High Point School No. 4High Point Township, Decatur County, Iowa |
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| Ivan Mendenhall, Fred Skinner, __, Lela Smith Cronin, teacher Neva Curry |
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Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa Thursday, June 11, 1925 We wish to call attention to the series of articles on Iowa's Rural Schools appearing in the Iowa Homestead, beginning with the issue of May 28, 1925. Mr. Pierce has gathered together and is publishing in these articles a lot of material and information which it would be well for Iowa folk to read. In his first article he asks that anyone that cares to do so may send him any material which they know to be a fact whether pertaining to present day rural school conditions or pioneer days and he will include that in this series of articles. In the issue of June 4th, there appeared the following article concerning one of the old time schools of Decatur County. The article was written by Maxine FULTON, a pupil of the High Point School, in response to a call made by the State Superintendent asking that each Standardized Rural School submit a history of that school to the State Department which material was to be used in a bulletin on Standardized Rural Schools which the State Department is preparing and will be ready for distribution in the near future. 'History of High Point School' In 1853 there was a log school house north of the graveyard. They had a board nailed down with wooden pegs to sit on, and then they would have a spelling school. For lights the teacher would stand up and hold a lighted candle. They didn't have a stove, as we do now. They just had a fireplace. In 1861 there was a new school house built. They used to have church and school at first. It had two windows and a door in the north and two windows on the side and a hall went half way through the room. There were about 70 children. It was quite crowded. They had a board painted black for a blackboard. They made a rule that there should be no windows on the north, so they took the hall out and put a window in the south. They had two months of school in the fall, four months in the winter and two months in the spring. The teacher's salary was $40.00 in the winter, if it was a man, and if it was a woman teacher, they got about $25 in the spring and fall. The men got about $25.00 a month. They didn't have hardly any play ground equipment like we have now, only baseball and marbles. Those were the games about 60 years ago. Their readers were not like we have in use now, they used McGuffey's reader. School is still being held in this building erected in 1861. Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert, October 22, 2002 |
 High Point School, 1901-1902 |
 High Point School, 1926 |
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Chas. K. Coontz, Teacher | Left to
right Standing, back row: Raymond Stone, Virgil Johnson, Dorothy Stone, Dix Johnston, Alson Lane, Carroll Snethen, Joe Snethen, Leslie Lane. Standing, in front: Doris Holiway, Ruby Johnson, Marie (Sharp) Piatt, Gladys Snethen, Lola Omstead, Eldon Hollaway, Ora Omstead. Kneeling, back row: Lorraine Parkhurst, Edith Lane, Amy Johnson, Lola Lane, Alberta (Strickland) Wartrip, James Snethen. Kneeling, in front: Bradford Olmstead, Kent Parkhurst, Alvin Snethen, Thede Snethen, Ruth (Lane) McDonald. |
 High Point School, 1952 |
 High Point School, 1958 |
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William Rex, Donna Herbst, Arlan Massey, Keith Massey, Gladys Briley, Jacqueline Herbst, Delbert Briley, Wilson Rex, Joyce Massey, Jimmie Wiley, Carolyn Wiley, Clara Massey - teacher, Ramon Mendenhall, Marvin Massey, Patricia Briley, Vickie Herbst, Marilyn Wiley. |
William Rex, Tommy Boyce, Joyce Massey, Wilson Rex, Jim Wiley, Caroline Wiley, Janet Boyce - teacher, Dorothy Brolin, Mike Leeper, Robert Boyce, Arlan Massey, Keith Massey, Kenny Beasely, Norma Mendenhall, Ronnie Palmer, Joni Bronlin, Dennis Rex |
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THE HIGH POINT SCHOOLHOUSE ^^^^^^^^^^^ I love the old High Point schoolhouse For many happy days, Have I passed beneath its dear old roof And out on its grounds at play. It is here that we come together To get knowledge and grow wise, But oft we find hard lessons bring Tired brain and aching eyes. There is sheep and wolf our favorite game In which we can all engage, But soon the bell cries time is up Then back to the tiresome page. There's the maple grove and its green shade Which seems so cool and sweet, To our heated brows and aching limbs And weary restless feet. And as winter comes how the shout rings out So clear on the frosty air, It would seem from the happy joyous shout That the heart was free from care. But over north in the old grave yard Where many of our kindred lie, And many more may there find rest For oh! how time doth fly. Yes my school mates dear we soon must part At the thought how the eye doth fill, For many happy days have we seen In the schoolhouse on the hill. Dear old house the friend of my childhood How I love thee none can tall, But the passing years they whisper to all That e're long we must say farewell. But school mates dear there's a comforting thought It is this we may meet above, In a beautiful mansion in our Father's house If we follow our Savior in love. No more to be scattered far and wide As we will be here below, But forever walk there side by side And the joys of Heaven to know. -- MRS. M.J. KESSLER (Author) |
| Source: Decatur County Journal, May 11, 1905. Copied by Nancee September 8, 2001 |
| Original page created by Sharon Becker 2013, updated 2015; photos transcribed and page reformatted by Conni McDaniel Hall Oct 2019. |
| Schools Directory *** Decatur County IAGenWeb |