Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-08-22
In the winter of ls5O-'5l a school
was taught in the school house near

twenty 10 twenty nve pupils, coming
from radius of two miles or more,
and it will serve as an illustration
of the interest even then felt in the
subject of education by these early
settlers, to state that an evening
spelling school brought the people
together-old and young-not only
from Otter Creek and Pine Greek,
but from Hazleton and Quasqueton
And few attempts by the TEACHERS
to lecture upon such subjects as the
operation of steam and the steam
engine, methods Of calculating, the
velocity Of light, etc., filled the
house to overhowing, and that at a
time when there were only seventeen
families IN the whole north half OF
the county.
During that same winter, I be.
lieve, there was school taught in
the house on Pine Greek, near the
old Heam place, also one at Quas-
queton.
The next Winter, there were not
only schools in all these places, but
also one in Independence, two OF
three families having arrived here
during the year 1851. This school
was taught in a log building former
ly occupied by Rufus B. Clark, the
first settler here, and original pre-
emptor Of the town site, and the
building stood few rods south OF
where now is the residence of DR..
J. G. House. 1t stood in the street
Mott Street-but streets and lots
were then alike unshorn of their ma
tive bushes, and only the surveyor
could distinguish lot from street.
This school was taught by Mrs.
VIM. Bunce, still resident of Ha-
zleton Township, in this County,
and very estimable and intelligent
lady. Evening schools were COM
mon, and being occasions for social
reunion of parents and scholars,
were always we'll attended by both,
and all took part in the spelling. I
remember attending and gaining
some applause, for being able to
spell most of the words in the spell
ing-book correctly, and especially
for being able to detect when word
was pronounced, not found in the
English Vocabulary, as was some
times done by mistake, and which
is not surprising, when we rcmem-
Der that kerosene lamps were not,
and that the only light the pronoun-
Ger had was from tallow candle,
held in the hand.
During the year 1862, still more
families arrived and settled in this
place, aud vicinity, and l think it
was in 1852, that the first school
house was built in Independence
To VIM. Brazelton belongs the hon
or of its crection-at his own ex-
pense. 1t was not very large nor
ye,'y elegant, being only ~ by l6,
built of basswood logs, but the logs
were hewed on two sides, and even
diyestcc of bark, regardless of ex-
pense, for its builder was dctermin-
ed that Independence should boast
Of schoolhouse worthy ofits name.
Providence seemed to smile on the
undertaking, for the State Superin-
tendent, Hon. Thos. ii. Benton, WIS.,
tied Independence ust as the house
was nearly completed, and lectured
in the Dew building. Every citizen
turned out to hear him. The house
was halt filled, and that was proud
day for Independence. l had the
honor of teaching the first school in
that house, and l believe there were
twelve pupils on my school roll.
The building stood on the lot now
occupied by Thos. Sherwood, and
very near the site Of his present res
idence.
From this time (though do not
mean to assert, nor insinuate even,
that our new school house was the
cause,) the tide of immigration be-
gan to set strongly toward Iowa,
and this county received it's share
of the emigrants. They followed, in
their locations, the streams, or rath-
er, the timber which followed the
course of the streams. Settlers To-
Gated up the river at Fairbank, at
Littleton, down the river between
here and Quasqueton, and below
Quasqueton, on the Buffalo, in the
east part Of Newton, and on the
branches of the Maquoleta, in East
Madison, on Otter Greek, from its
mouth to Greeley's Grove, and on
Lime Spring, creeks in Jefferson;
and wherever they located they
buiit'school houses with little delay.
AS early as 1855 or $50, there was a
school house built in Madison, near
the residence of Silas Ross; one on
Spring Greek, in the south side of
Newton; one near Brandon, on Lime
Creek; another in the western part
of Jefferson; one near Fairbank, and
one few miles below; still another
in the north part of Hazleton, and
at Buffalo Grove, and one Of brick
ut Independence. and an additional
one at Quasqueton. immigration
still continued and increased,
spreading out on the open prairie
in every direction, till in 1857, and
additional houses continued to be
erected, many of them framed ones;
not only because the increase Of
population and wealth demanded
and enabled people to build better
houses, but because on the prsiries
logs were neither the most conven-
lent, nor the most inexpensive ma
terial with which to build. l am
not able to remember precisely,
when or where schools were taught
during these years, and there are
no records readily accessible, from
which such facts may be
ascertained. There was no such
office as County Superintendent;
and l find no report showing the
number of schools or school child
rem, or houses. Such reports were
made to the School Fund Commits
sioner, but are not at hand.
The law providing for the cleo
tion of County Superintendent
Of Schools, came into operation in
1858, and the first Superintendent
was elected at the April election of
that year; and from that year only,