The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1892-12-22
city School HIstorv-IS6O-63.
LETTER NO, 2.

loosa school district and paid for in part
from public school funds was opened
January %, 1856. Gospel Ridge school
building, a 2-story brick with tive rooms
on each floor, was erected in 1854 and
stood on the south side of High Ave-,
two and One-half blocks east of the
public square-where is now the resi-
dence of Mr.. Baldauf. From this time
for several years the town grew rapidly,
and the school board purchased of Mr..
G. w. Drake, the Normal school build
ing which was used as a ward school
building till 1875, when the First ward
or Lincoln school building was erected.
The old Normal building, remodeled
into a comfortable dwelling still stands
two blocks north of the Narrow Gauge
station.
1t was during this ar-1860-that
the mortgages and liens on the Normal
school building were removed and with
a clear title it became the property of
the district. For two years there was
much trouble in getting tax lists and
mortgages adjusted to secure the dis
trict against loss.
At meeting of the board, April Z,
1860. on motion of Mr.. Rowland, it was
ReSOlced, That we have a school
taught in both the Normal school house
and the Gospel Ridge school house for
six months the present year, said school
to be taught during the fall and winter
months, six months in each house"
It was also voted ito raise two mills
per dollar valuation on property in the
district" During the summer well
was dug on the Normal school lot, and
good board fence was placed around
the Gospel Ridge building, the same
costing S96.12.
At the board meeting August %, 1860,
the following resolution was carried:
ReSOl0ed, That the center of Wash
ington street divide OskalOOsa city
school district into two parts. Those
scholars on the east side of said street
shall attend school at Gospel Ridge
school house, and those residing west
of said street shall attend school at
Normal school house"
The school year 1860-61 was pros
porous year. The annual meeting on
March II, 1860, was held in Gospel Ridge
school house and the officers elected
were: President, j ohm R.Needham vice
president, William Kemper; secretary,
d. w. LOring; treasurer, George Row
land. The directors elected were: To
serve three years, John Y, Hopkins; to
serve one year (flling vacancy, l. NJ.
DawsOn;tO serve two years, D. A.Lough.
Of the annual meeting A F. Seeberger
was secretary and 1. P. Coulter chair
man. The records do not name the
buildings to which the teachers for 1860
81 were assigned. At the meeting of
the board Aug. IA, 1860,a resolution was
offered and carried that the board en-
ploy as male teachers J. NJ. LOughridge
and S. H. Mitchell, and as female teach
ers, Mrs. Geo. w. Drake, Misses A. NJ.
Jones, Sarah Loughridge, Phoebe Hull,
Almira Hull and o. G. Tuttle. The
males at S35 per month and the females
at S1S per month. Later Miss Tuttle
resigned and Miss M.Lindsey was elect
ed to her place. Miss Lizzie Ballinger
and w. W. Mayors also taught during
the year.
The annual meetiIg G for l861-62 was
held March II, 1861, in Gospel Ridge
school house. The officers elected were:
President, Rev. l. r. Laurance; vice
president, Tobias Leighton; secretary,I.
B. Coulter; treasurer, George Rowland; +;
director for three years, John White.
One and One-han mills were ordered to
be levied as contingent school house
fund. 1t was ordered on metiOn of w.
7. Sr 18th that tho board should not
contract for the schools to continue for
longer time than six months the en-
suing gear" John r. Needham was
presi t and ID. w. Loring secretary of
the lal meeting. At the meeting
of the board on Aug. 13, 1861, it was
voted and carried to pay the principals
$35 per month and the lady assistants
$50. 1t was also "voted that the secre-
tary publish a call for teachers in the
OskalOOsa HERALD and that the board
net with such as may apply as teach
ers at the Gospel Ridge school house at
10 o'clock on the 22d inst, for the pur-
pose osSatisfying the board of the quail
iflca, ms; and that they on that day Sc
lect two principals and eight assistants
to te" h the schools of this district"
inutes of Aug 22d say that the
"bo, Aet at Gospel Ridge school
house after pretty thorough ex-
aminatio. If some twenty applicants
the board sylected J. NJ. Loughridge as
principal in Gospel Ridge school house,
and Misses Ascha B. Freeman, Mary
and Phoebe Hull as assistants; and S.H.
Mitchell principal in the Normal school
house, and Misses Edna Smell, Sarah
Loughridge, Mary Smell, Margaret Stev-
enSon and Mrs. L. A. Drake, assistants.
At the meeting of the board on March
6, 1862, it was
ResoIoed, That the directors be au-
thorized to rent the school rooms when
not occupied by public schools to sur'-
teachers as have printed certificates
from the county superintendent, giving
the preference to those that have been
employed in the public schools; and in
no case t It to anyone who has for
merly occupied room and has not paid
the rent for the same"
The called meetings of the board were
held quite often during the year, and
the regular meetings on the first Satur-
day after the first Monday of the month.
LOAN SOC, ~ "A. Hei
eman, &c a. the inter- -0ce~
! estead and Loan 9iation, is Or
8 4zing branch of that Institution in
this o4SJ. The Inter Ocean is the live
liest and most profitable of any building
and loan association in Chicago, being
conducted On the best and most econom-
ical plan known to modern financiering.
The officers are well-known men, some
of them lows men, and the plan will be
presently Mr.. Saylor and Mr.. .Heine-
man TO all desiring to invest in good
thing. -
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