The first attempt at schools in Hardin township was in the summer of 1854, when John Caldwell and his neighbors gathered together and erected a log school house, in which George P. Griffith taught the first school. This building stood on the banks of School creek, and was so named by Mr. Caldwell after the erection of the building for school purposes. It was located about two miles southeast of the present city of Iowa Falls. In 1881, this township boasted of fourteen good school buildings. The graded school at Iowa Falls was early considered one of the best in the state, county the size of the town.

The present number of schools in this township is thirteen and the total enrollment is one hundred and seventy-seven. Iowa Falls became an independent district in 1865 and Miss S.L. Hillock, of Webster City, was the first principal. Too much cannot be said of the efficiency of the present schools of Iowa Falls, including the noted Ellsworth College, the gift of Hon. Eugene Ellsworth.

ALDEN TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The first school in Alden township was taught by Martin Pritchard, in the winter of 1856-57, in a building later owned by Mrs. Neill. In 1866 the district erected a brick building, costing three thousand four hundred dollars; it was a two-story building, twenty-eight by forty-eight feet. The school was at that time in good condition and in 1880 was graded. Stephen Whited was the first principal. The building becoming too small, an addition of the size of the original was made, costing three thousand dollars. The township and village of Alden have always been noted for their good schools and at this dated --1911-- the township has thirteen school buildings, well equipped. The total enrollment is three hundred and twenty-eight pupils.

BUCKEYE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The first school taught in this township was in a building built in the fall of 1857 on the southeast quarter of section 11, by L.T. Beard. It was a frame house, costing seven hundred dollars. The first school taught there was in the summer of 1858 by Maria Moss. There were only eight scholars in attendance. The next winter the school was taught by L.T. Beard. In 1882 there were four school buildings in the township, valued at one thousand dollars. The wages paid then was twenty-eight dollars and fifty cents per month. There are at present eight school houses in the township and the enrollment is one hundred and thirty-two pupils.

CLAY TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The first school taught in Clay township was in the residence of Mrs. Samuel Hoover, on section 29, the school being taught by Mrs. Hoover. In 1880, outside of Steamboat Rock, there were eight school houses. At this time the number of schools in the township is adequate to the demand. At Steamboat Rock the first school was taught by Lizzie Kadoo, in an old log house erected by Sanford Baldwin, the second house erected on the town plat, in the winter of 1856-57. This gave way in 1870 to a fine brick building, costing fifteen thousand dollars.

ELDORA TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

Eldora township had the honor of having the first school and school building within Hardin county. In the summer of 1853 a small log school house was raised about two and a half miles southeast of the present city of Eldora, on what come to be known as the Conger farm. The building was erected by the subscriptions of citizens, W. Bailey being employed to do the building. It was ready for occupancy that autumn and Thomas McClure was the pioneer teacher. He resigned and was succeeded by Samuel Smith, but cold weather coming on, he was compelled to retire to the residence of Mr. Conger, where the term was completed.

According to the last report made to the state superintendent, there are now thirteen schools within the township, while enrollment is five hundred and nineteen.

The first school taught in the present limits of Eldora was in the fall of 1854, by Mahala Ellsworth, later Mrs. S.G. Winchester. The term was of short duration, as she had to vacate the building when it was wanted for residence purposes.

GRANT TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

In Grant township the first school was taught in a house erected on section 24, built in 1868, at a cost of one thousand two hundred dollars. It was known as the Shintafeer school house. Charles Balos taught the first term of school in the autumn of 1868. He was paid the sum of thirty-three dollars and thirty-three cents per month. By 1882 the township had within its borders eight school buildings, costing three thousand six hundred dollars, and there were two hundred and thirty of school age in the township. Today the number of buildings is nine, and the enrollment is one hundred and sixty-two pupils.

ELLIS TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The first school taught in Ellis township was in a log house built by R. and D.C. Kennedy, in 1857. They received the contract and sawed the lumber by means of a whip-saw. G.L. Morrill taught the first term of school the same season the building was erected. The teacher later married and became a thrifty farmer of Buckeye township. In 1881 the township possessed eight school houses and had excellent schools. Today the number in he township is somewhat greater.

ETNA TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

In Etna township the first school was taught in the summer of 1855 by Martha George, in a building erected in the previous winter, of hewed logs, the work being accomplished by the neighbors interested. The size of this rude affair was eighteen by twenty-two feet and it stood on thesouthwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 34, on land owned by Ichabod Lathrop. The attendance at this first term of school was twenty-one. By 1882 there were nine school buildings within the township and much interest taken in educational matters.

PLEASANT TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The pioneer school in this township was taught by Isaac S. Moore, in a log cabin erected on section 28, by Jesse Waggle in the winter of 1853-54. The first frame school house was erected in 1856 on section 28, costing one hundred and fifty dollars. It was eighteen by twenty-two feet, boarded up-and-down. In 1880 there were ten good frame school houses, valued at four thousand eight hundred dollars. Today the number is greater and the enrollment of scholars is larger.

PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The early and later settlers in Providence township were all believers in education and looked well to all matters relating to schools. The first public school in this township was held in the winter of 1854-55 in the double log house erected for church and school purposes, near the site of the later Honey Creek meeting house of the Friends society. Mr. James Tulbert was the first teacher. By the early eighties the township owned and used ten good school buildings, valued at eight hundred dollars each. The number now is larger and the enrollment of pupils is greater by far.

TIPTON TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

The first public school was taught here in the summer of 1857, in a temporary log cabin, by Sara Howell, later wife of J.M. Boyd. The first real school building was erected of frame on the northeast quarter of section 21. Miss Howell taught a term there in the winter of 1858-59. In 1881 the township was provided with seven fine school houses and education was though above all else to be of most value to the young. There are now in this township seven school houses and an enrollment of one hundred and seventy-seven pupils.

SHERMAN TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

In this township the first school building was erected in 1870, and was styled the Winterfield school house, on the southwest quarter of section 1, costing eight hundred dollars. Thlen Briggs, then a resident of the township, taught the first term of school therein. In 1882 the township had come to be divided into nine school districts, the buildings being valued at four thousand dollars. Twenty-five dollars per month were then allowed for teacher's wages. Today the township possesses eight school buildings an an enrollment of one hundred and thirty-one pupils.

UNION TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

In this township the first school (a select one) was taught by Mr. Whitehead in 1853-54, held at the house of James A. Dawdy. This was the starting of the excellent school system now possessed by the township. As early as 1881 the township boasted of its thirteen school houses, valued at eight hundred dollars each. The fist school house erected in the township was in 1854, on section 14. This was a rude log building, eighteen feet quare, having its pioneer floor of puncheon, slab seats and extremely low ceilings. The first master to rule with rod and ferrule was Ezra Abbott. The next teacher was Named Fisher, but better recalled as "Old" Greasy Breeches." Today the township has nine school houses and an enrollment of one hundred and eighty- five pupils. This does not include the town of Union.