.

Superintendents and principals - Up to 1891 the records speak of the man in charge of the schools as principal and superintendent interchangeably and indiseriminately. Since 1891 the one in charge of the schools has been known uniformly as superintendent, and since 1905 there has been, in addition. a lady principal. The appointments have been as follows: Superintendents and prineipals - E. J. Thompson, March 1, 1866, Levi Wright, Oetober 31, 1868; W. H. Palmer, July 21, 1871; Philip H. Brady, August 12, 1875; BE. P. Hickok, July 6, 1886; W. J. Alexander, July 28, 1887. Superintendents - E. B. Lockerby, August 3, 1891; W. W. Barnum, Mareh 16, 1901; F. BE. Lurton, August 11, 1903; Joel N. Childs, March 7, 1908; L. U. Towle, March 20,1911. Principals - Gertrude Blair, appointed April 8, 1905, refused to serve;

The high sehool is maintaining at the present time the usual classical courses and in addition offers well sustained courses in manual training, domestie science, elementary agriculture, and normal methods. The enrollment has reached the entire seating eapacily of the high school assembly room - 85. Plans for association with neighboring rural districts under the Benson-Lee act are being matured and a well developed agricultural department will then become a feature of the work. In connection with the normal department a room has heen fitted for a model rural school, pupils being taken from the varions grades for this room.

Chatfield Schools. A small district schoolhouse was built in Chatfield in 1856, but the town had no public schools worthy of the name except the Chatfield Academy until March 8, 1862, when the Chattield sehoo! distriet was incorporated by a special act of the legislature, under which act it is still eonducted. In that year a system of graded schools was inaugurated on a small seale. The attendance and teaching foree rapidly inereased, and in 1865 a publie schoo] building was ereeted which was the pride of the town and one of the hest in southeastern Minnesota. From time to time smaller additional buildings were ereeted, and for many years the subject of building a large and substantial school strueture was agitated, resulting in the erection, in 1888, of the present fine brick school building, te which an addition was made in 1899, the whole costing with its equipment from 25,000 to $30,000.

Although a high school depariment was conducted from 1865, the first formal commencement was held on May 14, 1880, when a class of two, Kate Atchison and Emma Glissman, was graduated. Since that time the number of graduates has reached about 240.

In 1912 E. B. Forney was elected to assume the duties of superiutendent. Under him is a staff consisting of high school principal and two assistants, seven grade teachers, and instructors in musie, domestie economy and agriculture.

consists of five members. From 1865 to 1904, a period of thirtynine years, G, It. Haven acted as secretary. He was succeeded by EK. W. Rossman, who served for part of a year, and then by Charles L. Thurber until 1907, when the place was filed by G. A. Haven, who still holds the position (1912). Dr. Charles M. Cooper was elected trustee in 1900 and is now president of the board. Hon. Joseph Underleak and Dr. F. L. Smith are also irustees, and George R. Thompson is treasurer.

The ain of the board has always been to maintain as good a school as possible with the means the district could reasonably afford. In the fall of 1911, under the Benson-Lee act, departments of domestie economy and agriculture were introduced, whieh lave greatly inereased the efficiency of the schools. The domesti¢ economy department is fully equipped with the best of apparatus, and conducted hy a very capable specialist in her line. The department of agriculture, under its director, C. H. Hanson, a man particularly well qualified for his place, has assumed a position of unique importance, not only in the curriculum of the school, but by his eo-operation with the farmers and extension work in the rural sehool districts, he has done much toward interesting the farmers in scientifie agriculture. Associated with the Chatfield district are five rural distriets in Fillmore county and two in Olmsted county, and under this enlarged associated district the two industrial departments are earried on. - By George H. and George A. Haven.

Fountain Schools. Fountain has a graded school, with a twoyear high school course. Four teachers are employed. The present sehool building was erected in 1893. The school board econsists of L. S. Seott, chairman; J. O. Solie, treasurer; and Hiram Johnson, clerk.

The Mabel Schools. District 6 was organized in 1857, comprising eight sections of land and including what is now the village of Mabel. The district has ever since retained and still retains the same number and the same territory. The first schoolhouse in the district was erected in 1857, about a quarter of a mile east of the corporate limits of the present village of Mabel, and the first school was held in 1858, by James McDonald, teacher. In 1880 the first schoolhouse was found to be inadequate, and a new building was erected in the village of Mabel, on the site where the present school building stands, and the old schoolhouse was converted into a dwelling. The new schoolhouse contained three good sized rooms, and the teaching corps consisted of one principal and two grade teachers. In 1900 the present. school building was erected and on the Ist of October of that year the new building was opened for school, with Thomas Cahill as principal and five grade teachers. Thomas Cahill held the position as principal until the end of the school year in the spring of 1905. In the fall of 1905 the sehool district was changed from a common io an independent district, and is now known as Independent District No. 6. The same fall the high school was instituted and A. Ray Kent was elected superintendent and Jessie Abbott principal. In the spring of 1906 the first class was graduated from the Mabel high school, the members of that elass being Gertrude BE. Bacon, Hattie M. Dayton, Mathilda E. Fossum, Tloy M. Glise, Walter E. Larson and Leonard Stensland. In the fall of 1907 Charles Youngquist sueeeeded A. Ray Kent as superintendent of the school, and in the fall of 1911 Mr. Youngquist was succeeded by Oliver D. Billing, the present superintendent. The members of the present board of education are E. C. Erickson, A. L. Tollefson, H. Tl. Hammer, A. A. Miner, M. C. Christopherson and E. G. Stensland. The school, besides the graded and high schools, maintains departments of manual training, domestie science and agriculture- - By II. H. Hammer.

The Wykoff School. The recorded history of School District 104, Wykoff, dates back only a comparatively short time. Its unwritten history is heard from the lps of many, who, in their vounger days, received a part, if not all, of their education within its halls. The first school building of which there is record is now the west part of the William E. Ploof home, until recently known as ihe Park Hotel. To the original building in 1880 another room was added under the principalship of Mr. Hunt, now a farmer near Fountain, Minn. This was ontgrown and in 1894 a new building 42x50 feet with hasement was erected at the corner of Line and Bartlett streets. This burned in the spring of 1897 and the school year, under the principal, Ralph Turner, was completed at the village hall. The present four-room structure erected upon the site of the burned building was ready for occupancy early in the fall of 1897. The property of the district is valued at $5,000. It owns a library of 500 volumes, nearly 2,000 text-books and apparatus worth $200. The enrollment is over 100, doing two years' high school work in addition to the first eight grades. There are three teachers besides the supervisor of musie and the principal. The members of the school board for July, 1911, to July, 1912, were Dr. M. D. Ogg, chairman; A. G. Spies, @lerk, and W. S. Kidd, treasurer. Seattered throughout this state and others are many well known school men and men of note in other lines who in the past have been principals of the Wykoff school. Twice in its history it has had a woman as principal, the first about 1895 and during the year 1911-1912. Those who have been its students, too, are widely seattered, hold-

The Harmony high school building was remodeled and enlarged in 1903. The Rushford high school building is one of the finest in this part of the state.