Jefferson #3, Huston/Swisher School

On its original location at 80 Division Street, Swisher, IA, used as a house. Easiest access is I-380 exit 10, then turn west to Swisher. The house is on the north side of the street, across from the Swisher bank.

Photographed 4/19/18

Lincoln #7 (Possible)

On White Oak Ave, about 1/4 mile north of 560th St., on the west side of the road.  A building is located on the site, and looks like it was maybe the school.  There has been a large door cut on the south side of the building to make it a machine shed.  The west side wall is plastered with a chimney.

This first photo is of the north side:

The remaining photos were taken from the south side of the building.

Photographed on 5/30/17

Liberty #1, Sunnyside/Sunnyview School

On 480th Street at the west end, north side of the road.  480th used to continue east but is now cut off by US218.  According to the 1912 school map, the building appears to have been moved east from it’s original location; the person telling me about the school, Jessica Issen Miller, who visited this house once, said she thought it may have been. Jessica gave this information: 

“They put a little addition on one end and made a bedroom and a bathroom.  Then at the back of the school they put a kitchen along the wall and built a loft over the kitchen for a second bedroom.  It’s an open loft…. The wood stove is toward the front of the building up on a platform where the teacher would have had her desk. And I am pretty sure there were still chalkboards.”

This first photo is of the west side:

South side:

North side, seen from US218:

East side, seen from US218:

Photographed 5/30/17.

Liberty #4, Hills School

Was at the NW corner of Oakcrest Hill Rd and 520th St. Moved about 1/4 mile north to 5141 Oakcrest Hill Rd SE (old US218).  Sits at the back of the lot, barely visible from the road, but quite visible from US218 by the on-ramp from Hills.  Used as an outbuilding.

This first shot was taken from Oakcrest Hill Rd, and is the best shot we could get.

This one was taken looking north from 520th St just before the entrance ramp to US218. 

The remaining photos were taken from north bound on-ramp to US218 as we moved slowly northbound by the highway.

Photographed 12/3/16

Jefferson #4, Strang School?

From Highway 965, proceed west on Amana road about 1.2 miles after crossing Swisher Creek and turn north on Blain Cemetery Rd to the home at address 1626.  Although we are not 100% certain (didn’t go on property or seek to talk with occupants), it looks like a school-shaped building which had an addition on the road side (notice roof peak which changes within a short distance.).  IF this is the building, it has to have been moved perhaps 200 ft north based on aerial photos from 1930 though present day; perhaps to move to a new foundation? 

We would appreciate any information in regards to this building.

Photographed 6/15/16

Madison #3, Greencastle School

This school was originally on Swan Lake Rd .4 mile west of Half-Moon Road on the north side (NW corner of unnamed road), and moved ca.1956 to 3955 W. Overlook Rd NE near the Coralville Dam.  Sometime while it was still in operation, an addition was made to the front to extend from 3 to 4 windows on the sides.  It was purchased in 1955.  Converted to a home, with an addition extending from one side.  

Photographed 6/6/16.

Iowa City, Oxford Township District #11

This school is at 405 N. Reno St, at the NW corner of E. Davenport St.  There is a discrepancy with information about when this school was built.  The Des Moines Register shows 1867.  Information from Joan Dinnel to me cites Marybeth Slonneger’s book, “Small But Ours,” about this area, with a large Czech population, known as “Goosetown.”  Marybeth’s book says, “The earliest school building remaining in Iowa City a one room district school house dating from before 1858 that stands on the corner of Davenport and Reno streets, adjacent to what was then the Irish property. This location suggests that the school may have served the educational needs of the Irish children as generations of this family taught in the community. By 1858 the district schoolhouse was considered inadequate and was replaced by the Third Ward School further west on Davenport Street. For a time, the little frame schoolhouse became a protestant Sunday school. Then it was purchased by the Prybil family and became a private home, which it remains today."

There is an obvious addition on the north side of the home.

The first photo is looking at the SW corner of the house, and then photographing moving east to the corner and then north to shoot the east side.

Photographed on 10/31/14

Sharon #4, East Lincoln School

I previously had these schools in two posts, as “Sharon #4, Lincoln School” and “Friendship School, Amish.”  Duane J. Gingerich, who attended school at East Lincoln, posted a comment with some information on the “Friendship School, Amish” post, but it got me a bit confused.  He then was gracious enough to e-mail me with some good information and explanations about the schools, as well as including photos.

Let’s first give you some directions to find these schools.  One needs to go north of Kalona on Hazelwood Ave (one mile east of SR1 and parallel to it), to the intersection of 520th Street.  The first building is on the SW corner while the second one is on the NE corner.  My photos were taken on 31 August 2011.

These first three photos are of the original structure, taken from Hazlewood, looking at the SW corner of the building, while the next one was taken from 520th St, west of Hazlewood.  The 5th photo is from Mr. Gingerich, and was photographed from 520th St on the east side of Hazlewood.  This structure was used from 1873 until 1937.

In 1937 a new structure was completed kitty-corner from the old building, and the old building was acquired by the Amish for use as a Sunday School; they added to the structure.  The new structure is shown in two older photos by Mr. Gingerich, and the two newer photos by me, followed by the last photo by Mr. Gingerich.  This school was closed in 1965 and then the Amish acquired it and named it “Friendship School.”

Now, I’ll let Mr. Gingerich tell you about the school buildings:

“This is where my mother (Katie Helmuth) attended school. The original structure up through 1937 was much smaller  (just the three windows on the right in the photo) than the present structure which has been extensively added to since it was repurposed by the Amish as a Sunday School back in the late 1930’s after the new East Lincoln school was built across the road. When my mother attended school in this structure, it was also colloquially known as ‘Dutch College’ because during non-school terms the community sponsored German language classes at Sharon#4/East Lincoln.  My oldest brother who is 90 remembers when he attended school here before the new school building was built. He remembers that they also called the old school ‘East Lincoln’ although, technically, in terms of Iowa’s school districts, it was Sharon #4."

"I went to school at East Lincoln [new building], graduating in 1958.  Back in the 40s the school looked like the first attached picture, complete with outdoor toilets.  We got rid of these in 1953 when indoor plumbing was added.  This school was constructed in 1937.  The winning construction bid was under $3000 and was won by my mother’s brother, a finish carpenter. Both my father and grandfather served on the ‘Sharon #4 District School Board in various capacities over the years.

Friendship School is nothing more or less than Lincoln/East Lincoln renamed. The Amish bought  the East Lincoln school…after consolidation had taken all the students out and put them in Washington Township School on the Angling Road. Since the Amish renamed East Lincoln and called it Friendship School, they have from time to time added other outbuildings to handle the number of students and other storage needs.

There you have it. I hope this clears up the confusion.  Thanks for all the work you have done to document these old Iowa one-room schools.  I remember my years at East Lincoln with great fondness.  As I have written elsewhere after retiring as an international lawyer based in Jakarta, Indonesia,  my eight years in a rural Iowa one-room school environment never disadvantaged me in any way. Quite the contrary."

My heartfelt thanks for Mr. Gingerich for all this information.

Fremont Township Unknown

This garage certainly looks to have been a one-room school.  It is just over a mile NW of Lone Tree, at the SW corner of 580th St and Utah Ave.   Any information would be appreciated.

Photographed 4/27/13

Union #7, Cambria School

From Iowa City, proceed SW on State Highway 1 a bit over 1.5 miles to Sharon Center Road, and turn south.  Proceed about 1/2 mile and this will be on the east side of the road.  Another one highly modified into a house.  Address is 4358.  The first shot is all that can be seen while approaching from the north.

The next three shots are from the west side of the house - the road.  The third one offers a close-up look at the front.

The last shot shows some of the dormer work on the south side of the building.

Photographed 8/11/13

Union #2, Elm Grove

This school was identified to me by pointing it out on the map.  I was told that this house is the extant school.  Proceed west of Iowa City on the IWV Rd about 3 miles from US218, to James Ave.  Proceed north on James Ave about .25 mile to Neuzil Rd.  The structure is on the NW corner.  Address is 3749 James Ave.

Photographed 8/11/13