Leon ~ Central Decatur SchoolCenter Township, Decatur County, Iowa |
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Leon's first school was taught in 1853 by Mr. Humphrey Fullerton
who held classes in a 16-foot log cabin. The following year, Joe C.
Porter taught classes in the same cabin. George T. Young held classes during the summer of 1855 in the old courthouse. Mr. Young was declared a hero when a windstorm came through Leon and tore away the upper story of the building. Mr. Young shepherded and carried the youngest pupils to safety. None of the eighty pupils were injured. More than one school was taught because one room was not large enough to hold the pupils. Classes were held in a log cabin on Mrs. A. E. Chase's property. Miss Nellie Arnold taught there during the winter of 1856 and the summer of 1857. Mr. L. M. Hastings taught at a new building during the winter of 1857, a term that was for only four months. Sarah Patterson-Bashaw taught a summer term of 1858 at the Gospel Ridge [east school house]. She moved her classes to the upper story of a log cabin behind Orslin's Shoe Shop. Mr. Strong held classes in the lower story of the cabin. While the new brick school house was being built in the north part of town, Mr. L. M. Hastings taught in the Methodist Episcopal Church with Mrs. Lizzie Simmons-Vail and Mrs. Hastings as his assistants. L. P. Martin taught a portion of the classes in a building uptown. When two of the rooms of the new school house was completed by the fall of 1864, Prof. Hastings held classes in the south upstairs room and Sarah Kirkpatrick taught in the north room. The bell fro the old courthouse was placed on the new schoolhouse which was established in 1868. The first class to graduate was in 1871 with four students. A committee provided for the rental of the basement of the Presbyterian Church for a Primary School on April 10, 1873. Aaron Frazier was elected as principal. The brick school building was torn down and the bricks were sold. A new school building was built in 1876 and was completed on September 13, 1877 with B. F. Roberts the contractor. A new department, the Second Intermediate Department was added on December 10, 1877. |
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Leon's North School, 1877 - 1902 Courtesy of Decatur County Historical Museum and Bob Bixby Click on photograph above to view enlargement; click on your browser 'back' button to return to this webpage. |
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[1915]
The independent district of Leon has a commodious and showy school
edifice, built of brick several years ago. It is 45 by 64 feet, and two
stories high, with two rooms below and two above. The building is well
finished, and surmounted by a cupola, with a good bell. It occupies a
fine, dry, rolling block of 288 feet square, and neatly fenced.In this building is conducted a very excellent graded school. The number of pupils enrolled is between three and four hundred. One male and three female teachers are employed, the former at a salary of $40, and the latter at a salary of $30 per month. Aaron Frazier, Principal. SOURCES: BELL, Sue E. "History of Leon High School." The Leon Reporter. Leon IA. July 14, 1898. HOWELL, Professor J. M. and SMITH, Heman C. "Leon - Schools." History of Decatur County and Its People. Vol. 1. S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. 1915. |
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1903-1985 |
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Leon North School Album
click on images for larger views |
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1911 |
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Leon South School Album
click on images for larger views |
 contributed by Jack Scott |
| Original page created by Sharon Becker 2013, updated 2015, 2017; reformatted by Conni McDaniel Hall Oct 2019. |
| Schools Directory *** Decatur County IAGenWeb |
