Chapter XI
The question strangers most often ask
about Chariton is: “Where did it get its name.”
The answer comes from the “Lucas County
History of 1881.” In a very early day,
a French Indian trader established a trading post on the north bank of the
Missouri River when an unnamed river was flowing into it. To this river the Frenchman gave his own
name, which with English spelling, becomes “Chariton.”
The river comes into Lucas County from the
west. Southwest of the town it makes a
sharp turn northward then turns again and angles southeast until it reaches the
Missouri state line southeast of Centerville, from which point it turns again
and flows almost due south until it joins the Missouri at a point where the
town of Glasgow is now located and where the Frenchman had his trading post.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Indians Moved Out
By the autumn of 1846 the Sac and Fox
Indians, who owned this land, had moved west in accordance with their treaty
with the government.
Then came a band of Mormons, the first
white people to set foot in Lucas county.
There was a great migration of them moving from Nauvoo, Ill. to Utah,
where they expected to establish their New Jerusalem. Some of them traveled over what we now know
as the Bluegrass road, although there was no road at that time.
Many
years later the D.A.R. organization erected a stone marker on that road a short
distance southeast of Chariton, commemorating their long hard journey. The D.A.R. also erected a stone on the
courthouse lawn honoring the Mormon migrations.
These Mormons found and settled in the
pyramid-shaped angle of the river and named it Chariton Point. They built log shanties with dirt floors and
thatched roofs, planted crops and lived there parts of two years, before
pushing on to Utah. There were several
sections of this migration and some added more shanties.
In the mid 1840’s Thomas Brandon,
grandfather of Sterling Martin, traded some livestock for some of the shanties
and lived there for a time. Mr. Brandon
was then only 19 years old.
Material for this article has been drawn
from many sources, among them a thesis written by Mrs. Thomas Barnhart and
loaned to this writer.
Education was a prime concern of the
pioneers. Before schools could be
established, a few children would be gathered together in a home and taught the
fundamentals – “readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmetic.” The first worship services were also held in
homes but churches and schools were built as soon as possible and at first all
were of logs, like the homes.
The first school in Chariton was taught by
Crawford Sellers in the winter of 1852-53.
There are no records and no other information. The next year, Frank Savacool taught school
in a log building near where the post office is now. The first structures were warmed by
fireplaces.
The pupils sat on slab benches and used
slanting shelves fastened along the wall by pegs for desks. These were for the larger pupils. The little children had to sit on similar
benches without the benefit of any kind of back rest during the long school
hours.
In 1855, the school district authorized
the first school house to be built where the Baptist Church now stands. It was a frame building about 24 by 40 feet
and was still standing when the History of 1881 was written, at which time it
was in use as a broom factory.
In 1859, the district was reorganized into
an independent town school district.
Isaac Kneeland was secretary and Warren S. Dungan, father of the late
Myra Dungan and of Mrs. Edna Culbertson of Minnapolis, was a director, which
position he held for many years.
The school term was for six months and
there were three grades: Primary and
Intermediate, where women teachers were paid $20 and $25 per month
respectively, and the Secondary grade, taught by a man whose salary was $40 per
month.
When a teacher was sick, the janitor was
asked to build the fire and for this he was paid 25 cents per week. Coal was 10 cents a bushel. At the close of the school year the board had
to borrow $100 as the women teachers had not been paid for three months.
The next year, 1860, the board had to
borrow $75 for a five-year term and give a mortgage on the school
building. They bought two stoves for
$57.50.
The man teacher agreed on a salary of $30
and the women agreed on $15 and $18 respectively. These salaries continued for about three
years. Money was scarce, but this was a
healthy growing community and more room was needed.
In 1864 the board bought the old M.E.
Church – a frame building 24 x 36 feet for $400. It stood where Johnson Machine Works is
located. A ten-mill tax was levied to
remodel the building and to raise the teacher’s salaries. This building was then known as “The Old
Church School.”
The next year the board passed a
resolution allowing all children of color to attend the same schools with white
children. Salaries were raised to $50
for the Secondary teacher and $25 for each of the other two.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Fire
In June of 1864 the board bought land from
T. M. Stuart, great-grandfather of Judge William Stuart. Many delays followed but in March, 1868, a
three story brick building was begun. It
was call the “South” building until the name was changed to Columbus. It was a prideful achievement but nine years
later it was struck by lightning and, although discovered early, there was no
fire-fighting equipment and it burned to the ground. Upon this catastrophe was built one of the
city’s most revered organizations – the “Chariton Volunteer Fire Department” –
a source of continuous pride to every citizen of Chariton and of Lucas county.
A new Columbus building was soon under
construction but could not be finished in time for Chariton’s first high school
graduation exercises. This important
event was held in the Mallory Opera House where two boys and four girls
received their diplomas: Lee Russell,
Harry Woodward, Susie Kubeitchek, Bettie Burns, Jessie Waynick and Lizzie
Davidson.
The Chariton Leader of May 7, 1935 was
loaned to this writer by Miss Mary White, who, with her late sister, Sarah,
were teachers in this school system for 22 years. This issue of the paper is the “Charitonian
Quill Anniversary Edition,” a full size paper of four pages all about schools
and school people here and elsewhere.
“The Quill” was a local organization
affiliated with the “National”, which, at this time was celebrating its 300
years of educational progress and of collecting and preserving high school
history in America.
A front page reproduction of Chariton’s
first H. S. diploma is a feature of this 1935 Leader. Beside the picture of the graduates is that
of Rev. J. A. Russell, Episcopal Rector who was also Superintendent of Schools,
and there is the picture of Miss Carrie E. Campbell, the teacher. The date is May 24, 1878. Rev. Russell had begun in 1876 as head of the
school when there was not a standard course of study and attendance was
irregular. In two years he had organized
courses which set certain standards required for graduation from the three-year
high school.
Bancroft Building
With the new building under construction,
class rooms were rented wherever available in buildings owned by Mr. Yengel,
Mr. Gassser and Mr. Palmer and in basements of the Presbyterian and Lutheran
Churches.
Meanwhile another building was under
construction at Main and Osage – Fourth Avenue then. It was a two-story, eight room brick
building, designed for primary and intermediate departments. It was called the “North” building until 1892
when Prof. L. B. Carlisle changed the name to “Bancroft” in honor of the great
historian of that name.
The high school body continued to
grow. More room was necessary. In 1900, the Bancroft, now 23 years old, was
torn down and replaced by a spacious new building, with grades on the first
floor and high school on the second.
This was the “New Bancroft” until 1924 when the name was changed to “Alma
Clay” in honor of Miss Clay, who had taught there from 1894 to 1928.
In 1881-82 another building was erected on
land purchased from Harrison Busselle.
This was the “East” building until the name was changed to
Garfield. It was remodeled in 1914 and
again in 1940.
The next year the board bought lots in the
west part of town. Nothing was done with
them for seven years. Then in deference
to a petition signed by about 50 residents in the area the board voted for a
bond issue of $8,000 and the building was ready for occupancy in 1890. This was “Franklin.”
In the early 1920’s, Chariton was one of
several communities selected by the State Teachers College at Cedar Falls to
host a 12-week extension summer school.
It offered various courses for higher scholarship and advanced college
courses. It continued for several years
and was under the direction of Prof. Elmer Ritter of the State College faculty.
Dr. C. P. Colgrove, a noted educator was
on the staff and his lectures are still remembered by those who attended his
classes. Superintendent J. R. Cougill
and Lucas County Superintendent I. L. Guernsey were also on the staff. There were others but names are not
available.
A folder loaned to this writer by Miss
Mary White, who attended the extension school, describes the courses offered
and shows pictures of the Alma Clay, where the school was held, the public
library, the post office and two pictures of Crystal Lake with the following
caption; “Bring your books, but don’t forget your bathing suit.”
Then follows an invitation to enjoy
Chariton’s hospitality, extended by the Commercial Club, the Woman’s Club, the
Gun Club, the Churches, many fraternal organizations and finally, “All the
Citizens”.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - -
O Time, O Change!
As time moved on, it was evident that a
separate building must be provided for the high school. It had been accredited in 1901. In 1908 it had a football team. Two years later a manual training program was
added.
The board had been buying lots
adjoining Alma Clay. In 1921 bonds were
voted for $185,000 for the building. It
was finished for occupancy in 1923 at a total cost of $250,000.
Progress marched on and in 1936 Vocational
Agriculture was added, but since man does not live by bread alone, instrumental
music with a part time instructor was added, but shortly a full-time teacher
was provided.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Annex
In 1951 bonds were issued for $410,000 to
build an annex to the high school building.
This wing was planned and especially equipped for vocal and instrumental
music, occasional agriculture and shop classes, an art room, a spacious
cafeteria and a fine gymnasium.
Then followed a football field at a cost
of $10,000. After grading and seeding at
additional cost, the field was ready for the school year of 1956-57.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Dedication
The annex was the first of the school
buildings to have a formal dedication.
Guess speaker was Dr. Henry Harmon, president of Drake University.
The high school band, under the direction
of Mr. Howard Robertson, furnished the music.
Mr. Frank Lunan, School Superintendent was introduced with the members
of the school board, Renus Johnson, president, Harry Lightner, Glenn Darrah,
Mrs. Harold Clark, John Baldridge and Ralph Lipps, secretary.
In 1963 two more buildings were added, the
new Columbus and the Van Allen at a cost of $690,000.
Pages 31-37
No comments:
Post a Comment