|
A great portion of this school information is resourced in MCHENRY COUNTY, Its History and Its People, 1885-1985.
 Public Schools were established in the county on 9 March 1886. However, early settler's histories record the first school was a private school taught by Laura Donnel in her Pendroy home in 1884 and 1885. Other teachers at this early time were Jennie Strong and Katie Mitchell.
Oak Valley School District No. 2 was established by the state on 8 March 1886. In the first district meeting plans were established for two log schools and one frame school.
The first "public" school was in Falsen Township [T154 R78] in Section 31 in a log cabin on John B. Pondrey's property. A second school opened a week later in the Lewis Larson home with Jennie Strong as teacher. Later the frame school was built on the Pondrey land and was used for twenty years.
Other teachers who taught in the district while this was still Dakota Territory were Katie Mitchell, Myrtle Robinson and Laura Donnel in 1887; Bertha Wilson, Christina Mikelson and Forrest Belle Honnald in 1888; and Ida Rice who received her first paycheck in May 1889.
The following is an article written by Eliza E. Masteller [Mrs. Alexander J. Masteller] who was one of the first "public" teachers in the first "public" school in McHenry County.
Pioneer Days of McHenry County
By Mrs. A. J. Masteller
In answer to a request for a write up of my pioneer teaching, and according to my promise at the eighth grade graduation exercises held at Verendrye park, I will let my mind wander back to the spring of 1886 when I waded through the mud and tall grass ever on the alert, not for automobiles, but for fear of snakes.
McHenry County was organized in 1885. Mrs. Cameron was the first County Superintendent at the meager salary of seventy-five dollars a year.
The Courthouse was a shack called Scriptown about two miles east of where Velva is now located. There was only one store there owned by Mr. Cameron. Two schools were in the district then known as Oak Valley.
Mrs. N. M. Muus, nee Jennie Strong, and I were among the first teachers after the county was organized. I held the position in the school near our homestead at a salary of thirty dollars a month. Later Mr. Masteller, my husband, was appointed treasurer of the district at a salary of $6 per year. Now I felt sure of my pay if there was any money in the treasury, which there was not. My school term began in Mr. Pendroy's log cabin on April 1st and ended on August 1st.
The cabin was furnished with a cook stove which was used for several purposes; first, for heat, second for smoking out mosquitoes and later for seats for the children. On the last day of school a program was given and the parents all attended and
managed to get into the small one room.
The school had an attendance of twenty pupils. Most of the children furnished their own desks which were boxes with legs nailed on. There were not two seats alike as some were logs, others boxes and benches. It was impossible for them to bring chairs as they were a scarce article in the home, and when we stop to think they all had to be hauled from Bismarck or Devils Lake by wagons or sled with teams of horses or oxen, this scarcity is not surprising.
Books were also scarce. The children passed from one book to another instead of grades. Their supplies consisted of a slate, pencil and copy book.
The same year the district built a log school house. It was furnished with double desks and seats, a box stove and a small blackboard. This bulding was 18 by 30 feet. It was used for fifteen years for a school. It also served the purpose of church and
Sunday School, programs, ladies aid suppers and auction sales.
I taught the following winter from the 13th of December until the 4th of March, 1887 with never a thaw and it snowed almost every day and night. I wore felt boots to school and took my shoes with me. The children wore shoes with gunny sacks wrapped around their feet for overshoes and leggings.
The last day of school we had a spelling match in the evening. The old as well as the young took part in the spelling. The children brought lanterns for lights.
The children said they were always glad when Saturday came so they could go snake hunting.
Later the district replaced the log building with a frame school house, Mrs. Johns of Velva was teaching at the time and marched her pupils with their books into the new building. Our schools were then divided into eight grades.
The frame building was used for twenty years as a school. Then it was moved to Verendrye and sold at auction to the Luthern congregation. At the sale it brought one hundred dollars - more than it cost at the time it was built. It was then rebuilt and now is the Lutheran Church at Verendrye."
|
Click on Colored Photo for Full View
The first schoolhouse built in McHenry County
The schoolhouse was built in Oak Valley District No. 2 in 1886
Pictured in front of the school in 1898 are:
George and Leonard Marlenee, Guy Masteller, Elsie Marlenee, Gertrude,
Lula and Lizzie Pendroy (visitors), Miss Lillian Mathews (teacher),
Lenna Masteller (small girl in front), Janie Young, Anice Hevlin,
Fannie Pendroy, Ed Young, Cora Pendroy, and Fay Masteller.
|
|
