Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, February 14, 1917

KELLERTON - Frances Stephenson, of College Springs, has taken charge of the Jackson Hill school as Iowa Reger, who had been teaching here, has accepted a school near Des Moines.

At right, last year of Jackson Hill School, Leo STUART, teacher, 1954. Students on left are Marcia, Gary, and Elaine GIBSON. Students on right are Myrna GIBSON, Dick and Joy JACKSON.

TOP ROW, L-R: Teacher Leo STUART, Merna GIBSON, Carol SHAFFER, Dick JACKSON, Gary GIBSON

BOTTOM ROW, L-R: Joyce GIBSON, Eleanor SHAFFER, Marsha GIBSON, Barbara SHAFFER.

Dick Jackson notes, "My first teacher was Sue Treichler, then Leo Stuart (pictured)."

  Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

The Jackson Hill county schoolhouse (Monroe #8), in place at the Ringgold county fairgrounds, brought much nostalgia to those participating in the activities of the recently-completed Ringgold county fair.

The schoolhouse, its furnishings and a memory scrapbook telling of its history and of the restoration work that was done, were viewed with interst by many visitors to the fair this year.

The fairgrounds seemed an appropriate setting for the schoolhouse as many of the rural people involved at the fair either themselves had attended country school or their parents or grandparents had.

The "Jackson Hill schoolhouse" established orignally on a site in Monroe township, probably around 1880, has been restored and relocated through the efforts of Bob SICKELS of Mount Ayr and his family and other volunteers and contributors.

The school came into being, probably in the late 1880's when James Monroe JACKSON gave an acre ofland in Monroe township so that a school could be located there. The school was named after him.

In the memory scrapbook there is a 1928 picture of the JacksonHill school on the original site. It shows the building and the teacher, Ethel BIGLEY DOSER, in the foreground.

After the school closed in 1954, it was moved to the Millard JACKSON farm. The building was used in election years as a place to vote and later on, it was used for storage.

The farm was eventually sold to Matthew DAUGHTON of rural Kellerton and Matt donated the schoolhouse for placement at the Ringgold county fairgrounds.

A "before" picture of the school as it looked nthe winter of 1991-92, shoed no resemblance to the refurbished school that is at the fairgrounds. A shed that had been added to the north side has been removed.

Another picture in the book shows Bob SICKELS who was given credit as being the "Jackson Hill schoolhouse restorer"' Bill DAUGHTER, great-great grandson of James Monroe JACKSON and JACKSON'S great-great-great grandson, Matthew DAUGHTON, all of whom gave much labor to the restoration.

There are several intersting stories that go along with the collecting of authentic furnishings.

Bill DAUGHTON was able to find his name carved into one of the desks that came from the rural school he attended, Woodland School (Monroe #9).

Another story was about the journey of the pot belly stove. Lyle and Barb WALTERS, former owners of the farm where the school sat, who now live in Paris, Texas, heard about the project and contributed the stove that had been in the schol so that it coule assume its "rightful place."

The restoration of the school took the efforts and contributions of many. Gifts of labor were given by Bill, Matt and Juliane DAUGHTON, Bob SICKELS, Merle DRAKE, Scott DRAKE, Dean JACKSON, Leroy BLESSMAN, the Ringgold County Sheriff's department, county crews and equipment, Roy WARNER, Ken DRIFTMIER, members of the 1990-93 Mount Ayr Community high school construction tech class, (then) Iowa Southern Utilities equipment, Dale GREENE, Phyllis RIGGS, Jane LAWHEAD, David WOOLLUMS, and Sherri WOOLLUMS, Scott SOLLIDAY, DiAnna FARIS and Brad RUMPLE.

Cash donations were from James and Vera DAUGHTON, Bob and Kay SICKELS, Dean JACKSON, Randy VARDAMAN and Kenneth REED.

The school building was given by Matt DAUGHTON. Furnishings were by: Alice and Dale GREENE, books and maps; fromthe Grand Valley school board, light fixtures, globe, slates, school desks, bookcase, flash cards, teacher's desk and maps; Diagonal Schools, other desks; Daryl and Shirley HOLDEN, green double seat; and Chet WALLER, double school desk.

Also, Paul TRULLINGER, wall-mounted maps in rack; Marvin and David WOOLLUMS and Mike SICKELS, books; Joyce WILEY, teacher's hand bell; Vera DAUGHTON, pointer; Bob and Kay SICKELS, books, book case, mirror, teacher's chair, picture, desks, blinds, dinner pails and small slates.

Also, Mount Ayr Farm and Home, paint; WALTERS, stove; Grace FOSTER, Mike SICKELS, Dean JACKSON, Vera DAUGHTON, and Kay SICKELS, photographs; Jim and Vera DAUGHTON, recitation bench; Velda JOHNSON, books; Marlene ZARR and Mike ZARR, books; and Ed HUTCHINSON, a book.

Interestingly, in 1884 there was reported to be 100 such rural schools in Ringgold county and 33 independent districts. Of these only nine were graded schools, hoever. An early pupil remarked, "You graduated into grammar school when you wore long pants!" In 1884 only 1,616 out of 4,917 children of school age attended.

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.

Photograph by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2009

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009; updated April of 2010; updated June of 2012; updated April of 2017