Iowa One Room Schools: Old Sutton, Clay Center School

ORIGINS

I grew up in a small Ohio town and I rode the school bus from 1st through 12th grades. My bus ride always included a country road on which every school day we saw a one-room brick school house. (SW corner of Stine Rd and Enon-Xenia Pike). As the years went by I watched this wonderful, familiar friend fall apart. After I married the school really began to deteriorate. Every time we visited the area I would want to take a photo of the school but never did. Finally, when we went specifically for the task, the school was gone. It was a huge loss for me and, since that time, whenever we pass a one-room school it is a joy to stop to take a picture or two. Thus, our collection here and the blog with schools in other states. Jill :oD

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Old Sutton, Clay Center School

This school was built 1856-1857 and is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) surviving schools in Iowa. It was originally located 3 miles west of Canton. In September 1981 it was moved about 8 miles to the Edinburg historical settlement, about two miles east of Amber on County Route E23, where it has been restored.

2 comments:

Unknown said...: My Dad, Leroy Bickford, attended this school thru 8th grade. I am so pleased that Jones county historical society has preserved this school.; November 26, 2015 at 8:42 AM
Glenn E. Chatfield said...: It's always nice to see these old schools preserved. However, it's even better when they are preserved on their original site! Apparently this was one of those cases where the owner of the land didn't want it there any more.; November 26, 2015 at 9:22 AM