County School, America Twp. No. 1

The country school in America Township Section 29 in Southwest Quarter

The school was located on property owned by Walter Collins. In 1955, Robert A. Collins and his father, Walter Collins, moved the school house to its present location at 927 Central Ave. SW -- LeMars, Iowa. The school house was completely remodeled, a full basement and second floor and a single car garage were added.

The Robert A. Collins family lived in the house until 1957. It was then sold to Gerhardt Koehlmoos. The present owners, John & Betty Winterringer came to LeMars in 1961 and purchased the property from the Gerhardt Koehlmoos family.

...photos and information submitted by Betty Winterringer

Here are map locations. Can anyone help with any photos of the original school before it was moved into town and remodeled? This would be fantastic additional history for the family that lives in this former school (now remodeled) home! Look foward to hearing from any of you with this information. EMAIL

Present day map showing the location of this home, LeMars, IA, 2006

Original township location of America No. 1 school building...see the "red" circled locale in the lower left corner sector of this map.

Another map also showing the location of the original school house. This map is circa 1935 printed by the LeMars Globe-Post, Atlas of Plymouth County, Iowa

(I have posted an enlarged sector of the map--this does show the "sch" located in Section 29, Art Collins shown as the owner in 1935.)

The "sch" icon is shown in the SW corner of Section 29. It is a little icon building with a flag on it.

America No. 4

America No. 5  or “The Steele School”  
America Township

The Steele school is now the Toy Store in Pioneer Village at the Plymouth County Fair.  It used to be on the main street of the village, but was moved in 1991 from the spot next to the saloon so they could move in the Winter Store (Sportsman Club). The Steele school was moved to the former location at the fairgrounds in 1984.

The original location was on K-49, approximately one mile south of Le Mars on the northwest corner. It was known as the Steele School House because it was built on land belonging to the Steele family. After the school was closed, it was used for elections.

Mrs. Betty Deiterman, who was a student through 7th grade in 1934, and her husband, Vincent, who attended through 1935, recalled the following students: Earline Britton, Dorothy, Gladys and Margaret Laux-Adler; Dwight and Dwayne Sampson, Maxine Remer, Shirley Kennedy, Mildred Matron, Margery Deiterman Stance, and  Robert and Dorothy Clause/Clausen.  She also recalled Miss Woods as a teacher there and Miss Ales, who later became Mrs. Franz Brown. 

Submitted by Mrs. Ruth E. Peters, Le Mars, Iowa