davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
New Manager of Publishing House.

The Board of Directors of the Luth-
eran Publishing House held an in
portant meeting on Monday afternoon.
at which Rev. E. Wulfsb erg. who has
been at the head of the institution
for several years. handed in his re-
signation. to take effect Oct. lst.
The resignation was accepted and l..
S. Dale. who has been connected with
the Publishing House for some time.
was elected to the position. Mr.. Dale
is man in the prime of life. full OF
energy. thoroughly capable. and will
doubtless manage the affairs of the cor
poration to the satisfaction of all.
We understand that Rev. Wulfsbere
will move to Hamline. Mimi, where
he will erect home near his in
law. in the hope that the change o.
climate will be beneficial to his health
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
The Square Dealer at Home.

Mr.. Bear of the Square Dealing
Clothing Store, after an absence ct
nearly three weeks returned looking
and feeling as enthusiastic as ever.
In conversation with him he told us
that his purchases are far larger than
ever before. that the qualities pur-
chased are far superior to any line
of goods ever brought to DEBORAH. and
the goods so far received show it.
Every suit at ten dollars and above
are hand tailored and the cloth. lining
and trimmings have been selected bv
him personally and that every garment
he will offer to his patrons will be
good in quality throughout. To rs
who are in different line of business
it looks like a serious task to get to-
gether such a stock of clothing; but
Mr.. Bears thirty years experience nc
| doubt helped him to accomplish it
without much trouble. Mr.. Bear tells
us he is determined to do larger
business than ever. and Judging by
the cases of goods which are being
unloaded every day ION the east side
of his building. we would think he
is prepared to do a record breaking
trade.
Mr.. Bear is arranging for big sale
and we would advise all those look
ing for new, clean, ur-to-date clothing
that have value in them to call on him
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Stabbing ARRAY at North McGregor.

A serious stabbing ARRAY occurred
at North McGregor Sunday night be-
tween two railroad men of that place
which it is feared will result in the
death of one Globke. a freight brake
man. Bert Annis mail clerk has
been placed under heavy bonds await
ing further developments. For several
months bitter hatred has existed
between the two men on account Of
Globke's suspicious of intimacy be-
tween his wife and Annis. Mrs.
Globke secured divorce. but that
only made matters worse and the eli
max was reached when Annis drew a
knife and buried it to the hilt in
Globke's side.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Help the Young People.

The Epworth League is preparing
for picnic sociable to be held on
the school house grounds in West
DEBORAH this Wednesday evening.
Ice cream and fruit will be served.
A nominal charge of ten cents will
be made, the proceeds to be used in
making repairs on the church. The
leaguers deserve to be well patronized
and we hope they may be,
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
The Yellow Fever.

The total number of deaths to date
from yellow fever is reported to, be
2l0. and the total nubmer of cases
Lass. Tie dreaded pest continues 10
break over quarantine regulations in
isolated instances. One death aud
two cases are reported from Gregory.
Mo-. but up to the present it has not
obtained any permanent h old out
side of New Orleans.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Death of Michel ArSki n.

Mr.. Michael Arksin. fam elderly
gentleman who for some time past has
been living at the National Hotel.
died at 80 o'clock Monday morning,
after an extended illness, and was bur-
ried yesterday morning from the
Catholic church. Rev. FIR. Have
officiating. He was born in County
Donegal, Ireland. in January. 1886,
and came to America in July. 1880.
Five sisters, part of them living in
this country. survive him.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Will Open Office in DEBORAH.

l. II Conigisky, the optician. who
for the past three weeks has been
making this city three days out Of
the week. has finally decided to have
his permanent Office in DEBORAH By
this we do not mean that he Will not
visit Elgin in the future. but he will
spend only one day of each week.
Since he commenced visiting our city
he has fitted number of patients
and all seem we'll pleased with his
glasses. He is young man who takes
pains to do his work we'll and treats
everyone courteously. -Elgin Echo.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
WOma ms Relief CORPS.

Five new members were taken into
the w. r. q. last Wednesday evening
and one former member reinstated.
This makes twenty members added
since the beginning of the wear.
The younger ladies who have re-
Gently come into the order are proving
themselves most efficient helpers and
add much to the sociability.
Something over fifty members We're
in attendance and after the business
was over they were joined by the
comrades. who came by invitation for
a social hour. Ice cream and cake
were served.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Excursion TO Clear Lake.

@. M. & st. p. R'y will run an
excursion to Clear Lake Wednesday,
Aug. 30, fare for the round trip from
DEBORAH $500. Grand concert and
musical program in Clear Lake pa.
vilion, lecture by Rev. Frank Gun.
saulus. of Chicago, base ball game
between champion amateur teams OF
Minnesota and Iowa. are among the
many attractions. Train leaves De,
corah at 6 a. M, returning leaves Clear
Lake at d. m.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Harvest Dance.

On Thursday evening, Aug. 3lst,
harvest dance will be given at the
j. j. Marsh hall, for the benefit of
the new DEBORAH band, and it is
hoped that the new organization will
be given encouragement bv the liberal
patronage Of the citizens. DEBORAH
ought to support n band, for such an
organization is often of great advan.
tage in public gatherings
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Season Opens at the Grand.

The theatrical season at the Grand
opera house opened Monday evening.
with the presentation of Hooligan S
Troubles before medium sized
audience. The PLAY is of the lighter
strain. full of funny and amusing
situations, and was received with re-
peated applause
The news & observer., 1905-08-13
PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY.

1t is said by some who have travel
ed extensively in Europe and in other
parts of the earth, that Pennsylvania
county is the most beautiful section
they nave ever seen-'the garden spot
of the world" Indeed our county is
one with a myriad of grand and beau
tiful scenes.
Scattered along the valleys and nest
led among the hills are the homes OF
the people, some coy cottages, others
humble cabins In these homes are
to be seen many bright boys and girls,
with minds more precious than ma
terial wealth, capable Of being devel-
oped into usefulness and power. For
the proper development of these minds
we are most earnestly striving. IF
We work upon gold, it will perish; il
upon brass. time will efface it: if We
rear temples they will crumble into
dust" But if we work upon immor-
tai minds, imbuing them with high
principles and just fear of God, we
engraVe i'm them something which no
time can efface, no evasion destroy,
but which will continue to grow
brighter through this life, the bless
ings of which will live throughout
eternity.
Our public schools are doing much
to raise the children to a higher plane
and to higher ideals of life. New
school houses are being erected and
the school grounds being beautitied.
Some of the people are becoming in
terested i'm special tax for longer and
better schools. Several communities
The news & observer., 1905-08-13

lars was judiciously spent from gem
eral school fund and district funds
and at least one thousand dollars rails
ed by private subscription. School
house sites We're purchased, new
houses built, no debts contracted and
an average four months school term
taught in the schools of the county.
The new houses built have influ
enced children to enter school, and
teachers to be more faithful in the
performance of their delicate duties.
The progressive movement will con-
tinue until the last child in the county
has comfortable school room to go
to. Good houses will attract good
teachers and create a desire for long
er terms. The question of conSolida-
tion of districts will be kept promi-
nently before the patrons of small
districts until something is accomplish
ed on this line. BY using diligent
efforts local tax can be carried in
some districts, which will exert an
influence that will soon place our
county among the most progressive
counties of the State. In a few weeks
a campaign of education will open.
Educational rallies will be held in the
different parts of the county, and the
people strengthened in their determ-
ination to forward the movement in
augurated to increase the facilities
for the education of all of the child
ren of the county. Our schools will
open the first of November and early
in the month township meetings will
be held by the superintendent.
p. L. LEDFORD,
County superintendent.
The news & observer., 1905-08-13
LENOIR COUNTY.

Lenoir county has 1852 white and
2.64S negro children between and
21 years of age. There are graded
schools in Kinston and LaGrange and
forty schools for white race and tWen-
ty-fve schools for colored race in the
county. The apportionment January
1905, was $3.50 per capita. There was
no schools with less than five months
term and some had six and one-half
months term. The average was five
months and thirteen days for white
race and five months for the negro
race.
The enrolment and average at
tendance was better than ever before.
During the past year we have con-
solidated two schools for the white
race in Southwest township and two
in Institute township. and two for the
negro race in Contentnea Neck town
ship. We have built three school
houses for the white race and one
for the negro race. These houses
were built according to plans sent out
by State superintendent of Public In
struction. One of the houses was
two-room house and there were two
The news & observer., 1905-08-13
RICHMOND COUNTY.

The people of Richmond are in
sympathy with the movement so
marked all over the state for better
schools and longer terms, and decid-
ed advances have been made in secur-
ing these advantages. The good work
has gone on SO quietly, however, that
many residents of the county VIII
be surprised to learn that within the
last two years more than score of
new school buildings buildings have
been provided. and thousands of dol
lars invested in school buildings. In
Rockingham and Hamlet nearly ten
thousand dollars have been expended
in buildings and improving school
houses, and hundreds of dollars in
providing more comfortable furniture.
And yet the schools have been kept
going from four to nine months in
the year without asking dollar from
the second hundred thousand. This
has been accomplished partly through
the generosity of citizens of the coun-
The news & observer., 1905-08-13
JACKSON COUNTY.

We have made some advancement
along every line of work. We have
first grade teachers enough to supply
every school in the county. We have
built during the past two years four
new school houses at a cost of eight
hundred or a thousand dollars each
We have under way of construction
FIVE new houses which will average a
cost of about one thousand dollars
each when completed.
Our public schools averaged a term
of seventeen weeks last year, and we
believe the term will be considerably
longer this year.
Our schools have several rural Il
braries established, and we hope to
establish one in every school district
in the county within the next two
years.
We have recently organized an ls-
sociation for the betterment and i'm
provement of school houses and
grounds. We hope to improve our
houses and grounds very greatly
through this organization.
There is more enthusiasm among
the teachers and people of this county
along every line of educational ad-
vancement than ever before.
Hoping to be able to give more
The news & observer., 1905-08-13
WILKES COUNTY.

The public schools of Wilkes coun-
ty have made much progress during
the last four years. and I know no
better way to show this improvement
than comparing existing conditions at
the close of the scholastic year, 1901,
and 1905. We find by reference to
the annual report of schools for the
former year that the public school
property. was valued at $7628,00 in
the latter year $16,O22.0O. The
length of school term in 1901 was Ia
weeks. in 1905. it was Is weeks, and
could have been 16 had the funds due
the districts been brought out. The
average monthly salary paid male
teachers in the former year was $2l
in the latter year $27; white female
teachers received in 1901. $4,000 and
in 1905, $4,000. The enrolment in
our public schools in 1901 was 61 per
cent of the school population, while
i'm 1905 it reached 73 per- cent At
this rate of increase it is a question
of only a short while till our people
will have solved the problem of COM
pulsory attendance. In 1901 we had
81 frame school houses. in 1905 we
have 81, an increase of so in four
years In 1901 we had no rural libra
ries, today we have Is and in addition
to these 10 supplemental libraries.
We fhaye also in connection with
these travelling Libraries Whlch
usually remain about a year in a dis
trict, and are then passed on to ann-
ther 1t has been no trouble to secure
in each district the services of a COM
petent person to look after these
books Judging from the reports of
the librarians it is very evident that
these libraries are potent factors in
the educational life of the commune
ties where they have been placed. and
the good which will result from plac-
ing these books in the homes of so
many of our people eternity only can
tell. We have also a teachers cir
culating library, which has been very
helpful to the teachers of our county
Four years ago we had no local tax
districts, today we have seven and
the outlook is encouraging in num-
Der of others. Our people are rapid
ly becoming alive to the fact that the
only hope for popular education lies
in the adoption of this system.
We have now in successful opera
ton here a county teachers associa-
ton, which has PLAYED no little part
in the manifest Improvement along
educational lines. The teachers are
realizing that these meetings furnish
them excellent opportunities for i'm
provement. and they are taking more
and more interest in the work of the
organization as the months and years
go by. A little over a year ago we
organized the lady teachers OF the
county into an association for the bet-
terment of school houses and grounds
This organization gave a scholar
The news & observer., 1905-08-13

pended eleven thousand dollars in
building and repairing school houses.
Plans are on foot to use three thous-
and dollars for the same purpose
this year. Until last year there was
but one school house in the county
furnished with patent desks, now there
are seven.
For the school year ending June 30.
1901 the average length of the school
term was a fraction over twelve
weeks: for the school year ending
June 30, 1905. the average length of
the school term is nearly seventeen
weeks.
In 1903 the census takers reported
653 white children between the ages
II and II who could not read and
write. In 1904 the census returns
showed that that number was re-
duced to 483. This years reports will
reduce the number considerably low
er. Until 1901 there were not more
chan three districts in the entire
county whose school terms lasted
longer than three months. This year
we will have seven schools whose
terms viii last from six ito eight
months.
Besides these we have good private
schools. teaching high school branches
at Williamson's x Roads, Fairbluff.
Wanamish, Dothan, Smyrna, CenO
Gordo and Pleasant Plains.
We believe in the near future a nla-
jority of the last mentioned districts
will do the right thing by adopting the
local tax. Evidently this is the Solu-
ton to our educational problem. l
find in local tax districts the citizens
take a deeper interest in schools; the
average attendance is much better;
the school houses are better, the pupils
make hpttpr nrOoreSS.
Local taxation means more money
and more money means better teach
els. and better teachers means better
work. and better work means better
progress.
F. II. WOOTEN,
County Superintendent.
The news & observer., 1905-08-13

number of the schools have good
maps and globes furnished by these
local associations.
For the first time in the history of
Greene county Il Teachers Association.
was formed the past year. With d
very few exceptions all the teachers
in the county took an ardent interest
in it's meetings. These meetings We're
held monthly during the session Of
the schools Much good was accom-
pliShed by the Association; the tangi-
bic results being a more rapid ad
vancement of the pupils, and a great
er average attendance.
There are thirty-one white and
twenty-five colored schools in the
county, of these twenty mine white
and twenty-five colored We're taught
the past year: two of the white were
not taught because teachers could not
be obtained. The school census show
school population of 1923 white.
and 1.766 colored; total, 1886. OF
this number 1,510 white and 1,34i
colored were enrolled; total. 2,S5i.
The average daily attendance was:
white, 829, and colored, SOC; tctal av-
erage daily attendance, 1886. Paid to
white teachers in the county, $3,76O.25:
colored teachers. $1,123.75; for new
school houses and sItes, $997.41; for
repairs, $15S.S9; school furniture,
$274.75. The average salary paid the
teachers in the county was: white,
$2S.79; colored, $19.5S. The average
length of schools taught for both
races was eighty days.
Our county experiences great diff
ficulty in getting competent teachers.
We are doing all that we can TO en-
courage the young people of our coun-
ty, so inclined, to7 take up. the work
of teaching and some have done
splendid work. We are hoping the
day will come when this difficulty will
be removed
We shall continue the advance
movements started and avail our
selves of new ideas and methods as
favorable opportunities present them
selves. The work of building good
houses should continue, and we doubt
not that it will, until every child IL
the county mas an attractive and com
Portable school room to go to. Good
houses will attract better teachers and
create a desire for longer terms. Much
good could be accomplished in our
county in the consolidation of small
districts. We hope the day Will come
in the not far distant future when
there will be q number of good strong
rural schools in our county, employing
more than one teacher. that may
serve as an object lesson to other
communities, and do away with the
desire that seems to prevail IN our
county at present for small schools.
In some communities in our county
we believe that a local tax can be
voted by dligent effort on the part OF
those who lavor it; these local tax dis
tricts may serve as object lessons and
exert an influence that will soon
place our county among the most pro-
gressive in the State. Until the peo~
pie become sufficiently interested to
take the matter in their own hands
and increase the funds. Greene county
will not occupy the place that she is
entitled to.
j. E. DEBNAM.
Co. Supt. of Schools.
The news & observer., 1905-08-13

in building up a system of public
schools equal to the needs of the
masses of children who will never have
the opportunity of attending any 9TH
er than the public schools of their re-
spective districts. Sentiment for local
taxation and consolidation of small
districts has grown rapidly, and senti-
ment for better and more attractive
school houses has grown more rapid
ly than our fund with which to build
them. / will speak of these briefly
COnSOlidatiOn-Since 1902 the num-
Der of white districts has been re-
duced from ia to 105; colored, from
"a to %. The Board of Education
expects to keep steadily at this work,
but it cannot do the amount of work
that is needed on account of a lack Of
money with which to build new
houses. An attractive house and
teacher having the same qualities
usually does away with the ill-feeling
that is caused by removing the old
school houses and establishing the
public school at new place We
could do great deal of work along
this line if we had plenty of money
to build good houses as an attractive
school house and the prospect of a
better school are strong Inducements
to the patrons, and the children in
Variably attend more regularly
Local Taxation was elected to my
present position in January 1902.
Aided by those faithful and untiring
workers, superintendent Curtis of
Burlington, and superintendent r. B.
White, of Franklin county, l canvassed
the entire county in the summer of
1902 in the interest of schools. Few
of the people had heard these ques-
tiOns discussed. Since that time
Franklinville. Providence. Randleman
and Ramseur have voted a local tax.
Randleman and AshebOro have voted
to increase the tax rate to forty cents
on each one hundred dollars worth
of property and three times that
amount on each poll. at the same time
voting bonds for new school build
ings. The amount of local tax that
will be raised in this county on ac-
count of the elections that have been
held is estimated at SIS, 500. There are
several districts now agitating the
question, and 1 think our number of
local tax districts will be doubled by
next June.
School HouAas-My first annual re-
port, made in 1902, showed public
school property in this county valued
at $13,347.25. My report for 1905
showed property worth $27,355. The
Randleman school was chartered by
the last Legislature. Consequently
the new school building erected there
last year at a cost greater than the
entire value of public school property
in the County three years ago is not
accounted for in my annual report
We have built sixteen new school
houses in the last four years. A great
many more have b. repaired to the
extent of making them practically as
good as new.
General Progress Possibly the
The news & observer., 1905-08-13
COLUMBUS COUNTY.

In accordance with your request, /
take great pleasure in giving you a
brief account of the educational de-
velopment of our county within the
last four years.
Viewing Columbus county both
from a material and educational stand
point we will see that until recent
years it has been regarded a very
backward county.
But few years ago the old county
awoke from its long sleep, and since
then its development has been mar
velous. IT is true we have founded no
colleges, not even any high schools OF
note we have built no large manu-
featuring enterprises, but we have
improved. we have wonderfully i'm
proved our homes. we have built UP
a better system of schools and
churches.
Not many years ago the local tax
receipts of the county did not exceed
fifteen-thousand dollars. Now the
school money alone amounts to more
than ighteen-thousand dollars. Five
years ago there was not a local tax
district in the county; now there are
six, and this year the special school
tax money will exceed twothousand
dollars. Since 1901 we have estab-
lished nine rural Libraries and ex-