Westerville School No. 8

Richland Township, Decatur County, Iowa
 
Westerville was founded in 1853 by Theron WESTERVELT. During the early days of the little village, the children attended school in a cabin. The earliest school teacher was a Mr. LUTTON. Jennie GROGAN and Alta HAUENSTEIN were also early teachers at Westerville.

It isn't known exactly when the Westerville School was built.
 
Westerville's post office closed in 1904 and the last store closed in 1940.

In 1915, there were 27 pupils enrolled at the Westerville School. The schoolhouse was assessed as being valued at $600.

Westerville School, Richland Township, 1929.

The school closed in 1949 and is one of the few rural schools standing today. It is on the Alice McGRAW farm. Some of the teachers who taught at Westerville were: Margaret CONWELL, Getis CALFEY, George O. JOHNSTON, Rose BURKHART, Alta HAUSENSTEIN, Lena BURKHART, Helene GRIFFIN, Grace ANDREW, Laura BRADSHAW, Vera McKEE, Roy BRAMMER, Hazel OVERHOLTZER, Amy BRAMMER, Elmer DUNN, Rosamond RAMSEY, Leona BURCHETT, Wilma RAMSEY, Gussie FOLAND O'GRADY. Edith BALL was one of the last teachers, teaching from 1943 to 1948. Westerville School closed its doors in 1949.

Source: The Leon Journal-Reporter, 1975 - articles and the two photos below.


Westerville School, Richland Township, 1929.

1911 - Helen Griffin, teacher
Back Row, L-R: Bessie Cole, Kate Cole, Geneva Foland, Eldon Foland, Isador Brammer, Zelma Foland, Nelson Shields, Chester McConnell, Harland Greenland.
Middle Row, L-R: Vera Metts, Lucille Shields, Helen Foland, Amy Brammer, Henry Young, Irene Brammer.
Front Row, L-R: Gladys McGraw, Silvia Metts, Irene Brammer, Ralph Foland, Esther Brammer, Helen Griffin, teacher.
Submitted by Lucille Shields Boles.

  

Westerville School, 1917
~ Decatur Co. Historical Museum

Westerville School, 1932-33
~ Grand River Schoolhouse Museum

Westerville School, 1940-41
~ Decatur Co. Historical Museum
Circa 1917, Amy Brammer, teacher.
Back row, l to r, Isadora Brammer, Amy Brammer (Smith)-teacher, Irene Brammer.
Middle row, Ada Jones (Hoffman), Willard Brammer, Lola Metts (Swain), Katherine Foster (Short), Pearle Briner (Shields).
Front row, Dale McConnell, Oral McConnell, Ellis Cline, Rosella Foland (Fain), Homer Briner.
Submitted by Pearle Shields.		 Westerville Rural School 1932-33
Russell Short, Goldia Acton, Etola Grimm-teacher, Junior Reeves, Louie Greeland, Ross Reeves, Bobby Greenland. (Jones family of 6 had moved by spring)		 1940-41, Iris Jones, teacher.
Back row, 1 to r. Max Brown, Ramadean McGraw, Anna Conwell, Katheen McGraw, Junior Vanderpool, Marie Millstead.
Front row, Leieu Brown, Marilyn McGraw, Iris Jones, teacher.
Submitted by Mrs. Raymond McGraw.
 
In the summer of 2009, Richland Township's trustees erected signs designating where the rural school houses once stood in the township. Westerville School is still located on its original site.
Photographs courtesy of Sharon R. Becker, 2009
 
Original page created by Sharon Becker 2013, updated 2015; updated and reformatted by Conni McDaniel Hall Oct 2019.
 
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