NOTE: It is believed that this was formally known as Hickory Grove School No. 5.

Hickory Grove School was located approximately 1/8 of a mile south of Hickory Grove Church and Cemetery, on the east side of the road. Only a small grove of fir trees remain on that site.

The Herald
Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 12 & 17, 1951

The response of our plea for data regarding old one room rural schools in this part of the county last week, we are indebted to Mrs. James GRIFFITH who brought in a clipping from an old Record-News, of the issue of February 11, 1913, regarding an old school near the Middle Fork church, taught by the author in the spring of 1862, eighty-nine years ago this spring. The article carried a picture of the school teacher and author, Jane E. (TARDY) HAGANS, and the eight pupils who were still living in that vicinity at the time, as follows: Janie (McPHEETERS) MAUDLIN, Mary (GRIFFITH) HOFFMAN, Martha (GRIFFITH) OLIVER, Alice (WAUGH) CONRAD, Lizzie (HIGGINS) HUMPHREY, Exria McPHEETERS, Jethro GRIFFITH, Alpha BUTLER.

Mrs. GRIFFITH found the clipping among some old papers belonging to her late father-in-law, Jethro GRIFFITH, and with apologies to the Record-News, we are taking the liberty of reporducing the article which was dated December 5, 1912, and reads as follows:

"I am indebted to Mrs. D. F. HOFFMAN for a photo of herself and seven of her schoolmates who were pupils of a three months term of school I taught in the second frame school building erected in Middle Fork township. The school was taught 50 years ago last spring. The picture gave me great pleasure and I feel I owe it to Mrs. HOFFMAN to comply with her request to write a few lines in commemoration of the 50th anniversary."

"The school was about one-fourth mile southwest of Middle Fork M.E. church. The interior was unfinished. I do not think there was a chair, desk or table in the house. Teacher and pupils sat on log benches without backs. Those were pioneer days in Ringgold county. Chairs and other furniture were scarce in our homes. There were no bridges and if a big rain raised the water in Middle Fork above the foot log pupils on the west side had to stay home until the water fell. We did not have real roads, just followed wagon tracks to the timber or the neighbors' home."

"On my way to school where there was a heavy dew, I have frequently broken a small branch from a tree and pushed it through the tall grass along the trail to get as much of the dew shaken off as I could, and then quite often arrived at the school house in a bedraggled condition."

"Two articles the teacher and children could have in abundance of, viz, corn bread and chewing gum. I tell my grandchildren it was the only gum fit for use and that it cannot now be obtained. I refer to the wax that exhuded when the stem of a rosin weed was broken. Yes, they had plenty of wild prairie flowers too."

"Mrs. GRIFFITH, one of the patrons of the school sent the teacher a nice piece of raspberry pie and that pie has the distinction of being vividly remembered all these fifty years. Firstly, because I was very fond of those berries, but that the mother of quite a family of small children, and very busy, found time to think of the teacher, stamped the kind deed upon my memory never to be erased. I think the children are to be commended too, as the fruit was so scarce, I have wondered that they had not concluded that the teacher could survive without that pie and eaten it on the way to school."

"Mr. Allen HIGGINS, a pioneer citizen and a useful and honorable man, was the district school director in that district, and he gave me a written statement to present to Mr. A. G. BEALL, deputy county superintendent of schools at that time, stating that he thought that I could govern the school, if I could pass the required examination. Mr. HIGGINS kindly gave me that statement because I was not legally old enough to receive a permit to teach, as I was not seventeen years of age when the school closed."

EDITOR'S NOTE: We have received a letter from G. S. EATON of Wichita, Kansas, setting forth some interesting experiences of his early school life in the west part of Clinton township and over in Taylor county, west of Blockton in old Morman town, which we plan to publish in an early issue of the Herald.

"I think there were not over twenty-three pupils names enrolled during the school term. Of that number eight have died. The group Mrs. HOFFMAN sent me represents all who live near the old school vicinity. I received twelve dollars per month for teaching said school, and for some cause the school fund ran so low at that time that I had to wait a while for part of the money. I am not complaining, however; for if at that age, I would enjoy living those times over again."

"Two incidents are still distinctly remembered. One little girl was hurt while playing which left a life-long scar upon her forehead, and another little girl was punished when she was not the real culprit, if any of them were really very much at fault in the matter. We had more leisure in those good old times."

"One tribute to the history of the departed old school house. We were privileged to listen to sermons by Rev. D. C. and I. A. WILSON, and also Rev. Haddon OSBORN and QUILLEN, within her walls, and we were blessed with Sabbath school there, too."

"I regret that I have to write this hurriedly, but I am thankful to be able to send kindly greetings to all the pupils ofthe old school."

"May goodness and mercy follow them all the days of their lives and at the close may they receive the reward of the final faithful."

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, September 02, 1954

Hickory Grove News - School began this morning (Monday) at Hickory Grove with Mrs. Rose FINDLEY as teacher and 10 pupils.

SOURCES:
Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, February 10, 2007

AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past. . .Ringgold County, Iowa 1855-2005 p. 17. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr. 2009.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2009