The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-02-07
THE OLD LEON SCHOOLS
Frank P. Warner Writes Interest
ingIy of His School Days in
Leon Fifty Years Ago.

LCUli uty lCdlS HyUs
Frank p. Warner, one of the old boys of
L eon, now resident of Florence, Colo.
sent THE REPORTER the following in
teresting letter which will be read
with interest by many of the old boys
and girls who attended the Leon schools
fifty years ago. Time has dealt geatly
with most of them, but quite few
have passed to the great beyond, and
others have long since moved to distant
states:
think | ATTENDED every school
taught in Leon from 1857 to 1868. 1T is
a long time ago and memory is fre-
quently faulty, but want to ruminate
a little, at risk.
Having no school house, Icons first
schools were taught in vacant store
rooms and dwelling houses -afterward
in the little frame school house on
Gospel Ridge, east of town and in the
little frame Methodist church on Com
mercial street. Among buildings used
for school purposes and teachers who
presided remember the following:
About 1857 Emma Martin taught a
term in the old log dwelling house
owned by "Plug" Johnson. That was
situated just block west of the resi-
dence known consecutively as Judge
Kelley's, Sam Cummings and Judge
Forrey's. Sarah Patterson taught
soon after, in an empty Office building a
half block west of Judge Sales hotel
barn and also in an empty dwelling
house west of the old Jail. Sarah. Kirk
patrick about 1858 or 1859 taught in a
vacant store building south of the
square; and think another term in a
store building at the south east corner,
known as the Bradley & Gardner build
ing. In 1860 went to school upstairs
j in what was afterward known as John
Baldwins grocery store. At that
school Charles Finley taught me how to
write. He was older than I, but old
and young went to the same school in
those days. don't remember in what
year the little frame East End school
house was built, where Rev. Porter and
others used to teach, but | know the
school population so increased that
we'd have schools going in two or three
places at once.
Several terms of school were Taught
in a vacant building, north side of Com
mercial street, west of Main, about
1861; and Prof. Hastings taught in the
NJ. E. church, a half block west, not far
from the same time. About year be-
fore this Prof. Lewis taught in an empty
dwelling just east of the Sales House;
I, it was while these schools were going
that the town was building the !. Sour
room brick north of town; when lit was
finished we thought we were fixed
for all time to come. Our principals
were Profs. Hastings, Newcomb, Dill
saver, Frazier, ct ais, whose names
cannot recall.
/ Leon always had good schools. Not.
wlthstanding the boast of modern
methods, the schools of today are easier
but not as thorough as the old dig and
grind sessions of forty years ago
Many of your gray haired men and
women were among my school mates
Let me recall the names of few-theil
school names, mean, we had: Eph
George and Matte Post; Elmer, Mary
and Ella Adams; Louisa Weldon; Thurn
Weldon; Bill kirkpatrick; Henry Sny.
der; Dick Bobbitt; Martha, Matilda and
Ben Jordan; Elsie, Sam, Letitia, Mary
Martha, Butler and Billie Ellis; Mary
Frank and Lottie Knapp; Billy Boone
Mary, Louise and Clara Patterson; Lige
and Frank Freeman; John, Alice and
Mart Campbell; Lucy, Addie, Cora, Cass
and Henry Lunbeck; Nilt, Wade an6
Hattie Lindsey; Mary and Frank Mud
gett; Sam, Howard and Mollie Read
Ellen Jenree; Jessie Hammer; Charlie
Kate and Frank Finley; Dick, Minerva
Heb, Freeman and Bell Bobbitt; Ike
Cal, Bell and Emma Burns; Hila Fish
burn; Emma and Helen Dawson; Wesley
Silvers; S. A. Gates; Raiff Porter; EN-
met, Frank, John and Annie Gardner
A. f. Woodruff; ]. r. Conrey; Metti'
and Deli Pitman; Mamie Detrick; Orph;
Miles; Ida and Dan Porter; Bill ant
Mont Howard; Vannie, Cass and Franl
Sales; Wilford, Watson, Josie and Mar,
Miles; Jessie Forrey; Tom, Rob and ELL
Kirkpatrick; Cal and Hymena Hoffman
Geo. and Jim Baker and host of other
who were younger than and in grade
lower-after we attained to the dignit
of graded school. almost overlooke,
my brothers, Dock, Mahlon, Wes AM
Ed of course they were there, too.
Let me explain, Bro. Hull, that / az
PROSTATE from illness, have been 70
two years and the above list is give
just as the names occur to me, not wit
a ~ pretense at accuracy or complete
rest of the guild.
Continue to send REPORTER till yo
hear from me again. And oblige.
| FRANK p. WARNER,
Florence. Colo.
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