Le Mars Sentinel, Tuesday, January 13, 1885
SOUTH REMSEN. The following is a report of my school ending December 26.
Number of scholars enrolled, 28, number not absent during the month, 10. The
following is a list of scholars whose standing is about 75 percent: Charlie
Murphey 98, Jennie Hay 97, Annie McCaustland 96, Charlie McCaustland 93,
David Murphey 93, Eva McCaustland 92, Ausin Murphey 94, Edward Ilay 87,
Fredie Ernest 78, Herman Lena 87, Arthur Murphey 80, Lena Mullong 78, John
Scheels 77, Lena Scheels 70. The studies taken up by a class are as follows:
Reading, writing, spelling, geography, grammar, arithmetic, U.S. history and
physiology.~ M.D. Cadwell, Teacher.
NOTE added by researcher, Linda Mohning: Very likely the early school was held in the McCaustland home in section 34.
LeMars Sentinel, Tuesday Evening, June 16, 1885
THE WIND'S WORK.
Additional Accounts of the Destruction in Town, and Reports from Neighboring
Places.
REMSEN: The schoolhouse was turned upside down and really demolished. It cost $2700
last summer, and is insured for $2000.
~photo submitted by researcher, Douglas Olson
LeMars Sentinel, July 8, 1890
Miss Mary Coates, one of the teachers of this county, near Remsen, left
Friday night for a week at St. Paul, Minn. She will visit at her old
home in Wisconsin during the time.
LeMars Sentinel, September 30, 1890
REMSEN: (From the Bell)
The Remsen school board has re-elected for treasurer, Mr. F. G. Meinert;
Meadow township has selected Mr. Neuenschwander, and Marion, Mr.
Benjegerdes, all good selections.
LeMars Globe-Post, Sept. 4, 1891
Remsen Bell: Mr. Troy Tasshaller has been engaged as principal of our school
for the ensuing term, and the board had been so fortunate to secure Miss
Mary Byrne, sister of our county superintendent, for the primary department.
LeMars Globe-Post, July 29, 1892
REMSEN:
Mr. William Jeffers of LeMars has been engaged as principal of the Remsen
school. Mr. Jeffers is, as far as we got acquainted with him, a perfect
gentleman, and the recommendations he brings with him show that he is an
accomplished teacher, such as Remsen was in need of.
Le Mars Globe, August 5, 1893, page 4.
Remsen News: At the meeting of the school board last Monday, Miss B.Dowd, of Le Mars, was appointed as teacher of the primary department of the Remsen school [town school]. Miss Dowd has had five years experience as a teacher in Sioux county and comes highly recommended. The board acted wisely when they selected her from among nineteen applicants. The Lindermann school was given to Miss Kohler, and the Kelly school to Miss McNamara. Both ladies are experienced teachers.
LeMars Sentinel, February 13, 1895
Seney: Mr. Jeffers, the principal of the public school at Remsen, intends to
organize a singing class at this place next Friday evening at the school
house. Mr. Jeffers understands music thoroughly and those who wish to
become his pupils will find him successful in the work he undertakes.
LeMars Sentinel, March 18, 1895
REMSEN: (From the Bell)
The school election here last Monday resulted in the election of John Fisch
with a majority of 79 votes against E. S. Lloyd.
LeMars Sentinel, March 9, 1896
REMSEN: (From the Bell)
Prof. Keitges has taken charge of the Remsen public schools.
Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, September 5, 1911, page 2.
The Remsen public schools should begin Monday, Sept. 5th, but that being Labor Day, and Tuesday being the day of the Farmer’s Picnic at the county farm, the opening day will be Wednesday, the 7th, with the following corps of teacher: Prof. Stampfer, principal; Miss Wiess, assistant principal; Miss Regina Wenner, grammar; Miss Carson, primary; Miss Cook, the Lauters school, and Miss Harms, the Linderman school.
Remsen Bell-Enterprise, March 22, 1917
"REMSEN 35 YEARS AGO - Some Interesting Facts Dealing with the Early
History of Remsen and Community -- The following bit of history of the early
days of Remsen and Remsen township, is contained in a copy of the Iowa
Historical Record, published quarterly at Iowa City. The copy in which the
account appeared is dated July, 1893.
The first school was taught at the residence of R.E. McCaustland, on
section thirty-four, about 1880. At this date, 1891, the only school records
show that this township has five subdistricts, which are provided with four
good school houses. The total enrollment is ninety-three."
LeMars Sentinel
Tuesday, February 18, 1919
NOTHING SUITED HIM
Beauties of Remsen Not Appreciated by Eastern Highbrow.
Remsen Bell-Enterprise: C. P. Kurtz, the teacher elected by the school
board to fill the vacancy in the public school caused by the resignation of
Miss Elsie Williges, arrived here Friday morning and departed Sunday
afternoon, and the board is still looking for a teacher. Miss Willigies will
remain in charge of the work until a successor is chosen, and it is hoped
the board will be more successful this time than was the case when Kurtz was
hired.
Mr. Kurtz left because he did not like the town, so he stated. He had not
been off the train more than two hours when he began belly-aching about this
and about that, and it seems that Remsen, although heretofore classed as one
of the best little towns in the U.S.A. is still highly deficient in moral,
social, religious and civic decency as compared to the highminded notions
that prevail in Bloomington, Ill., where Kurtz feels more at home. The
churches don’t suit him, the layout of the town didn’t suit him, in fact
nothing suited him, and he wasn’t here a day before Kurtz himself didn’t
suit anyone who had anything to do with him. He has drifted back to
Bloomington, Ill., which is considered the only good thing he did for the
town and school during his short visit.
LeMars Sentinel, May 16, 1919
The Remsen schools will continue a month longer this summer to make up
time lost during the influenza epidemic last winter.
Remsen Bell Enterprise
December 3, 1925
Auctioneer H. A. Willenburg cried three basket social sales at country
school houses last week, the receipts running as high as $50. The affairs
were arranged by the teachers and the money is to be devoted to school
furnishing purposes. The first of these socials was held at the Waldschmitt
school by the teacher, Miss Elizabeth Schlapkohl, last Monday evening. The
second was Tuesday evening at the Harnack school, Miss Marie Krekow,
teacher. The third was Wednesday evening by Miss Gladys Willenburg, at the
Witt school, In each instance a program was given by the school children and
the affairs were well attended. The highest priced basket sold by Willenburg
was for $7.50.
Remsen Bell Enterprise
November 15, 1928
School authorities in Remsen and Meadow townships and in a few districts in
the western part of Cherokee county are reported to be hot on the trail of
the gay party of Hallowe'en celebrators who destroyed and damaged property
on rural school premises three weeks ago, and arrests are expected soon. The
depredations committed during the Hallowe'en season were kept rather quiet
for a time in order to give the officials a better chance in trailing the
violators, and it is now reported that the matter has already been taken up
with county officials and that the guilty ones may soon be brought to
justice. One farmer east of Remsen saw a big truck in the school yard late
at night, but paid no attention to it. The next morning when big damages
were reported from no less than nine districts, it was suspected that the
truck belonged to the marauders; for all indications were that the truck was
brought into play in doing most of the damage. Coal and cob sheds and other
small buildings on the various school grounds were pulled over by the truck
and in most instances dragged out upon the highway. In this operation most
of the buildings were damaged, and some of the contents, such as storm
windows and other breakable property were destroyed, In one instance at
least, at the Letsche school southeast of Remsen, the celebrators gained
entrance to the school and broke desks and windows to the extent of about
$35. Other schools in that neighborhood were the Lauters and Lindemann
schools where considerable damage was done. At the Gus Hanno school in
Meadow township, a big shed, 10x12 feet was upset and dragged out into the
ditch, and most of the storm windows inside were broken. In all, it is
reported that the marauders covered more than 18 miles, doing damage at
every school house, and those who have been investigating are of the opinion
that the total amount of damage will reach over the $1,000 mark.
Remsen Bell-Enterprise
April 3, 1947
The Remsen school board is negotiating for the purchase of a school bus as a start toward covering the four adjacent townships with school bus service. It is hoped that all townships cooperate eventually. It is pointed out that in the townships of Remsen, Marion, Fredonia and Meadow there are but nine schools in operation out of a normal 36, and that operation of bus service will result in a big financial savings to the districts while it will increase the local town school population and give the pupils better facilities. The Board of Education has had several meetings with school heads of four townships and while all have not agreed in closing their schools in favor of bus service into Remsen, to start will be made with the assurance of some patronage and perhaps all after the service is inaugurated.
