A great portion of this school information is resourced in MCHENRY COUNTY, Its History and Its People, 1885-1985.
On 9 March 1886 the County Commissioners created four school districts and set 10 April as the date for district elections. These districts were: South Bend School District No. 1, Oak Valley School District No. 2, Wintering School District No. 3, and Newport School District No. 4. In 1901 the State made it possible for school districts to become one per township in size by the late 1920's. The growth of the county was such that there were fifty-nine school districts of which nineteen were high school districts.
The first school house was built on land donated by Jim and Lottie Rosencrans. This was on two acres a little west of town and was called the Newport Township School. It was later used by Hans Olson as a carpenter shop.
The second school house was a two story brick building which was later purchased by Jim and Lottie Rosencrans and converted into an apartment building known as the "Rosencrans Flats."
The third school was built on Block 4 of Comstock's Addition and the building and grounds occupied the entire block.
The first teacher was a Mrs. Hickey and the second was Kate Mitchell who was "Miss Kate" to generations of youngsters and a much beloved teacher. She taught in the Towner school for twenty-six years and in several other schools in the county.
