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

The records of our county schools
previous to 1853 are exceedingly
meager, and the few there are, are
so scattered and disarranged as to
be practically unavailable, unless to
historian who, unlike myself, may
have abundant leisure for explora-
tion and collection. The school
system of Iowa-if system it may
he called-previous to 1859 was by
no means favorable to completeness
and accuracy OF record, and still less
to a careful preservation and az
rangement of such records as were
made. The only county school Off
Ger, previous to 1858, was the School
Fund Commissioner, and his duties,
as the title indicates, pertained
rather to the care of the school land
and funds than to any supervision
of the schools themselves. The re-
cords, which he had little induce
ment to keep, I have have had as
little leisure to search for, and in
the Supcrintendcnt's Office there are
absolutely none. l must, therefore,
depend entirely upon personal recol-
lection for whatever I may say of
the early history of our schools.
That recollection dates back to
the year 1850, or twenty-three years
ago, at which time there were only
three civil township divisions of the
county, and l think not more than
four school districts. Washington
township included the whole north
half of the county, and little more;
and though there may have been
more than one district therein, there
certainly was but one school house,
and that was near where John
Boone resided then, and yet resides.
In independence there were three
families, and only two children old
enough to attend school. There
were three families near where
Thomas Barr now lives, but no chill
dren over FIVE years of age; and
three families on Otter Creek, at
what is now called Greeley's Grove,
in Hazleton township, but not more
than one child over five years Old
there were but two families in Buff
falo township.
Tn what is now called Liberty
township (then SPRING. there were
probably a dozen families, and, l
think, a school house on Pine Creek
about one mile south of the Dubuque
road. At Quasqueton there were
probably twelve or fifteen families,
and they doubtless had school
building, though ! don't remember
to have seen it, and | think there
was another school house near
where Solomon Swartzel now lives.
In what is now Newton township
there were few families, but no
school house, and the same is true
of Jefferson township, and possibly
Como. The townships now called
Madison, Fairbank, Perry, Byron,
Fremont, Middlefield, Westburg,
and Homer, were as trackless and
houseless as the ocean, as was also
Sumner, with the exception Of one
building, occupied by Isaac Gin
ther.
The architecture Of these school
buildings was, of course, the rudest.
All built Of unhcwn logs-unless,
possibly, the one built at Quasquc-
ton may have been framed. Board
seats next the wall on three sides,
fronted by long desks of rough bass
wood, as being soft and easily
worn smooth by friction of arms
and books, and possibly more con-
venient to white. These back
seats and desks were reserved for
the larger scholars, while the lesser
were accommodated by inner rows
Of benches, made of oak slabs for
strength and durability. The fourth
side was devoted to the ample fire
place, flanked on either side by the
entrance door and the wood pile.
l need not, however, dwell upon the
description of these houses, for the
type has hardly yet disappeared,
and is not unfamiliar to even the
youngest of my auditors. Who
taught the first schools l am unable
to say. But though tho names of
Egyptian builders are lost, the pyr-
amids and ruined temples remain as
monuments of their skill, and though
the names of the first teachers are
not remembered, yet the results of
their labors are perpetuated.