Pleasanton School

Hamilton Township, Decatur County, Iowa
Pleasanton is situated on the divide between Grand River and Little River, on the south line of the county in Hamilton Township. An addition to the village is situated in Missouri.

The town was laid out in the spring of 1854 by Daniel BARTHOLOW. The first school was taught in 1857 by M. J. S. WARNER. This schoolhouse, a log building, also served as a meeting house, erected in the early days of the town. The logs are still [1915] in use in the framework of a barn erected by H. A. Cowles.

Other early teachers were Cole Seymour, Jim Dunkerson, Mr. Tillery and Gideon P. Walker. The teachers were paid by subscription and the length of the terms depended on the amount of money raised in this way.

W. S. Warnock who was on his way West came through Pleasanton in the fall of 1865. He had been looking for an opportunity to teach school. However, there wasn't a school in Pleasanton at the time. When the citizens of Pleasanton learned of his desire to teach, they asked him to stay for a few days while they erected a schoolhouse. The deal was struck and the men of Pleasanton went to work cutting logs and hauling them to the build site. The new schoolhouse was ready for occupancy in less than two weeks.

The schoolhouse was a little rough with log walls, a puncheon floor, a clapboard roof and split logs with peg legs for seating, but it served a good purpose. Not only did it serve as Pleasanton's school, it was used for Bible study, Sunday school and town meetings.

Some years later in the late 1850's, a building was erected here for a college [Oak Seminary]. An institution of learning was duly organized with flattering prospects. The college was a building 30x60 feet, two stories high. E. Lewis and his wife, George Stanton, John W. Crawford, W. S. Warnock and John Sallee were those who taught at the college. Myra Snook, later the wife of Dr. E. C. Macy, assisted in the classroom while attending the college as a student.

During the Civil War, soldiers were drilled in the building. Church services were also held in the college building.

The college building along with 13 other buildings was destroyed by a tornado in June, 1864. The building was blown down and was never rebuilt.

After this a brick schoolhouse was built and in 1898 after being pronounced dangerous gave way to a frame school of two stories, costing $1,000.

SOURCES: "Pleasant Plains." The Decatur County Journal. 1868. HOWELL, Prof. J. M. and SMITH, Heman C. "Pleasanton." History of Decatur County and Its People. Chapt. XIV. Decatur County Towns. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Chicago. 1915.
  
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Pleasanton School
1906
Pleasanton School
1908		  

Pleasanton School

1908 - 1909

Pleasanton School

1909

Pleasanton Elementary

1910

Pleasanton School

1928
Lee Campbell, Jim Morey, Molly Clampett, Gene Franklin, Lewis Holt, Supt. Ervin Spencer, Donna Cornett, Dorothy Tye, Dallas Spencer, Anna Edwards, Lizzie Griffin, Ola Hamilton, Flo Hamilton, Olive Estes, Laural Helton, Frank Hollister, Leon Leeper, Barr Keashler, Grover Tye, Arthur Edwards, Gene Franklin, Otto Hutchen, George Young, Sidney Beach Ancil Mitchell, Mabel Smith, Merle Cornet, Vee Estes, Forest Hagan, Ann Snethen, Joe B. Tye, Silvia Vandel - teacher
Submitted by Brent Tye		 Eldon Keown, George Tye, Myrtle Graves, Esther Elmore, Thelma Franklin, Ethel Snethen, Joe Tye, Ancil Mitchell, Carl Lefollett, Bess Tye, Brent Tye - teacher, Clem Hamilton, Myrtle Keown, Mary Franklin, Allen Hamilton, Violet Weaver, Gladys Young, Gladys Heasley, Jessie Clampett, Carl Molleston
Submitted by Brent Tye		 Nell Bolon, Robert Bolicey, Roger Dun, Ruth Cornett, Wayne Carrington, Jack Painter, Arthur Curtin, Prof. Peirce, Rosco Doolittle, Billy Painter, Clearence Hinder, Kenneth Richardson, Milford Payton, Ivan Hill, Ina Ango, Thelma, Kindred, Florence Pruit

Dora Lee Overton, Marie Moore, Neotha Griffin, Thelma Griffin, Evelyn Doolittle, Vena May Moore, Beatrice Vargo, Hazel Elston, Mary Davis, Pauline Dale, Evelyn Hagan, Nancy Spencer, Catherine Sithett, Oleva Hall, Hida Davis, Mabel Birch, Wynema Davis, Thelma Moore, Franklin Reeves

Matt Cornett, Shorty Williams, Jess McDowell, Anson Henderson, Tink Painter, Alder Collier, Ronald Vaugh, Maurice Hill, Dutch Elmore, George Welch, Donald Parsons, Rick Hagan, Harold Sildint

Mr. Ivan Hill, Pleasanton, Ia. 1928

 
Photographs courtesy of Decatur County Historical Museum, Leon IA
Original page created by Sharon Becker 2013, updated 2015; transcribed and reformatted by Conni McDaniel Hall Nov 2019.
 
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