'A CENTURY OF MEMORIES'
OF VAN WERT, DECATUR COUNTY, IOWA

1880 - 1980

Post Office, Schools & Teachers
 
POST OFFICE
At the time of the early settlers in the area, one of the necessary things needed was a place for the arrival and holding of the mail. In those early days when no rural routes were established, many small Post Offices were established in the homes of a local resident.

Florence was the pioneer name of the present town of Van Wert, settled in 1853 but was soon changed to Prairie City and then to Prairieville and finally to Van Wert.

Of the small Post Offices, Long Creek was in the southern part of Long Creek Township in the years of 1871 - 1875. Fierce was a Post Office in the southeastern part of Long Creek Township from 1885 - 1898, Spring Valley in north Long Creek Township in the years of 1856 - 1902. Patriot was an early Post Office just south of Van Wert corner in Franklin Township near the Ray Lantz farm located on Highway 69. The years for this Post Office were 1869 - 1884. Many similar small Post Offices were established over Decatur County in the early years of the settlers.
Postmasters:
Prior to 1880, James Irving Priot to 1880, John Gemmil 12 March 1880, Adam J. Johnson
1l0 December 1883, William H. Todd 3 November 1885, John Corbett 14 May 1889, Nelson G. Spencer
23 April 1891, Pearl K. Hall 3 February 1894, Thomas E. Owen 6 February 1894, Mrs. Deborah Owen
15 September 1897, Alvanus J. Rowe 10 December 1912, Frank R. Porter 9 November 1914, Margaret E. Edwards
3 March 1923, Fred A. Hall 28 February 1928, Fred A. Hall 25 February 1931, Fred A. Hall
31 October 1933, Alfred G. Smith December 1941, Miss Arta M. Smith 16 July 1942, Mrs. Bondine T. Cisco
9 February 1943, Paul E. Heckathorn 1974 - 1977, Warren (Pete) Hanthorn July 1978, Gerald Akes
Officers in Charge:
Larry Gegner, 1974       Betty Savely, 1977       Maelene Otto, 1978
Mail for the Post Offices in those early days was transported by stage. After the coming of the railroad and the railway mail cars, it arrived at the Van Wert depot and was transported to the Post Office by dray. After the railroad was discontinued, star routes were established and later the Highway Post Office, then when they were discontinued the mail was returned to delivery by star route. Some of the people who had a dray and brought mail and freight from the depot were: Johnny Fuller, Frank Rush, Bert West and Everett Saylor.

As history says the first Post Office in Van Wert was established in the house known today as the Aaron Fry property. It later moved in a brick building on Main Street.

Post Office clerks serving the Van Wert Office were Arta Smith, Pauline Fry, Belva Ramsey, Lois South, Louella Kelly, Duane Spidle, Wayne Heckathorn, Maxine Morris, Thelma Cole and Maelene Otto.

A sketchy history of the rural route is all that we have at hand. Rural carriers and substitute rural carriers known are Frank Young, Oscar (Leo) Boatman, Russell Reed, Elmer Hampton, John Cross, Russell Cox, Malcolm Tiedje, Robert Wickham and Joe Leeper.

In those early rural route days when all roads were dirt it was a task to make the complete route.

The delivery of mail has progressed over the past one hundred years. From Pony Express, stage coach, trains, star routes, highway post offices and the airplane. We have seen the change from U.S. Post Office Department to what is now known as the U.S. Postal Service. In the past few years we have been using zip code for the speedier delivery of mail and over the lat few years the number of pieces of mail delivered has grown immensely.
 
SCHOOLS
The first school house was built about one-fourth of a mile north of Van Wert in 1858. The land was donated by Mr. Steen. The building was a log structure, and was provided with puncheon slats long enough for eight or ten pupils to sit on for seats. An undressed board placed upon pegs driven into the wall served as a writing desk.

The second school house was located in about the same location as the first. It was built in 1872 at a cost of $465 and was 22 by 28 feet in size.

The third school was built in 1855 (sic, 1885?) by Lewis Holt. The land was given by A.J. Hawkins. The building stood where the present Assembly of God Church now stands. The building cost $2,700. After a few years two more rooms were added to this building. Some years later this structure was torn down and the lumber was used to build a house in town, presently known as the Chet Reed home.

Van Wert's last school was built in 1918 at a cost of $21,000. It was located across the road north and west of the third school house. The last bonds were paid off.
SOME OF THE VAN WERT TEACHERS
Edmund Blair,  Ethel Gard,  Ollie Foxworthy, Nancie Kemp,
Atha Briner,  Mertie Edwards,  Merle Stephens,  Ralph McGee,
Roy Howard,  Evadeane Vanderburg,  G.D. Stiles,  Ray Allen,
Howard Curry,  Helen Haverson,  Helen Kendall,  Marjorie Barrickman,
Mary Boatman,  Evelyn White,  Owen R. Bulkeley,  Bruce Young,
Myna Hughes,  Eleanor Ketcham,  Kenneth Ketcham,  Delpha Linderer,
James Linderer,  Pat Thomas,  Marjorie Johnson,  Ada Tillotson,
Clarice Stream,  Pauline McDowell,  Donald Fridley,  Eldon Cowles,
Mae King,  Ida Pollock,  John Sinclair,  Ella Reeder,
Virgil Anderson,  Melvin Stoner,  Alice Chesworth, Iroline Chambers,
Corrine Eischen,  Gladys Wallace,  Dean Houck,  William Flockhart,
Kathrine Havard,  Lula Hogg, Rosaliea Fisk,  Oren Elmore,
Mrs. Mulkey,  C.W. Evitts,  Louva Hanner,  Mrs. Day,
Miss McKay,  Mrs. H. Jenkins,  Mrs. E.O. Stearns,  Mr. Pruyne,
Michael Crees,  Thelma Bartlett,  Ada Crees,  Berdena Watson,
Mrs. E.G. Elam,  Mrs. Euritt,  Mrs. Hodenfield,  Jundemier Morris,
Clayton Burton, Lorna Cable, Ina Garton,  ___ Sidwell,
Darrell Swan,  Merle Lowe,  Mae Baker,  Andy Cambell,
Miss Mary Allard,  Mr. Kempf,  C. Edward Elam,  Ethel (King) Blair,
Miss Camillia Thompson,  Mr. Davis,  Mr. Spencer,  Porteaux Halstead,
Mrs. Leeper,  Elsie (McMurtrey) Upfield,  Clarice Stream,  Dorothy Stream,
Selma (Lipsett) Thompson,  Glenn Campbell,  Mrs. Carmichael, Arthur Brayton,
Don Southard,  Queen Bell,  Mrs. Kruthers,  Imogene Warren,
Madge (Redman) Kernen,  Gladys Chambers,  Jane Sayre,  Mildred Ballantyne,
Inez Chambers,  Hazel Christensen,  Jetty Reynolds,  Mrs. Hamond,
Earl Prather,  S.J. Plopper,  Guy McCarty, Dorthea Dunaway,
Miss Ethel Luce,  Doris (Redman) Houck,  Raymond Jensen,  Shirli Blair,
Boalis Halstead,  Ethel Bulkeley,  Cecil Brayton,  Eleanor Schatz,
Carma Thompson,  Mildred McAfee,  Mancie Prather,  Henry Esch,
Odessa Bone,  H.B. Golden,  Neva Kelley,  Vera Dunaway,
Mrs. Moon,  Miss Lynch,  Roland Simpson,  Paul Reeves,
Myra Murry,  Willa Fisher,  R. Rauhauser,  Herbert Foust,
August White,  Mr. Hayworth,  Mr. Gregory,  G.C. Goodwin,
Charlie Brown,  K.E. Steele,  Mrs. Powell,  Lewis Holt,
James Blair,  Newton Piercy,  Belle (Burns) Harvey,  Mr. Rhodes,
V.R. McGinnis,  A.A. Roy,  Mr. McVey,  F.P. Reed,
O.H. Hollen,  Blanch Bates,  Loren Snooks,  Niomi Bulkeley.
VAN WERT SCHOOL YELLS

The head, the head, the head of the mule is always ahead like Van Wert School.
The tail, the tail, the tail of the mule is always behind like school ___________ had a rooster.
And they sat it on a fence. He crowed for Van Wert because he had some sense.

WILDCAT SONG

Wildcats will shine tonight
Wildcats will shine
Wildcats will shine tonight
All down the line.
Rah! Rah! Rah!

We're all dressed up tonight
Don't we look fine
In the black and red
Black and red
Wildcats will shine.
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!

Yeah Van Wert!
Victory, Victory, Victory
That's our cry
v-i-c-t-o-r-y
Aren't we in it?
Well I guess!
Van Wert High School
Yes! Yes! Yes!

VAN WERT SCHOOL SONG

Van Wert will shine tonight,
Van Wert will shine.
She'll shine in beauty bright,
All down the line.

Won't we look neat tonight,
Dressed up so fine.
When the sun goes down,
And the moon goes up,
Van Wert will shine.
Pages 59 - 62
 
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