From the Akron Weekly Pioneer Press
April 27, 1917
A LITTLE HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL
Inquiring back into the annals of time we find that twenty-nine years ago, in 1888, a meeting was held at Mr. Jake Ellis' for the purpose of organizing School District No. 70, in what was then Arapahoe County. At this meeting Mr. Ellis was elected secretary of the school board.
School during the years 1888-1880 was held in a little sod shanty owned by Mr. Wick Keath, who agreed to give the district an acre of land for school grounds.
The first sod school house was build upon this ground in 1889. Miss Libbie James was hired as teacher, the enrollment during the year was about thirty.
In 1890-91 S.F. Shipman was teacher, this year the enrollment being sixty. The school room at that time was furnished well with necessary requirements. We still possess three or four desks and the set of maps which have been handed down to us from the first school days. Then the school seemed to dwindle away and we come to a missing link in its history, but in 1904 we learn that there was another sod school house built by donation, then the school was in a pitable condition, for that year, there was only a 3-months' term of school and the teacher had to wait several months till the district had money enough to pay her for her efforts.
It was about this time that the district was changed from No. 70 to No. 33, Washington county. In 1905 there was only a short term, about three months, with Lottie Wallick as teacher.
In 1906 Miss Ollie Winkel was hired as teacher. She taught from April 1st to May 15, 1907. Mrs. Hutton was then Secretary of the School Board.
By a special meeting August 16, 1907, Miss Gray was hired as teacher at $32.50 per month.
Four months of this term was paid for by District No. 33, and tow months by George Trim, as tuition for Clarence and Arthur, who were attending school here at the time. In the fall of 1908, another sod school house was built, making four sod school houses in all, which have been built here.
During the school year of 1908-1909, there was a term of six months taught by Mae De Hart, with an enrollment of about fifteen pupils. One important event of that term was when they got the new school flag. They were all very proud of that, perhaps more so because there were so few pupils at that time (about nine who attended regularly). It also caused them to have a February Progarm and Box Social, February 26th. At first they thought this was impossible, as the school house was so small and not even plastered, but the program was good and a large number attended.
During the summer of 1906, they plastered the school house.
School began in September of that year with Josie De Hart as teacher for a six months' term.
The following are the names of the pupils attending school that ear:
Mabel Graves Nada Alexander
Ada Alexander Verna Hutton
Edna De Hart Sadie Hutton
Llew Hutton (sic) Clarence Trim
Freddie Graves Arthur Trim
Alva De Hart Glenn Hutton
Ray Wyman Willie Wyman
John Trim George Trim
Forest Kenny Carl Kenny
Ruth Kenny
During this year we raised enough money from entertainments to secure five new desks, the first new furniture the school had had for twenty years.
We also bought a new teacher's desk, which the school was badly in need of. During that year we had our first Eighth Grade Graduate from District No. 33, Edna De Hart.
Mr. I.W. Stealey was elected for secretary the following year and served for two years.. Mae De Hart was hired for teacher for this year, for eight months of school.
During this year, there were three that completed the eighth grade, Mabel Graves, Forest Kenny and Lloyd Steward.
Those attending school that year were:
Mabel Graves Sadie Hutton
Ruth Kenny Verna Hutton
Glenn Hutton Myra Peterson
Alice Regan Lley Hutton
Amanda Regan Forest Kenny
Alice Schultz Ernest Mullenax
Mary Stewart John Presler
Ada Alexander Emmett Presler
Nada Alexander Harry Regan
Alva De Hart Clifford Schultz
Fred Graves Lloyd Stewart
Ray Wyman Willlie Wyman
Earl Wyman
There being twenty-nine enrolled, They got a stove and a few other things for the school. The next year Josie D. Jones was hired for eight months. The same pupils attended school as the previous year, with the exception of two new ones, Richard and Jack Fisher, and one more, Ada Alexander, completed the eighth grade.
The following May, Mr. O.S. Presler was elected to serve as secretary for one year, to fill the vacancy at that time, as Mr. Stanley resigned from the office.
During the year of 1912-13 Miss Florence Presler was hired to teach. There were about twenty-five enrolled this year.
The library was started and quite a number of books were bought.
The year of 1913-14 was taught by Miss florence Presler again with an enrollment of nineteen; two more completed the eighth grade, Nada Alexander and Emmett Presler. There were more new books added to the library again this year.
This same spring Mr. O;S./ Pressler (sic) was re-elected for secretary.
In 1914-15 Mr. Meadows was hired to teach eight months, with twenty enrolled. This year the teacher and pupils got song books for the school and books for the library.
At a meeting in May of this year it was decided to build a new frame school house and build it one mile north from where the school house then stood. During the summer of 1915 the new school house was build and Mr. Meadows was hired again to teach for eight months.
There was an enrollment of fifteen this year.
Those attending were:
Nellie Shultz (sic) Mabel Wyman
Mary Stewart Ruth Kenny
Ruth Steward Alva De Hart
Earl Wyman Carl Kenny
Clifford Shultz George Stewart
Wesley Vickers Ray Wyman
Willie Wyman Everett Hugley
Richard Fisher
There were more books added to the library, a new stove was bought, and six new lamps by the teacher and pupils. And the District got our new bookcase;. There were two that completed the eighth grade, Everett Hugley and Alva De Hart.
In 1916-17 Josie D. Jones was hired to teach for eight months.
In October we had a program and box supper and took in $58.35. With part of this money we have got our globe, water fountain, framed pictures, sash curtains, shades for the windows, basketball outfit, swing and teeter board. We had two contests with other schools and won first prize in both. We can't help but feel a little proud of that.
We still have our same secretary, Mr. O.S. Pressler, who has helped with so many things this year, fixing the playgrounds, oiling the floor, etc.
We have had the same treasurer, Mr. Price, for the last two terms, and our president, Mrs. Griswold, has been in office for so many years that it seems impossible to trace back to the beginning of her term. This completes the history of the school up to the present date.
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From the land patent data, most of these families were in 5 South 54 West - which is south of Lindon. The District was also called Gordon.
This page was last updated November 7, 2011