new content added 05/24/2019

School Index

Elk Township Country Schools

Additional information or photos of any of the Elk twp. schools is welcome. If you have something to share please email the Clayton co. IAGenWeb coordinator. Unless otherwise credited, the information on this page was compiled by S. Ferrall.

Be aware - the list of teachers is very incomplete....most being gleaned from the local newspapers. The dates given may not cover all years a teacher was at a particular school. Other names will be added as they are found.

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Elk No. 1 - aka Mt. Harmony school
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows this school located near the center of Section 11, a short distance south of the Mt. Harmony cemetery and 1½ mi. south of Elkport.

The school was named because of the harmonious relations between the several groups using the school for their meeting place. It was built in 1865, being the first school built after Elk twp. was divided into school districts. By 1872, 47 pupils crowded the school. (source: Clayton County Register, 4/3/1952)

Mt. Harmony school house, undated photo
photographer Ivanelle (Hansel) Willman, mother of the contributor

The photo of Mt. Harmony school was contributed by Jean (Willman) Bausch: "My grandfather Raymond Hansel attended this school ca1902/3" and "My dad went there probably in early-mid 1920's, as I can calculate. He was Edward Willman, son of Ruth and Joseph Willman. Later he attended the Wolf Creek school, ca1925. "

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1883
Report of the school taught in Sub. district No. 1, Elk township, for the month ending June 26th, 1883. Maggie Lynch, teacher.
Roll of Honor:
Charley Pilkington
Bert Otis
Maggie McMorrow
Grant Otis
Belle Godden
Martha Godden
Threa McMarrow
L-- Bowman
Bertha Lovett
Carrie Smith
~Elkader Register, Fri., 29 June 1883 ~contributed by Reid R. Johnson

1952
Primary - Sandra Harbaugh & Nickey Lewin
2nd grade - Sharon Harbaugh
3rd grade - John McDowell
6th grade - Adrianne Peterson
8th grade - Marjorie Peterson & Gerald Funk
Delpha Bowan, teacher

Teachers:

Maggie Lynch (1883)
Mr. P. White (1897)
Hazel Ross (1914)
Ruth Hageman / Hegeman (1919)
Isabelle Beck (1923)
Ivanelle Borrett (1930-1931)
Dola Gull (1930-1931-1932)
Lela Harris (1932)
Addie Peake (1932)
Dolores Hall (1934)
Bernice Wessel (1935)
Dolores Hall (1937-1939)
Lorraine McLane (1940-1942)
Mrs. Virgil Uriell (1942)
Delpha Bowman (1950-1952)

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Elk No. 2 - aka Wolf Creek Rock school - this school is now the Elk twp. Hall
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows school #2 on the boundry of Sections 3 and 4. The 1914 Webb Publishing Atlas shows school #2 in the center of Section 9. The original school was built of logs near the Wolf creek bridge. The teacher in 1859 was Ana Mary McCrum Page. In 1873 the rock school house was built by Frederick Waterman on land purchased by James & Louise Beatty. A celebration honoring 115 years of the Wolf Creek Rock school was held June 26, 1989. After the school was closed in the early 1950's, it was used as a residence until 1964 when it was purchased from the Rickert family for use as the Elk twp. Hall.

Wolf Creek school house, undated	Photo not labeled, but very likely the Wolf Creek school house. (Confirmation needed)

The photos of the Wolf Creek school were contributed by Jean (Willman) Bausch: "My dad, Edward Willman, attended this school, along with 4 of his siblings. Previously he'd attended the Mt. Harmony school. My mom, Ivanelle (Hansel) Willman took these pictures many years ago. The one on the right isn't labeled, but I'm sure it was near Garber or Elkport since she was raised in that vicinity. The family lived in area named Wayman (near Elkport) when growing up. Mom's parents were Ray & Anna (Combs) Hansel and dad's parents were Joe & Ruth (Davis) Willman."

In the photo the walls appear to be made of rock and the tree over-hanging the building in both photos looks the same, although in different seasons of the year. Positive ID would be appreciated.

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Teachers:
Ana Mary McCrum Page (1859)
Etta Hawley (1888)
Norman Scovel (1888)
Carrie Fleming (1892)
Mary McMorrow (1901-1902)
Anna Bahr (1904)
Anna Phalen (1905)
Katie Beatty (1906)
Pearl Maier (1930)
Elmer Morley (ca1933)
Faith Appelton (1934-1935)
Delores Amsden (1938-1939)
Delpha (Appel) Bowman (1941-1950)
Bernita Moser (1950)
Pearl Waterman (unknown yrs.)

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Elk No. 3 - aka Bear Creek school or Upper Bear Creek school
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows school #3 on the southern border of Section 5. (Note: it is very possible that Bear Creek school is Volga twp. #1 and Upper Bear Creek school was the one located in Elk twp. Researchers should verify independently)

1883
Report of school taught in district No. 3, Elk township, for the month ending June 15th, 1883. Martha Wooldridge, teacher. There are 12 pupils perfect in attendance, as follows:
Romina Greeley
Clara Parson
Eddie Leighty
Charlie Leighty
Ettie Hawley
Jennie Hawley
Leroy Hawley
Emma Parson
Thomas Parson
Willie Porter
Charley Beatty
Bertie Beatty
~Elkader Register, Fri., 29 June 1883. ~contributed by Reid R. Johnson

Teachers:
Martha Wooldridge (1883)
Miss R. Reilly (1883)
Fred Pilkington (1884)
Mr. Smith (Upper Bear Creek, 1884)
Mary Luch (Upper Bear Creek, 1884)
Mr. S.E. Magner (1885-1886)
Norman Scovel (Upper Bear Creek, 1886-1888 & other years, his obit states he taught in the Upper Bear Creek & Wood schools for 13 yrs.)
Ella Lucy (Upper Bear creek, 1888)
Lizzie Doran (1887-1888)
John Donahue (1889)
Bertha Bloodworth (1902)
Ann Stence (1904)
Bertha Buechel (1905)
Miss McDermott (1907)
Agnes Beck (1923)
Nona Hamlett (1930)
Bernadine Zapf (1934)
Mae Wathen (1935)

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Elk No. 4 , later No. 11 - aka Elk Valley / Elk Creek
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows this school located in the center of Section 26. The school was moved twice due to flooding on the bottom land area. See also Elk No. 11, which is the same school. The Elk Creek cemetery is not far north of this school.

Teachers:
De Los O'Neall (1930)
Bethel Barclay (1934)
Cyril Meyer (1935)

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Elk No. 5/6 - aka Elk Center school
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows this school located in the NW corner of Section 22. It's possible that this school was moved and/or rebuilt twice over the years. It is near the ancestral Appleton homesite farm, approx. 3 mi. NE of Wood.

Teachers:
Elmer C. Morley (ca1920)
Elsa Schnack (ca1924)
Nellie L. Faust (1927)
Sula Walters (1930)
Gayle Rizer (1934-1935)

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Elk No. 7 aka White or Wayman school
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows this school located near the center of Section 1 along the Wayman Branch.

Teachers:
S. Stewart (1884)
Miss Barker (1888)
Elmer C. Morley (1917/18)
Verni O'Connor (1923)
Fred Seeman (1930)
Dorothy Costigan (1934-1935)

Students 9/3/1917 - 5/10/1918
8th Grade: Perry Hansel, Grace Hansel, Gracie Nichols & True Hansel
5th Grade: Elva Hansel & Russell Hansel
2nd Grade: Minnie Harbaugh
1st Grade: Gladys Hansel, Earl Hansel & Lulu Harbaugh
Teacher: Elmer C. Morley
District No. 7 Officials: C.W. Morley, President; Walter Hagemen, Secretary; K. Rulon, Treasurer and Aaron Harbaugh, Director

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Elk No. 8 aka Burgin school
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows this school located towards the east side of Section 19.

Teachers:
Kathryne Lucey (1930)
Lucile Conley (1935)
Irma Shaw (1948)

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Elk No. 9 - aka Advent school
This school was not shown on the 1886 Warner-Foote plat. School was held in the Adventist church building, Section 24. Later a school house was built along the Garber Rd. in Section 24. It is shown on the 1914 Webb Publishing Atlas.

Advent School

This photo of the Advent school house was in the Guttenberg Press, August 18, 2004 as part of an article about one-room school houses, written by Charlene Barnhart, who also submitted the photo. The photo caption indicates that the school building was purchased by Mrs. Groth and moved into Colesburg.

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1952
A photo of Advent school children was published in the Clayton County Register, Feb. 14, 1952. The photo did not reproduce well on the microfilm, so not shown here. The photo caption reads:
It was a mild day last fall when Mrs. Delos Sadewasser and her pupils posed for the photographer outside Advent school in Elk District No. 9. Mrs. Sadewasser has taught this school for the past three years, and previous to that taught one year at Mallory District No. 9. Her pupils are:
Jon Combs and Haren Hansel, eighth grade
Kay Hageman, seventh grade
Neil Hansel, fifth grade
Ronald Combs, Judy Hageman and Sandra Hansel, fourth grade
Lee Kulper, second grade
Patsy Hansel, first grade.

Teachers:
Mary Stamford (1909)
Bertha Waterman (1914)
Ina Gray (1918-1919)
Miss Ross (1922)
Marie Walters (1922)
Bernice Borrett (1923)
Elmer C. Morley (1923)
Mary Margaret Mitchell (1929)
Dora A. Gull (1930)
Clotilda Stroschein (1934)
Pauline Waterman (1935-1936)
Mrs. Sadewasser (1950-1951-1952)

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Elk No. 11, originally No. 4 - aka Elk Valley / Elk Creek
This school is shown on the 1914 Webb Publishing Atlas in Section 26 a bit south of the Brookshier/Elk Valley/Taylor cemetery. This school is the same as Elk No. 4.

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Wood Center school
The 1886 Warner-Foote plat shows this school on the eastern boundry of Section 32. It is 2 mi. northeast of Wood. The Elkader Register, 11/3/1882, reported: "P. Stover was awarded the contract to build the Wood Center school house for $565."

The Wood Center school, ca1950

The photo of the Wood Center school was contributed by Jean (Willman) Bausch from her personal collection: "My sister, Lila, daughter of Edward & Ivanelle (Hansel) Willman, attended the school until it closed and all the students transferred to Edgewood School district.   I'm only about 2 yrs old in the picture visiting the school - standing next to my sister."

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Teachers:
Norman W. Scovel (ca1880/1890, his obit states he taught in the Upper Bear Creek & Wood schools for 13 yrs.)
Ruth Hageman (1923)
Ina Gray (1923)
Elmer Morley (1930)
Nona Hamlett (1932-1935, 1937)
Vivian Palmer (1940)
Evelyn Totman (1948)

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See also: Clayton co. educators

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