Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, February 26, 2015, Page 11

From "Snapshots of History" by Mike Avitt:

"When rural schoolhouses were first built in Ringgold County, they were built where the need was the greatest. But eventually districts were formed and education became organized. It was decided to place a rural school every two miles so a pupil would never have to walk more than a mile to school. My notes say [July 1890. . . ] is the time frame when the schools were placed about every two miles. . . ."

Mortimer School No. 3, Jefferson Township, was located north of Diagonal on the Pole Road. It was also known as Nulph School and Union School. At times, church services were held at the schoolhouse.

Terri writes, "On the paper backing of the photo frame, it says '6-1-1911' which I assume is the date, and it looks to be original. On the school photo, it appears there is a chalkboard in the crotch of the tree, which says 'Union School', then underneath it says 'B.E.H.' or 'B.T.H.' or something, it is very difficult to read. High on the end of the building itself, it says 'Union, No. 3', then what appears to be some kind of coordinates, 'T. 18 R1S2E'."

If anyone has additional information, please let us know. Thank you!

The Jefferson Township School District will sell at public auction on Monday, September 26, [1949] five rural schoolhouses in the Diagonal area. The schools, names of which will be familiar to most readers of [The Mount Ayr] Reporter are Willow Grove, Mortimer, Hiawatha, Cottonwood and Cornith. Also to be sold are the schoolhouse sites, outbuildings, pumps, and any other equipment remaining after the schools were closed. The sale will be conducted by Mrs. Lola HAILEY, secretary, and Leland AHBURN, president, with Dennis OWEN of Tingley the auctioneer and Clark SIMPSON, clerk. An advertisment in this issue of The Reporter gives the time when each building will be sold, and other information of interest of prosepctive purchasers.

Continuing with Mike Avitt's 2015 article:

"Sales were common during the 1950s. As gravel roads and school buses made rural schools obsolete, they were sold. . . . Jefferson Township schools No. 3 [Mortimer/Nulph School], 4 [Brush College School], 6 [Hiawatha School], 7 [Grace/Lincoln/Woodbine/Taylor School], and 8 were all sold September 26, 1955 at public auction."

Mortimer Country School was moved from its original site and combined with the 2nd Concord School. Zenas KILGORE bought the school and moved it to his farm. It was first used as a house, then for storage. From Diagonal, it is located north on county road P-33 4 1/2 miles, on the west side of the road.

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

Diagonal Progress, Diagonal, Ringgold County, Iowa, Sept. 24, 1981

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

Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009; updated April of 2010; updated September of 2015