Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-08-22

who SO long and ably filled the office,
and to whose ability and zeal our
schools are SO largely indebted, was
elected in 1860, and reelected in
October, 1861, and held the office
almost continuously up to 1872, when
he was succeeded by our presen,
efficient incumbent. At that time,
1861, the number Of schools in Fair.
bank had increased to four, with
l79 pupils in attendance. Hazleton
had six schools, and 25s pupils at.
tending. Buffalo two schools, with
Sc pupils. Madison seven schools
l73 pupils attending. Fremont two
schools, and "a pupils. Byron fou,
schools, lol pupils. Washington
nine schools, 315 pupils in atten.
dance. Perry only one school, and
As pupils. Westburg had yet Meth
cr house nor school. Sumner had
two schools, and 40 pupils. Liberty
eight schools, with 297 pupils
Three of these schools were, how.
ever, taught in one building, and
should here remark that Quasquetor
was the first to build a school house
of more than one room. They bull,
in 1857, l think, quite a commodious
building, portion of it two stories
in height, with rooms above and be
low, and an additional room in s
wing, making three rooms in all
and in that building the second
Teachers Institute was held in 80
Middle6eld, in 1861, had three
schools, Newton eight, Como sew.
en-, Homer two. In Jefferson there
were seven schools. Making a total
in the county Of 76 schools, and 40
houses, with total attendance o1
5000, out OF 3,l3s school children
in the county. The total value OF
school buildings in the county at
that time is reported at $4,000
There were four brick buildings,
two of stone, twenty-four framed,
and ten log.
AT this time the war had broken
out, and though its continuance for
several years, doubtless, retarded
in a measure, the progress of our
schools, and especially the building
of houses. Yet there was a steady
progress, and I find by the report
of 1864 that the number of school
children in the county had increased
to 3,435, and the number attending
school to 1855, and the number OF
schools to 1870, and of houses to SO,
valued at $l4,6ss. In 1865 the mum.
Der of children had increased 1902
-3,O4O attending school; LOG
schools, Ga houses worth $4,000.
This was Immediately after the
close of the war, and brings us down
to a date SO recent. that anything !
may say ofthe schools since can hard
ly be considered history. The pro-
gress we have made since 1865, es-
pecially in the way of school build
ings, has been exceedingly crafty.
ing. In 1867 the first Union School
House was completed, and the first
graded school organized in Inde.
pendencc. Since that time second
has been built. Also a tasteful and
commodious one at Jesup, and an
other at Winthrop.
The number of school houses in
the county in 1872 was 1914, valued
at $4,000. Only one log school
house remains in use, and nearly all
have entirely disappeared. The
number Of children was 6,416, and
there were 243 teachers employed
during the year. When we com
pare this with our three log build
ings in 1850, and our three schools
or with our 81 buildings and &C
schools in 1853, the result is indeed
gratifying, and still more so when
we remember that this statement
does not include any Of the excel
lent private schools taught in the
county. We have the Catholic
Common School, we'll attended anG
we'll conducted, and the Seminary
under the supervision of tie Sisters
an institution doing an excellent
service in the cause of education
and the Commercial School recently
established in cur city, also doing
good work in its appropriate place
and last, though by no means least
this Normal School now in session
and doing still another portion o.
the great work-that of educating
the educators.
l find on the list Of teachers fo1
1858, not more than two who arc
teaching now; showing that very
few if any, adopt teaching as per
manent profession. A few terms
or few years, at most, is the gen
eral rule, and the ranks have cor
stantly to be filled with new recruits
This fact is often alluded to as dc
trimental to the cause of education
but do notso regard it. Teaching
is both science and an art, anG
those who practice the art, have
generally little leisure to investigate
the science. The natural tendency
is to follow accustomed methods o1
teaching, as it is to prefer the &C
customed text books, and the teach
cr who is in the constant practice o.
the art for many years, will almost
invariably fail to keep pace with the
progress of the science of teaching
just as the physician who should
be kept constantly at the bedside Of
patients, would have no time to KEEP
pace with the new discoveries in the
science of medicine; or the lawyer
who should be always pleading il
court, would soon exhaust his vital
ity, mental and physical, and fail te
keep posted in the later Legislation
and more recent decisions.
For these reasons l consider that
the constant changes in teachers,
has at least Its advantages, supply
ing as it does a new life and fresh
vitality.
The profession Of the teacher is
one of the highest honor, and that
honor is well sustained by the zeal
and fidelity with which they perform
their duties. No more noble, earn
est and faithful teachers ever as
scmbled, than the little corps who
taught the children OF the pioneers
in this county, and with whom ]