The New Hampton Tribune - Thursday, August 18, 1938 - New Hampton, Iowa

New Hampton Public School

The pioneers of this community were earnest advocates of education; therefore it is not surprising to learn that a school had been organized in New Hampton as early as 1856. The first classes were held during the winter of that year. The schoolroom was the northeast room of the David Edward's residence. Mrs. Isabelle Gurley, who had attended the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut, was the schoolmistress. Eight or ten pupils were enrolled in the school. Mrs. Gurley's husband had purchased property in New Hampton, but he had not yet moved to town, so Mrs. Gurley kept house in their schoolroom. School was taught in this room for three months.

The following summer, school was held in the little frame house on the eastern outskirts of the town. Later, an old log store, formerly occupied by Harrision Gurley, was used for school purposes.

Harrison Gurley donated ground for the first school house on the site where the Baptist Church now stands. This was in 1857 or 1858. The building was a combination schoolhouse and courthouse. There were two rooms in the building, an upper room and a lower room. The lower room served as a schoolroom. It was also used for elections and the holding of court. The upper room was used for public services. From 1863-1865 it was used as office space for the county officers. The Reverend Mr. Webster was the teacher of this school. This building now stands just east of the Baptist Church and is the residence of the Sherwood family.

The lot on which the present schoolhouse stands was bought in 1866 from H. P. Cotant for $125. That same year a frame building was erected on the lot. Its dimensions were thirty feet by forty feet. It was two stories high and had four rooms, two in each story.

The Independent School District of New Hampton was formed by special election in the spring of 1870, and the first board meeting was held on the third Monday of March of that year. Don A. Jackson was the president of the first school board.

Fire destroyed the frame school building in 1881. It was replaced by a brick structure built a little to the west of the site of the present schoolhouse. It faced the east. There were eight rooms, and ten grades were taught. It was in 1881 that a committee was appointed to draft a course of study for the school. A high school department was organized with a two-year course. Later, a two story addition was made to the old brick building. A three year high school course was the offered, and since then. New Hampton high school graduates have been admitted unconditionally to various colleges.

As time went on the old brick building became unsafe. It was also dark and unsanitary. To keep in step with the modern progress of education, it was necessary to add new departments to the curriculum, and this demanded a larger school building. Consequently, it was decided to build a new up-to-date schoolhouse. The old building except the addition was torn down and the material sold. The addition was sold intact and now constitutes the building known as Mae's Apartments.

In 1914, the present beautiful stone and brick building was completed at the cost of $65,000. The course of study then included kindergarten and twelve grades. In 1917, the normal training and the commercial departments were established. Later, the vocational agriculture and instrumental music departments were added to the curriculum. The community is proud of the school and its accomplishments. It ranks high among other schools of its size in the state.

The office of superintendent was established by the Board in 1884. Following is a list of the superintendents since that time: O. A. McFarland, 1884-1885; John Jones, 1885-1890; F. B. Strike, 1890-1892; H. H. Monlun, 1892-1895; D. A. Thornburg, 1895-1899; F. D. Merritt, 1899-1900; A. T. Rutledge, 1900-1903; C. L. Woodfield, 1903-1909; C. L. Love, 1909-1911; H. T. Port, 1911-1914; L. Dooley, 1914-1916; P. C. Lapham, 1916-1927; F. J. Moore, 1927-