Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-27
STAR SCHOOL IS
BEING TORN DOWN
STRUCTURE ERECTED THIRTY
FIVE YEARS AGO WILL MAKE
PLACE FOR MODERN BUILDING
l D ENT ITY Is Los ST
Merging Of School With Independent
District Recalls RecolIectfons of tho
Earlier Days When School Was
Well Known.

From Fridays Daily.
The tearing down Of the old Star
school, that is soon to be replaced by a
handsome new structure that will be
more commodious and modern, ia
about completed. And to those who
were one time pupils at the old build
ing 1t will recall many recollections
Of the old school days. A brief sketch
OF the organization and merging Of
the old school into the independent
district OF Ottumwa will be of interest:
During the spring of 1872 the ground
was broken and the irst school open
ed in the sub-district Of Elm Grove,
later changed to the independent dis
trict Of Star, as there was found 70
be another district Of Elm Grove in
the county.
The site for the school was decided
to the district for school purposes
by John Hite The first board Of
directors was composed by the late
o. D. Tisdale. father of Judge Tisdale.
as the president Of the board, Judge
I'M, ]. Williams, D. H. Michael and
John Finley, as the board of directors.
AT the first meeting of the board
held July "a, 1872, Judge M. ]. Will
liams administered the oath Of Of
flee to the president, O. D. Tisdale.
who then administered the oath to
the other members Of the board Of d.
rectors. D. H. Michaels was chosen
as the secretary of the meeting and
J. H. Herrick was made the treasurer
Of the board of directors. Upon the
motion of Judge M. ]. Williams the
title was changed from the suh-dis-
trict Of Elm Grove to the Independent
district S Star.
The late l.. J. Michaels, who was
later elected as sheriff of Wapello
county, was the first permanent Sec
rotary Of the board of directors.
PRESLEY the First Teacher.
Previous to the changing Of the
title Of the district, there was q term
Of school taught In the then new build
ing by the first principal, Jamest Press
ley. who was assisted by Miss Carrie
Doreas Olney in the fall team Of 1917
and Miss Olney was succeeded by
Miss Matte Allcock. who lived with
her parents on farm adjoining the
present home Of H. w. Michaels, about
one-half mile southeast of the school.
Miss Ailcoek moved later to Kansas
where she has since died.
As the city in its steady growth
gradually expanded In the direction
Of the old Star district and the facili-
ties for educating the children Of
that fast growing district became q
serious question OF room 1t was finally
decided to merge into the independent
district of Ottumwa and a meeting
for that purpose was called by the
president
A resolution was subsequently adopt
ed by the board Of directors Of the
Star district providing that the dis
trict be consolidated and merged in
to the independent district Of Ottum-
wa. The board then adjourned and
met in joint session with the board
Of directors Of the independent dis
trict of Ottumwa and adopted similar
resolutions and Dr. E. T. Edgerly was
appointed to go to Des Moines with
a special act asking the legislature
to legalize the actions Of the two
boards in consolidating the two dis
tricts.
Thus after thirty-five years has a
school district lost its identity and
become instead of a separate organiza.
ton, part of Ottumwa's excellent
school system.
The board of directors of the Star
school at the time of the merging
Of the two districts was composed Of
Charles Schwartz j.. G. Prosser, H.
F. Michaels and George Yahn.