The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-06-07
vate schools were kept by different

individuals.
The first legal organization of a
school district Immediately at the
town, was had by petition of the
County Board, and upon the ior.n-
al order forming the district it
was organized by meeting of the
electors of the district, held Oct.
4, 1866. N. II. Miner presided
at this meeting. The following
were elected as the first board of
directors of school district, Number
"a: J. D. Carr, Director; A. G..
Jacques, Treasurer; G. H.. Fish,
! clerk. On December 3, meeting
was held to vote tax and issue
bonds to build a school house, but
two-thirds not voting in the affirm
alive, the meeting adjourned with
out action.
At an adjourned meeting held
April 6, 1867, Lot 9, Block 3, was
designated as a school house site,
and tax of $500 voted and the
orders of the district in the sum of
$500 bearing twelve per cent in
terest, voted to be issued to buy a
site and purchase a school house.
The old hospital building at the
stockade was moved, and was then
I used as a school room; it was the
first school house at Sank Centre.
Alexander Moore gave lease of
the site, where the old frame build
ing stood for five years--free of
charge, and a regular public
school was thus permanently es-
ta'blished in the town. Ann Wor-
Ellington, Cater the wife of Henry
Lancaster) was the first teacher
in the town school. 49,.
The annual meeting in March,
1868 made j. H. Dennis, Direct
or; s. Pendergast, Treasurer; E.
l.. Wright, Clerk. Miss Worth
ington, Miss Redfield, and Amelia
Wright, (later Mrs. C. M. Sprague)
were the first teachers in the re-
constructed building, several addi-
tions having been made to the orig
inal building.
During the session of the Legis-
lature Of 1869 Sank Centre was,
by special act, formed into an In
dependent District. The first
school board members under new
charter were J. D. Carr, E. L.
Wright, B. R. Palmer, N. H. Miner,
A. G. Jacques, and D. Stabler.
These gentlemen formed the first
real Board of Education. They
met April 1, 1869, and elected
Rev. George Stewart, as superin-
tendent. April 20, 1869, the Board
established two departments in
the school, primary and informed
late. Salaries were not high at
that time. Miss Robbins received
$40 per month, Miss Wright re-
ceived $40 per month. At a
meeting of the electors of the dis
trict, May 81, 1869, it was voted
to buy the present site for the
school house, for which bonds of
$4,000 were voted and a tax of
$1480~ was levied. Scandinavian
Hall was leased temporarily for
school room, until the new build
ing should be ready.
On February 10, 1870, the plans
and specifications for a school
building, submitted by Sylvester
and Truman, were adopted. The
firm of E. E. West was awarded
the building contract.
The schools were then divided
into four terms year, ten weeks
to each term, with M. A. Ellis and
Miss Marilla Idell as new teachers.
At a meeting of the Board held
March Fl, 1872, the following
resolution was passed:
Resolved:
That a high school depart
ment be established and main
tanned in the public schools,
and that this resolution take
effect from the commence
ment of the winter term, 1873.
Fayette l.. Cook was engaged as
Superintendent, at salary of $50
per month.
The Fisher building located
where the Main Street Oil Station
now stanis) was rented as an addi-
tional primary room, with Miss