|
|
Audubon County |
Home History Main 1889 History |
Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
It is highly complimentary to the intelligence of Audubon County people, that in the few years devoted to the development of educational advantages, she has made so fine a record. Education has ever been held uppermost in the minds of the general population, who have never expended foolishly, yet always liberally, for the support of schools. To-day she has a system which equals any and far surpasses many older settled counties. It may be said there are fewer persons who cannot read and write than in almost any other county. "The High School of the town of Audubon is one of the most flourishing and effective in all western Iowa, having for the past eight years been under the superintendency of enterprising educators, who were awake to modern methods, which have been introduced with most satisfactory results. The curriculum embraces the higher branches of study, including languages, while special attention is given to a preparatory course for teachers giving equal advantages in this regard with the regular Normal Schools, and no higher reward of compliment could be paid to those whose endeavors have thus built up this school than the knowledge of the fact that among the successful instructors doing good work in the county to-day there are many who have graduated from this place of learning." The schools throughout the county are under an excellent system, so that none are deprived of advantages. In going over the entire county one beholds district schoolhouses every two miles each way, making a grand total of one hundred and eight. This is indeed wonderful when one comes to reflect that there are only twelve civil township[s] within the bounds of the county, giving nine school-houses to each township upon an average. In 1878 there was but one graded school, and that at the village of Exira. In 1888 there were three graded schools -- one in Exira Township of two rooms; one in the village of Exira of five rooms, and one at Audubon of seven rooms. The cost per pupil in 1878 was $2.40, while in 1888 it was but $2.20, with far greater advantages. (See village history for other educational matter.) The following will show the advancement made in educational matters in the last decade, as shown by the reports of the Audubon County superintendent of schools: |
| NAME OF DISTRICT. | 1878. | 1888. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCHOOLS. | PUPILS. | SCHOOLS. | PUPILS. | |
| Audubon | 8 | 222 | 10 | 292 |
| Ind. Dist. of Audubon | 7 | 416 | ||
| Cameron | 3 | 23 | 9 | 161 |
| Douglas | 3 | 60 | 9 | 186 |
| Exira | 8 | 236 | 9 | 312 |
| Ind. Dist. of Exira | 2 | 140 | 1 | 256 |
| Greeley | 1 | 119 | 9 | 227 |
| Hamlin | 1 | 110 | 9 | 310 |
| Leroy | 3 | 69 | 8 | 183 |
| Lincoln | 3 | 28 | 9 | 197 |
| Melville | 5 | 54 | 9 | 187 |
| Oakfield | 5 | 30 | 9 | 175 |
| Sharon | 2 | 3 | 8 | 174 |
| Viola | 5 | 111 | 9 | 207 |
| ------ | -------- | -------- | -------- | |
| Total | 49 | 1,205 | 115 | 3,283 |
Prev. <=== Continue Reading ===> Next
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass September, 2014 from "Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties", Chicago: W. S. Dunbar & Co., 1889, pp. 662.
