Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-17
Old ALBION PUPILS
1O MEET N REUNION
ARRANGEMENT BEING MADE
FOR PICNIC AT ALBION
THURSDAY. AUG. 10.
TO BID FAREWELL TO
OLD SCHOOL BUILDING

Provided Schooling For Many Pupils,
to Be Torn Down Following Build
inc of New and Modern Structure
OLD Seminary Landmark of County.
Because the old Albion Seminary,
long since the school home OF the pu-
pills of the consolidated district OF Al
bior, is soon 10 be torn down TO make
room for the building OF the new town
ship school. pupils OF the old seminary
are planning a reunion and picnic, 10
he held on the old seminary grounds
on Thursday. Aug. - AL that time
the old pupils of years ago will bid
farewell 10 the building that holds
many happy traditions of days gone
by. and which is one OF the educational
landmarks OF the county.
Mrs j. c. Mickle. OF Albion. is CHAIR
man Of the temporary reunion organ
izarion. and Dr.. ". s Devine, Of this
city. is secretary. At the F. D. Dennis
home. at Albion, on Monday evening, a
meeting will be held TO perfect per-
rlanent organization. A musical pro
gram Will be given. together with sew
sral addresses By former students. and
q gathering such as can not be en-
joyed by any others than old school,
mates. IS in prospect. Picnic dinner will
BE- served at o'clock on the seminary
grounds
First institution in County.
The old Albion Seminary, or Albion
College as it was known before the
days OF the seminary. is the first ed
ucationa! institution FOR higher learn
Ing 10 be erected in this county.
Narshalltown was probably primarily
responsible for the building, for il lent
is ala 70 the project, il return FOR the
support Of the Albion people in the
Mars alltown- Marietta county seat
contest
.alb-on held The balance OF power in
the county seat election. for Marietta,
then the county seat. could retain it
with Aloions support, ard Marshall
town could win with the support OF
Albion, or Lafayette. as It then was
known.
State Paves Way.
The state legislature paved the way
az an opporrune time by its consfdera-
ton OF a county high school act pro-
viding for the building of high school
in each county Swamp land funds
were 10 be used, and $4,000 was TO be
forthcoming TO each county TO build Its
high school Albion went ahead with
the project. built the building, only
10 find that the next legislature failed
10 ratify its predecessors high school
aci, and. eventually. that no swamp
land funds We're 10 be available.
Built in 1859 so.
Thomas Swearingen. OF Albion, prob
ably knows more about the history OF
the old seminary then any other Twins
person. One time ne owned the prop
erty, and ran ii.
The election in the fall OF 1857, vot-
1 ing 10 build the county high school at
Albion, was almost unanimous. The
1 Marshall County High School AssocIa
ton was incorporated TO take over the
! project. Work was 10 have begun in
! the summer OF 1883. but the year was
1 SO terribly wet no work could De done
/ Albion people, in order TO get to Mar
ietta. the county seat, went in boats
\ across the bottoms from q point neal
+, X here the present Albion depot stands
Il Efforts 10 make the brick were IN.
l..
tinue th-uout the summer.
/! In the summer OF 1859, however. the
building was started and it was com
pleted the following summer. The sit'
was donated, half of it being presented
to the company by Mr.. Swearansen
The rock for the foundation wa
hauled from the Nicholson quarrie:
east OF this city.
P,;Ix <Af:xL~,S n>.Ao
The building was erected withou
money. Mr.. Swearingen says. No on
mad any money, and workmen tool
their pay in swamp land orders, trad
ing them out for goods al the DeSho
store at Marietta. There was not &C
tually 800 in real money Change
hands during the entire progress of Ii
building" said Mr.. Swearingen. Albio,
people subscribed $1,000 toward tn
building, but 1t was paid in work. Nj
| Swearingen paid his subscription i
timber, all Of the timber going into tn
building coming from his farm. N,
Swearingen says that this was che frs
building erected in the state to b
equipped with a selfsupporting roo
4 Adam Loucks made the brick for tn
inside work. and the brick for the out
side walls was made in Marshalllow,
The building cost complete S14 600.
First School Fall Of go.
1 The first term of school began
l the fall Of 1860, Thomas ]. Wilso
j former editor of the Lafayette Journa
the first newspaper publisher in tt
county. and father Of City Clerk J.
. Wilson. being the principal. The otf
er teachers were T. ]. Tucker and Mi:
Caroline Thomas
Just how long the school was III
under the first management is q,
known, but it failed to pay, and aft.
few years the Evangelical Luthera
Synod of Iowa took it over, agreeiT
30 run il as college. Deeds were cor
veyed to the synod and the school We
run for few years. Different peop
had charge Of the school, the last OF
being DR.. Sternberg, OF Hartwick.
z, father Of Surgeon General Sterr
berg OF the United States army.
The synod could not make the scho
pay. however. and surrendered Il
property. Peter Augustine. father
John Augustine OF Albion. held a m.
chanic's lien for 1920 on the huildin
and at sherifrs sale Thomas swearing
en- bid II in. He had Sternberg run
for three OF four years and then Eter1
berg left The building after heir