Photo courtesy of Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society
Copyright 2005 Jerald Glawe. All rights reserved.
Photo courtesy of Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society
Welcome To Our Home.
Of course, it wasn't always our home; it wasn't a home at all, except perhaps temporarily each year when attending school children only thought they spent more time in class than at home. The Stone School was in operation for eighty-six years, from 1869 through the 1954-55 school years. The closing of the school due to consolidation of Talbot, Kapp, Jordan Center and Stone must have been a sad time for the Jordan community.
Kathleen B. U’Ren was the teacher during the last three years. During the 1953-54 school year she had twenty students in grades 1 through 7, no 8th graders. At the time, she had a prior three year teaching experience with a teacher’s certificate from Wisconsin State College at Platteville, where she attended from 1948-1950. Mrs. U'Ren states that only First and Second grades were taught at the Stone School location during that final year of closing, in 1955.
The occasion in the above photograph appears to be an open house, but one historical reference states that around 1895 the school was used for church services on Sunday and that may be the case here. The girls mostly appear in white dresses and a couple of white shirts on the boys. The man sitting in the buckboard has a vest and white shirt, all of which appear to be more Sunday-go-to-meeting rather than school clothes. Note also the absence of automobiles; truly horse and buggy days. A heavy board fence and raised platform, erected no doubt to make it easy for children to dismount from horses or carriages, is in the foreground.
Thank you to all who contributed information and photographs. Enjoy!
POSTCARD: Photo by Gunnar A. Benson taken after school closed due to consolidation.
Pencil Points of Interest (Table of Contents)
Click underlined link or scroll down to read chapter.
1. Three Early Photographs of the Stone School
At left is an early view of the schoolhouse, circa 1890, with the board fence and mounting platform; the approach path in front of the board fence is obviously well used and worn. The second and third photographs are quite similar, although the window vents in the bell tower appear slightly different. Both retain the pipe fence with the horse and cattle guard...and the road is gravel. The flag pole is gone in the right photo, which was dated 1929, and has Harry and Wilma Breiding sitting on the steps. Miss Breiding, born in 1914, was to become Mrs. Gunnar Benson.
2. When was the Stone School built?
A good question and one that can be answered within a general time-frame. For the record, the official description of the property is:
"The North 13 rods of the East 24-1/2 rods of the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section Thirty-four, Township Twenty-two North, Range Seven East of the Fourth Principal Meridian, Whiteside County, Illinois, containing two acres more or less."The transfer of said property is recorded and found in the Abstract of Title, prepared by H. B. Wilkinson Co., Morrison, Illinois, and held by myself, as follows:
United States, TO Jonathan F. Coe. Entry, Dated April 21, 1846. From Land Book. Containing 80 acres on the above date.
United States of America TO Jonathan F. Coe. Copy of Patent, Dated March 1, 1848. Filed December 6, 1917. Book 209, page 150. Containing 80 acres.
Jonathan F. Coe and Sarah L. Coe, his wife, TO James Talbott, Becker Miller and Able C. John, School Trustees for the Town of Jordan, Whiteside County, Illinois and to their successors in said office. Warranty Deed, Cons. $150.00, Dated February 12, 1868, Filed February 26, 1868. Book 42, page 335. Conveys 2 acres of land. Acknowledged February 12, 1868 before Osborn Williams, Justice of the Peace, Whiteside County, Illinois.
Loren S. Young, County Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of the Trustees of Schools of School District No. 143, Whiteside County, Illinois. TO Certificate of Sale of School Lands, Dated August 23, 1955. Filed August 27, 1955. Book 413, page 250.
Trustees of Schools for the County of Whiteside and State of Illinois, TO Benjamin Teleki, Trustee's Deed, Cons. $3520.00. Dated September 10, 1955. Filed November 17, 1955. Book 437, page 128.
It's apparent from the above record that Jordan School Trustees purchased two acres of land for the Stone School in February, 1868 from Jonathan F. Coe. For class to start in 1869, as believed by historians, actual construction would most likely have begun that summer of 1868. School continued for eighty-five years; the land and buildings were placed for public sale in 1955, initially purchase by Benjamin Taleki. A further read of the Abstract indicates his mortgage was assumed by Jacob Cantlin in 1956 and returned back to Taleki that same year, later being sold to Alpheus J. Goddard for $1.00 and other good and valuable consideration on October 18, 1956.
A. J. Goddard sold the Stone School property to Jerald and Amy Glawe on October 9, 1968.
A Sidelight: The above mentioned abstract grants right of way to the State of Illinois for the purpose of a public highway on July 11, 1914.
3. The People we meet and the Stories they tell.
Photo courtesy of Raymond J. BlankOne of the most interesting things about living in the old schoolhouse is the people we meet and the stories they tell. Notice the little boy sitting to the left of the banner...the one with his hair parted down the middle? That is Raymond J. Blank (1888-1974). In 1969, this old gentleman stopped his car, got out, and came up to talk a few minutes about his days attending the Stone School, in 1897! He said, "I went to this school 75 years ago and also my sister [Mabel] who was five years older." Mr. Blank also mentioned that the boy holding the banner was Raymond Sier, of Sterling.
On occasion I would also have a chance to visit with my neighbor to the North, Helen Sier, who attended grade school here. Helen was born in 1922, the daughter of Art and Emily Sier. She remembered the time when all the school kids dug out the basement; she thought back in the early 1930s. Until then, the school only had a crawl space and it was felt necessary to dig out space which would store coal and contain a furnace to heat the building. Of course it was the hottest time of summer when everyone gathered for the job. A hole was made through the foundation at the rear of the building and the kids would place the dirt in metal bushel baskets to remove it. The cleared space was under the class room part of the building; the crawl space remained in the fore part under the boys and girls entry and cloak room. The basement ended up just less than six feet in height as they could not go deeper than the limestone foundation walls. If one looks at the sub-floor of the class room, an outline still shows where a large grate (about 30" square) was cut into the floor as a heat outlet. It is a little difficult to picture how it all worked as the chimney in most pictures was to the front of the building. We wonder if a wood stove was first located in the cloak room and perhaps later a coal furnace in the basement. There never was an outside entrance to the basement; access was made through a trap door which is still the case today.
One other visitor, a quite elderly lady from Morrison, Illinois, had a tale to relate when we were talking about the over-sized entry doors. This schoolhouse had separate entry for boys and girls. I had often wondered how little children could open these large, solid wood doors; they are a full 8-1/2 feet tall by 36 inches wide. My visitor replied, "Well, of course the teacher had the doors open when school started", and went on to relate, "but the hard part, and most embarrassing, was when during class you had to make use of the outside facilities (before inside plumbing), and you would raise your hand for permission and ask if one of the older kids could open the door for you to leave the building. The boys would snicker, of course. It was so embarrassing." Oh, the things we remember about school.
Of course one hears bits and pieces of other stories, too. One day when talking to Paul Wade and his wife Mary Helen, I had asked if he attended all eight years at the Stone School. Paul replied, “Nine years actually! I left about 1934. There was one year during the depression when there was an awful lot of work on the farm just helping dad to keep it going and I couldn’t keep up my studies and fell behind. It took me an extra year to graduate.” He continued saying, “Winter was the hardest and even though the teacher had the stove going when we got there in the morning, it took until noon to get the room warm. Those stone walls had no insulation and it always seemed so cold”
Myron Deets, who attended the Stone School in the early 1950s, had this tale to relate: When the weather was bad, the teacher would open the trap door to the basement so the kids could eat lunch and play inside. There was a concrete apron around the perimeter of the limestone foundation, and “we used to have fun chasing each other running on this slab” which was about a foot above the basement floor. There was also a hand-hewn beam running lengthwise down the center. One time he jumped off a lunch table and cracked his head on this beam, about knocked him out. Later they noticed a nail sticking out of the beam a couple of inches from where he had hit his head. Myron says everyone was scared of how badly it could have been when they saw the nail in the beam. Another “fun” time was during the winter when they could throw buckets of water on the path which ran along side the school. After the water froze and they would take turns sliding down the ice, trying to stay on their feet.
Photo courtesy of Delores Mocklin.This undated photo was provided by Delores "Dee-Dee" Maass Mocklin (1935-1997), wife of James L. Mocklin, who lived on the farm south of the Stone School. Their home, by the way, is the original J. F. Coe farmstead. Dee said she was not in picture; it was before her time. However, her mother was Leora Wilger who married Edward Maass. It is possible the young girl to the left in the front row is Leora Wilger who in 1912 was in the 8th grade at age 15.
Does anyone recognize Wilger or Maass family members?
4. Stone School Class of 1897
Photo courtesy of Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society. CLASS OF 1897: Front Row: Clark Wade, Lloyd Baer, Eddie Hubbs, Bertha Landis, Carrie Bressler, Anna Gook, Abe Hey and ? Hubbs. Second Row: Dan Ebersole, Tony Bitters, Alice Holtznagle, Ray Sier, Myrtle Ebersole, Lizzie Holtznagle, Lila Delp, Willie Landis, Raymond Blank and Elmer Book. Back Row: Mabel Book, Lizzie Teschler, Annie Bartz, Mabel Blank, Hattie Wiker, Emma Byers, Mamie Landis and Annie Ebersole. Nellie Shannon, Teacher.
The 1880 U.S. Census for Illinois, Whiteside County, Sterling Township, lists a Shannon family where Nellie, age 3, is a daughter of Archibald and Jane (Jennie P. Higgins) Shannon. Nellie was born in Illinois. Miss Shannon was a former student at the Stone School, graduating from 8th grade in 1891. In the above photograph Nellie would have been a young teacher, only about twenty years of age, and yet the record shows this to be her 2nd year of teaching, having taught in Jordan Township District 1 the prior year. The following year, in 1898, she returned to teach in District 1 again.
Below is a perfect attendance report for March, 1894. Even though the article was written a couple years earlier it mentions pupils named in the 1897 photograph.
Newspaper, Sterling Daily Standard (Sterling, Illinois) March 23, 1894:
SCHOOL REPORT
Report of Stone School for month ending March 20, 1894. Number of days taught, 22; number of pupils enrolled, 29; average daily attendance, 25; Number of cases of tardiness during the month, not any. The names of those pupils who were present every day are as follows: George Bressler, Daniel Frey, Willie Landis, Henry Hey, Lily Byers, Edith Eshelman, Mary Hey, Emma Byers, Mamie Landis, Mable Book and Lila Delp. Visitors always welcome. [Signed] Clara M. Snell N1, Teacher.
N1: Clara M. Snell; b. May 1874 in Illinois. Daughter of Frank and Ella Snell. From 1900 US Cenus, Wysox, Carroll, Illinois.
5. The Schoolhouse on the Prairie in 1888
Photo courtesy of Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society; photo submitted to SRFHS by Frances Schott.Reproduced above is an early photograph of Stone School students with their teacher. John Hess, of Sterling, has a duplicate of this picture with an 1888 date written on the back side by his grandmother, who was then Essie Landis; she was in first grade and is the third one from left in front row. Essie was the eldest child of Henry F. and Maggie Ebersole Landis. She later married Charles M. Hess.
The photo almost makes one think of a schoolhouse on the prairie, so remote is the setting. The board fence surrounds the entire two acres. The mounting platform in the foreground shows wear and interestingly is not directly connected to the porch. The eight foot high round top windows have exterior shutters. The flag pole must have been at least as high as the bell tower and would have been visible from quite a distance. Until we heard from John Hess, we had no idea of the date of these two pictures. I say two pictures because the bottom photo of the students was found first in a scrapbook and the larger view of the schoolhouse submitted just recently. A keener observer than I noted that the student close-up was the same as in the larger photo; someone had previously copied the students out of the original to make them more recognizable.
6. Three more Stone School photographs.
Photo courtesy of Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society.
Shown above are three more pictures. The top one is another undated class photograph; the girls sure out-numbered the boys that year. Above left is a 2002 view of the Stone School residence taken from the east along Quinn (formerly Argo) road. Howard Manon provided the picture of him in front of the schoolhouse. What do you suppose the occasion? Howard was born in 1917, a son of Jerry and Ida Manon of Palmyra Township.
7. Stone School Class of 1948, 1951 and 1954
1948 class photo courtesy of Rene' Colin.CLASS OF 1948: There were thirteen students in 1948 according to records held at the Supt. of Schools office in Sterling. Mrs. Beulah Deets was the teacher; her students by grade were: Rene' Colin (1), Sammy Hess (1), Cecil Young (2), Carolyn Hess (2), Myron Deets (2), Wayne Wade (2), Jane Johnson (4), Deloris Mennenga (6), Melvin Smith (6), Arlene Deets (7), Dean Long (7), Harold Nelson (7), and Paul Landheer (7).
This exciting picture depicts a wide view of the classroom interior showing the wainscot on walls, the width of the stage or platform, the hardwood floors and plaster walls (typically, with a George Washington picture and Dick and Jane illustrations), with an upright piano in corner. The records note that Mrs. Deets had painted the inside and bought new set of manuscript letters that year.
Stone School Class of 1951
1951 class photo courtesy of Myron Deets.CLASS OF 1951: ROW 1: Lyle Musselman (4th), George Biller (5th), Wayne Wade (4th), Rene Colin (3rd), David Bogott (2nd), Myron Deets (4th). ROW 2: Marianne Hess (2nd), Carolyn Hess (4th), Dorothy ‘Sissy’ Richardson (3rd), Beverly Smith (2nd), Heins Dieter Meinen (4th), Sammy Hess (3rd), John Hess (1st). ROW 3: Johann Biller (7th), Chapman Richardson (6th), Melvin Smith (8th), Deloris Mennenga (8th), Jane Johnson (6th), Cynthia Grennan (8th), Charmaine Colin (2nd). Teacher, Mrs. Beulah Deets. The class created the mural painted on the wall behind the stage.
According to a few former students still living in the Jordan community, Mrs. Beulah Deets (1896-1977) was perhaps one of the most well remembered teachers in recent memory. She taught at the Stone School from August, 1944 through the 1950-51 school year; her husband, Cloy, died in 1944 at the age of 50 and is buried near Milledgeville.
Stone School Class of 1953-54
1953-54 class photo courtesy of Mrs. Kathleen U'Ren.CLASS OF 1953-54, Mrs. Kathleen B. U'ren, Teacher: BACK, L TO R: Stanley Ebersole, Carolyn Hess, Charmaine Colin, Rene' Colin, Lyle Musselman, Wayne Wade, Richard Ebersole, Sam Hess. MIDDLE: Wilma Nolan, Marianne Hess, Diana Swope, David Bogott, John Hess, Linda Long, Sharon Hess. FRONT: Paul Hess, Anita Deets, Tim Bogott. Not pictured are Eugene and Sharon Pashon.
This class represents the last full compliment of students at the Stone School. The following year, before closing the doors for the last time, Mrs. U'Ren was to teach only First and Second grade students. Some of her recent memories of the three years she taught at the schoolhouse include "the well on the north side of the building and the taking of annual [water] samples for testing; the boys and girls entrances with indoor toilets on each side of the entry hall; the middle room between entries uses as a library, game room and copier storage; the bell tower on roof with rope coming down into the middle room-- bell functional and used daily (kids getting to pull the rope was a reward). Remember also the very tall windows with wide sills; raised stage area across the entire back of room. Two or three mothers visited the class the first day (morning) that school started in the fall of 1952 (new teacher, could she handle it?). Older kids swept floors each afternoon just before school was out."
The 1952 Christmas Program by Kathleen B. U'Ren
"While being interviewed for a job as a country school teacher, the most dreaded question I always heard was "What about the Christmas and End of the Year Programs?" I didn't play the piano and this always worried at least one board member-- usually the one whose daughter was taking lessons.
"It was usually my misfortune to follow a teacher who could whip out a two or two and a half hour program. I considered an hour a real struggle.
"The year was 1952. I was teaching twenty-five students in all eight grades. The school district in which I was teaching - as well as most in the area - hired a local music teacher to come in and teach music twice a week. He made a circuit going from school to school. John, the music teacher, was in his late sixties (at least), more than a little chubby and somewhat hard of hearing. But he could really pound the piano and bellow out the songs. Once the little kids got over being afraid of the loudness, they loved him! No wonder, because no matter how wild they got or how silly they acted, John just thought they were all SO cute! Recess always followed music immediately to calm down the kids.
"The date was chosen for the Christmas program. But since nobody had warned me that I had better get John signed up in September, he was already booked for that whole week. He acted as if he really felt bad about not being available but assure me that Janey Johnson (an eighth grader and a piano student of his) could really play the songs. So, John practised with us and Janey practiced with us and the show went on without John.
"As the program was winding down, I kind of congratulated myself. The kids had done really well, Janey played piano like a pro and I'd finally planned a program that lasted over an hour. The kids were happy because they got to sing some "popular" songs and do some square dances. We ended on a religious note with a Nativity Scene and traditional Christmas carols which pleased my five Mennonite families.
"Just as the program ended, the couple from the neighboring farm (no kids in school) arrived for the program. After asking quite loudly, "Is this the end of the program?", they explained they were a little late becuase they stayed home to watch the Arthur Godfrey Christmas Show on televison. So much for the Christmas songs and Nativity Scene and my hour long accomplishment."
"However, without even being there, John the music teacher made my night. When I unwrapped my Christmas gifts, there was a three pound box of the best chocolates ever made at the Karmel Korn Shop in Sterling. John was forgiven and I still use the tin box almost fifty years later.
K.B.U.
8. Did Henry Thomas build the Schoolhouse?
In 1975, Mrs. Frances Crawford stopped at the schoolhouse while I was working in the yard. She mentioned in passing that she thought one of her descendants, Henry Thomas, who had settled in Sterling possibly as early as 1844 and who was in the Civil War, had built both the Stone School and the Old Stone church in Grand Detour, which is of similar native rock construction. This information has not been historically verified, however, we were able to find the Thomas family in the 1860 and 1870 census records.
1860 U.S. Census, Illinois, Whiteside, Sterling:
Henry Thomas, 47, male, master carpenter, MA.
Hannah, 44, female, MA.
Norman M, 17, male, apprentice carp, MA, at school.
Antoinette, 14, female, MA, at school.
Roger H, 11, male, MA, at school.
Franklin, 2, male, IL.1870 U.S. Census, Illinois, Whiteside, Sterling, 1st Ward:
Thomas, Henry, 56, male, white, carpenter, MA.
Hannah, 54, female, white, keeping house, MA.
Frank, 12, male, white, at school, IL.
Norman, 28, male, white, carpenter, MA.
Elisabeth, 23, female, white, keeping house, PA.
Burton, 2, male, white, at home, IL.
Fanny, 1/12, female, white, at home, IL.Comment: Norman and his wife Elisabeth with their two children are listed above in the 1870 census in residence with Henry and Hannah Thomas and their son Frank, who is Norman's brother.
Nan Hunter of Prescott, Arizona, a great, great granddaughter of Henry Thomas, wrote in August, 2005, saying that that the Mrs. Frances H. Crawford who paid a visit in 1975 was her mother. Family legend has it that Henry was involved in the building of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Grand Detour and the Stone School on Freeport road in Sterling. They are beautiful examples of the pride of workmanship we have come to know as an ethic of the past.
Nan further states that Henry and his wife Hannah moved [to Illinois] from Greenfield, Massachusetts in 1855 with two children, Norman and Antoinette; Frank was born after the move. Norman's wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Jane Lenox. Norman built their home at the corner of 6th street and 12th avenue in Sterling. All are buried at Riverside cemetery. Burtons’ wife was Sarah Luetta (Etta) Aument, a daughter of J. K. and Charlotte Aument. It is known that Henry, Norman and many of Norman's sons were carpenters in Sterling, building everything from brooms to caskets and hearses to homes and churches. They were an active bunch of people and took great pride in their community to the degree that many served on the City Council, worked in the Park District and owned businesses. Thomas Park on Lynn Boulevard at 12th avenue is named for Ralph Thomas, a son of Norman and Elisabeth.
Where did the stone come from for the schoolhouse?
In connection with the building of the schoolhouse, one question always asked is about the source of the stone used in construction. Our best guess is that even though there are numerous quarries in the area today, the quality of stone used in buildings at that time was harder to locate. According to the History of Whiteside County by Bent-Wilson, published 1877, page 25, "The Trenton limestone in Jordan, at Dr. Pennington's, and in Hopkins, is extensively quarried. It makes a beautiful building material, being of pleasing color, easily worked and very durable." This reference further indicates that stone from other quarries was less suitable for building work and used for other purposes. Therefore, it seems most likely that the source of limestone for the Stone School came from Dr. Pennington's in Jordan township. His home farm and quarries of building stone were located on Kilgore road (now Fulfs) one mile south, then one and one-half mile west of the Stone School; he had 160 acres in orchard and considered his principal business as raising the finest crop of apples to make cider vinegar.
For the exact location of Pennington Quarry refer to the Jordan plat map and look in Section 33 at lower left.
9. The First Stone School Reunion
The Jordan Township community has always been pretty close, people really didn't move around so much. In fact, the following article on the first class reunion depicts many names now common to the Sterling area.
Newspaper, The Daily Gazette (Sterling, Illinois), July 3, 1976.
STONE SCHOOL
The first Stone School reunion was held at Sinnissippi Park Sunday and featured a picnic dinner.
The school was built in 1869 of natural limerock. The walls are 20 inches thick. The building is still in excellent condition and is now a family home.
Clement Hey was one of the earlier students and attended the school in 1895. At that time the school was also used as a church on Sundays.
Attending were: Mrs. Hannah Nietzke, oldest guest; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kaufman, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Nietzke and son, Mrs. Frank Weidel, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Frey, Lynette Frey, Mr. and Mrs. Orville Wade and Crete, Mrs. Viola Jackley.
Also Cleora Capp, Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Musselman and family, Paul Wade, Helen Siers, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Mennenga, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Hanna, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Wade and family, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Deets and family, Mr. and Mrs. Loren Wade, Harold Janssen, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Yount, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kreider and Mr. and Mrs. Howard Mellinger.
Additional Comments by Clement Hey.
One of the "Reunion" participants, Clement Hey, provides some insight into his experience with procedure at the Stone School in a personal journal written later in life. His nephew, Steve Dean, was kind enough to provide a copy of this page.
Reprinted with Permission of Steve Dean.
10. What else can we tell about the Schoolhouse?
As previously mentioned, Amy and I bought the Stone School residence from Jack Goddard in 1968. We never knew his purpose in owning the schoolhouse other than he considered it a place to rest and recuperate. It was a second residence for him and one he most enjoyed on weekends; his primary residence was in Freeport. Jack was meticulous. Upon receipt of the property, he hired Boyd Hill Architect, Chicago, to draw a detail of the old structure and incorporate required design changes necessary to make the building a home, keeping in mind the "feel and look" of the original schoolhouse.
The changes recommended by the architect were minimal. The boys entrance was made into an entry with foyer, the cloak room into a bedroom, and the girls entrance to the South was sealed (keeping the original door in place so that from the outside the building appeared as in the original) with the space behind actually utilized as a bathroom adjacent to the new bedroom. The main classroom became a "great room" containing living, dining and kitchen area. The kitchen is actually built-in a space approximating 30 inches by six feet and has sliding doors to close it off when not in use.
The ceiling height in the great room is still at 14 feet; the entry, bedroom and bath area was lowered to 12 feet. The 8 feet high arched-top windows were retained and so was the wainscot paneling which runs below the windows around the entire interior of the home. The architect added a rear entry door to the southwest corner and included a fireplace on the west wall of the great room.
The old schoolhouse was as comfortable a place as a man could want to relax at days end. Jack did not live at the schoolhouse all the time and, in fact, rented it to Voigt Smith, a news broadcaster at WSDR radio station in Sterling in the mid-60s. As time went on, concerns about vandalism, maintenance and yard work decided Goddard to sell the property.
And yes, the bell is still in the tower and rings with a rope pull.
The Stone School Floor Plan
A sketch of the Stone School floor plan shows the outside of the building is approximately 45x32 feet with two separate entries on the East front side. There is indication that a wood burning stove was used for heating, perhaps located adjacent to area marked chimney in the teacher's study. The original architectural drawing prepared for Mr. Goddard when he renovated the schoolhouse indicated a need to remove both platform and chalk rail. The location of platform and blackboard is reported to have been in at least three different locations over the years. A 1954 class photo locates the stage along the back wall.
11. Facts Found in Historical Reference
1. Excerpts from "A Nostalgic Look at the Jordan Township Rural Schools" published in the Blue and Gold Alumni News, Spring/Summer 1998 relates the following:
Jordan Township is located in the Northeastern part of Whiteside County, Illinois. There were originally eight school districts, seven buildings survived and were listed in the 1908 Whiteside County History: Stone, Compton, Capp (or Kapp), Talbott, Jordan Center, Fairview (or Burger), and Gould. In 1853, before funds were allocated by the government for the building of schools, Coe School was erected on an acre of the Jonathan F. (Doc) Coe farm. A few years later this school was replaced by the Stone School.
The distinctive stone building was the pride of local residents and appreciated by state officials. On January 25, 1906, Alfred Bayliss, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Springfield, "issued a diploma to Stone School certifying the excellent condition of the schoolhouse, equipment and yard.
The [Stone] school was described by the Sterling Daily Gazette in 1937: "The walls are of rugged sandstone, while the roof is of black, fire-resisting shingles. An ornate tower rests upon the roof well nigh the front gable." In the summer of 1937 the interior was gutted for renovations, including a new hardwood floor and a fresh coat of green paint to contrast the cream ceiling. The interior was also outfitted with new window sashes and better window glass. Teacher and student desks were replaced, and the woodwork was refinished in walnut. These renovations complemented an already excellent facility, "complete with furnace heat, an indoor toilet, electric lights, and a concrete porch across the front," and contributed to the first and foremost purpose of the building.
According to Mrs. Frances Crawford of Grand Detour, Illinois, Stone School was built in 1859 by her distant relatives, Henry Thomas and his son Norman. This school was located on the west side of Freeport road and was surrounded by elm trees. It had sixteen-inch thick solid limestone walls."
2. Another reference, the Whiteside County, Illinois Sesquicentennial Edition, 1968, by Wayne Bastian, states:
P.285: "The township Jordan completed its organization on April 6, 1852."
P.290: "The great consolidation of schools which took place generally in the early 1950s followed the regular pattern in Jordan. Talbott, Fairview, Stone and Capp Schools became residences. Jordan Center was razed and replaced by the consolidated school.&nmsp; Compton School was torn down. The Stone School replaced the Coe School at an early date and is made of native rock. Although it has been remodeled into residence inside, the outward appearance is authentic, nineteenth-century school-house. It is a mnemonic stimulus to the decreasing number who can remember to a time when such places of learning were conventional parts of the landscape and not quaint anachronisms."
3. Gunner A. Benson writes in the booklet, The Centennial Anniversary of Whiteside County Education Association, 1856-1956:
JORDAN TOWNSHIP
The first settlement in this township was made by S. Miles Coe on April 10, 1835. Others to come that year were James Talbot and Joseph M. Wilson. One early settler who is responsible for the statement that there were no schools in Jordan township before 1850. It is known, however, that a frame schoolhouse was erected on the Freeport Road, near the Jonathan F. Coe place in 1853, and was known as the Coe School. It was taken down and replaced by a new stone school on the west side of the road, and called the Stone School.
4. The History of Whiteside County, 1877, by Charles Bent, has several references on the Coe family, as well as the Coe and Stone schools in Jordan Township:
P.51: "The Bressler farm and the Doc or Jonathan F. Coe place, now owned by D. N. Foster. The father of these Coes was Simeon M., who came to Jordan in 1835 and died in 1848. His wife was Mary Miles. A large family of 13 children, mostly boys. Each son got a farm. S.M. or Sim, who lived in the southern part of Jordan, was for years town treasurer. Near the Doc Coe place was an early frame schoolhouse, called the Coe School. It was taken down, and a new stone building erected on the west side of the road, called the Stone School."
P.61: "Doc was really Jonathan F., born in 1819, the seventh son in succession, and the superstitious belief was that this fact conferred a healing power in scrofula, and so the boy lived and died as Doc Coe. His house was on the Freeport road, about four miles north of Sterling, and for years was the best, two stories, painted white, and a contrast to many of the weather beaten shacks. Jimmy Woods was the carpenter. The old part was behind, and used for a kitchen. D. N. Foster now has the property. His first wife was bitten by a mad dog while walking along the road and eventually died from the poison. A son, Frank, was bright, and able to read in Sanders' Fourth Reader at an early age.nbsp; Doc's second wife was Sarah Murray."
P.259: "The township [Jordan] was divided into school districts in 1852, and a schoolhouse built in 1853 in Coe's district. There are now eight school districts in the township, with a fine schoolhouse in each district."
P.261-262: Excerpt-- Simeon M. Coe (born 1784) and his wife, Mary Miles, settled in Jordan in 1835. Mrs. Coe died in October, 1857. Children: Lucy Mary, S. Miles, George Alonzo, Frederick W., Henry A., Joshua, Albert S., Jonathan F., Decius O., Adeline E., Marcus L., Helen Ann, and Mortimer S. Coe.
“Jonathan F. Coe (born June 22, 1819) married Eliza Clark, November 10, 1843. Four children were born, of whom all, with the exception of Franklin A., died in infancy. Mrs. Coe's death was caused, in 1860, by hydrophobia. Mr. Coe was afterwards married to Sarah Murray. Children: Clarence C., Arthur E, Willie A., Lysle J. Franklin A. Coe is now dead."
5. Quality of education in early school days in Jordan Township:
Newspaper, The Sterling Gazette (Sterling, Illinois) Saturday, February 8, 1868:
At a meeting of the officers and teachers of Jordan township, held in district number three, Charles Diller was called to the chair. A committee of three (Messrs. L. S. Pennington, D. N. Foster, and J. F. Coe) was appointed to give a report as to the best method of grading the schools. The report was accepted, and the following sections were adopted:
Section 1. That each school be classified into three grades, viz: Primary, Intermediate and Grammar departments.
Section 2. That all scholars complete the studies in one grade before being permitted to advance to higher grade, the examination committee to determine the grade of each scholar on examination of the same.
Section 3. That the committee of examination for each school be composed of two directors, the teacher, and two disinterested persons that the three former may decide upon.
A committee, consisting of the teachers present, was appointed to decide upon the text books to be used in this town. The following books were selected; The Union Speller, Edwards' Readers, Montieth's Geography (Nos. 1 and 2), Clark's Grammar, Spencer's System of Writing, Stoddard's Mental Arithmetic, Robinson's Higher Mathematics, Berard's History, Cutler's Physiology, Webster's Dictionary. On motion, a vote of thanks was returned to Mr. John Phinney for his disinterested labors. A meeting was appointed for the teachers and all interested, at the schoolhouse in district number six, on Friday, February 14th, at one o'clock.
Signed. Geo. Walter, Sec.6. The beginning of the end of one-room schoolhouses in Jordan Township:
Newspaper, The Daily Gazette (Sterling, Illinois) Monday, May 10, 1954:
CONSOLIDATION VOTED FOR SCHOOLS SATURDAY.
An election was held Saturday in Jordan Township favoring the consolidation of the Talbot, Kapp, Jordan Center and Stone schools with 82 yes votes and 18 no votes. There will be about 80 children from the four schools.
12. Stone School Teachers: 1895-1902
Around the turn of the 20th Century, W. J. Johnston, Whiteside County Supt. of Schools in Morrison, Illinois, prepared printed tracts which provided names and titles of persons under his domain, in this case listing the teachers of “Ungraded” schools. The term ungraded refers to one-room schools, where the grades were mixed together; a “Graded” school would be one which had separate classes for each grade. The town of Sterling had several graded schools, including Sterling Township high school and Wallace grade school. A copy of these tracts are in a ledger at the Regional Office of Education, Sterling. The names of Jordan Township teachers in District 6, the Stone School, are as follows:
Note: The report for 1899 was glued to page and Jordan Township was located on back side of tract, thus unavailable.
Date Teacher Post Office District Township October 12, 1895 J. C. Maxwell Penrose 6 Jordan September 28, 1896 J. C. Maxwell Penrose 6 Jordan October 1, 1897 Miss Emily C. Zigler Penrose 6 Jordan October 1, 1897 Miss Nellie Shannon Sterling 5 Jordan October 15, 1898 Miss Ada A. List n/a 6 Jordan September 27, 1900 Miss Edna W. Mangan Sterling 6 Jordan September 30, 1901 Lewis A. Reisner Sterling 6 Jordan September 19, 1902 Miss Callie Leitz Sterling 6 Jordan
J. C. Maxwell, a resident at Penrose, taught at the Stone School for two years, 1895 and 1896. It is known that he was later appointed Trustee for District 6 ( Stone School) on October 1, 1897.
Emily C. Zigler was born in Harmon Township, Lee County, Illinois on April 28, 1866, the daughter of Marcus W. and Marietta (Groh) Zigler. Emily married James J. Coats on June 18, 1898. The above record lists her residence as Penrose while teaching at the Stone School, with a term beginning October 1, 1897. Oddly enough, the Class of 1897 photograph (see Topic 4) has the instructor identified as Nellie Shannon, who was on record the teacher for District 5 in Jordan Township. We can only surmise at this time that Miss Shannon had replaced Miss Zigler sometime during the School year. The record also shows Nellie Shannon teaching in District 1 the following year in 1898, which again leads one to believe she may have temporarily served at the Stone School at the time the picture was taken.
Miss Ada C. Lust taught for one year at the Stone School beginning October 15, 1898. She was a resident of Sterling and the daughter of Widow Kathryn Lust who came to this country from Germany in 1866. Ada was born in December, 1878 in Illinois and turned 20 years old the year she taught at the Stone School.
Miss Edna W. Mangan began her one year of teaching at the Stone School on September 27, 1900. She lived at home in Sterling with her parents, William F. and Flora M. (White) Mangan. Edna was born January, 3, 1882, in llinois. The 1900 US Census for Illinois, Whiteside, Sterling, indicates Edna was “at school” as a student, age 18; she began teaching the following fall at the Stone School. Edna married Cecil R. Martin June 25, 1902 in Whiteside County, Illinois.
Lewis A. Reisner also taught for one year at the Stone School; his term commenced September 30, 1901, a month or so before his 22nd birthday. He was born in Nebraska on 17 November, 1879, the eldest and firstborn son of John L. and Anna (Ebersole) Reisner.
Miss Callie Leitz was thought to have been born October, 1884 in Illinois to Otto and Catharine Leitz, who farmed in the area. The 1900 US Census gives Callie’s age as 16 which means that she must have turned 18 during the first month teaching at the Stone School. Her term began September 19, 1902.
13. Stone School Teachers: 1940-1955
Source: Preliminary Classification Reports, Regional Office of Education, 1001 W. 23rd, Sterling, Illinois.
Teacher Term Commencing No. Students Notes Kathryn B. U’Ren
Fall, 1954
Unk Only First and Second Grade taught at Stone School this year.
Kathryn B. U’Ren
8/31/1953
20 Wisconsin State College at Platteville; on campus; Sept. 8, 1948 to July 21, 1950; 65 credit hours; 3 years teaching experience; salary $400 month; 8-1/2 month school term. Improvements: painted new screens, cleaned.
Kathryn B. U’Ren
9/2/1952
24 Same as above. 2 years teaching experience; salary $400 month; 8-1/2 month term. Improvements: painted inside of entire building, improved floors, putting in a Telephone.
Mary Spaulding
See Note29/4/1951 23 Monmouth College; Campus; Sept 1948 to June 1950; 64 credit hours; 2 years teaching experience; salary $234 month; 9 month term.
Mrs. Beulah Deets
See Note39/1/1950 18 DeKalb, Campus plus Extension, 1916 and 1946, 14-1/3 credit hours; Augustana, Campus, July 1945, 7 credit hours; University of Illinois, Extension, 1946, 1947, 1950, 5 credit hours; University of Missouri, Correspondence, 1947 and 1950, 5 credit hours; Bradley, Campus, June 1949, 5 credit hours; Normal, National + Western, Campus, 1948-1947, 1 & 2 credit hours; Western, Campus, July 1950, 5-2/3 credit hours. 11 years teaching experience; month salary $312; 9 month term. Improvements: Blackboards, drapes, piano tuned and new keys.
Mrs. Beulah Deets 9/2/1949 18 University of Missouri, correspondence, Sept-Oct 1948, 2 credit hours; University of Illinois, Extension, Jan-May 1948, 2 credit hours; Bradley University, Campus, June 1949, 5 credit hours; 9 years teaching experience; salary $300 month; 9 month term. Improvements: washed walls, sealed floor.
Mrs. Beulah Deets 8/31/1948 13 Same as above; 8 years teaching experience; $275 month salary; 9 month term. Improvements: painted inside of school, bought new set of manuscript letters.
Mrs. Beulah Deets 9/2/1947 18 Same as above; 8 years teaching experience; $245 month salary; 9 month term. Improvements: electric clock, Big Book for 1st grade.
Mrs. Beulah Deets 9/4/1946 13 n/a Mrs. Beulah B. Deets 8/31/1945 17 n/a Mrs. Beulah Deets 8/4/1944 16 n/a Dorothy Jacobs 9/1/1943 15 n/a Beulah R. Witmer
See Note48/31/1942 17 n/a Beulah R. Witmer 9/2/1941 14 n/a Beulah R. Witmer 9/2/1940 17 Condition: Room, desks and windows very clean; 233 volumes in library; books in fair condition; composition blackboard; school has a flag; grounds in good condition; 53 trees; indoor toilets; coal room in basement; salary $110 month; term ends May 1941; Director is Ray John.
Note 2: Mary Frances (Stewart) Spaulding, b. 8/12/1930, d. 11/4/2001 in Lakeview, Oregon while visiting daughter. Mary was a daughter of William and Alice Stewart. Attended Monmouth College. Married Don M. Spaulding in 1951.Note 3: Beulah M. (Bushman) Deets, b. 12/30/1896, d. Sep 1977, Sterling, Illinois. Daughter of Colonel and Ella (Hills) Bushman. Married Cloy R. Deets in 1920; he died in 1944 and is buried at Bethel Cemetery in Milledgeville.
Note 4: Buelah Verna (Rich) Witmer, b. 12/20/1916 in Iowa, d. 6/8/1994 in Sterling, Illinois. Daughter of Joseph and Anna (Graber) Rich. Graduate of Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana. Married Harry Witmer in 1939 in Indiana.
14. Stone School Eighth Grade Registration: 1886-1953
The aformentioned Regional Office of Education in Sterling has two old ledgers, with records beginning in 1886, each containing names of students registered for 8th grade in Whiteside county. Within each year the names of students who “Passed” are first recorded, then those “Not Passed”. In the early years (and sometimes later) the name of school(s) was not indicated next to the student’s name, and, where that was the case, “None” is entered in the record, however, it may be that Stone School students were indeed recorded, only without school association. The original record should be reviewed if one is looking for a particular name in a year where “None” appears under the heading “Name of Student”.
The course of study at the Stone School remained fairly consistent throughout the years: Reading, Spelling, Writing, Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Civics, and Physiology. Reading was dropped from 1891 to 1897; History and Civics were combined from 1891 to 1894. Geography, History and Civics were combined from 1899 to 1902. Civics was dropped in 1904, leaving the combined Geography and History course of study. In 1943, the base method for promoting students changed from “average” to “grade equivalent”.
The following list details Year and Name of 8th Grade students at the Stone School.
Year
Passed
Name of Student
Age
1886
-
None
-
1887
-
None
-
1888
-
None
-
1889
Yes
Jessie Miller
16
No
Emanual Byers
21
1890
-
None
-
1891
Yes
Effie Johnson
-
Yes
Nellie M. Shannon
-
Yes
Roy Baer
-
Yes
Albert Johnson
-
Yes
Roy Jenkins
-
Yes
Mabel Watson
-
No
Katie Ebersole
-
No
Jerome Gilbert
-
1892
Yes
Katie Ebersole
16
Yes
Fred Bressler
15
Yes
Elsie Ebersole
17
No
Mabel D. Foster
16
No
Bessie Foster
14
1893
Yes
Fannie John
14
1893
Yes
Addison John
17
Yes
Marius John
16
1894
Yes
Lillie M. Byers
15
No
Mary Alice Hey
14
1895
Yes
Mary A. Hey
15
Yes
Clement Hey
13
Yes
George Bressler
14
Yes
Martin Frey
14
Yes
Edith Eshelman
15
1896
-
None
1897
-
None
1898
No
Emma L. Byers
16
1899
No
Mabel Blank
16
No
Emma Byers
17
1899
No
Daniel Ebersole
13
No
Essie Landis
16
No
Mamie Landis
13
1900
No
Emma L. Byers
17
No
Annie Ebersole
15
No
Daniel B. Ebersole
14
No
Lester Miller
13
1901
-
None
1902
No
Bessie Ebersole
16
1903
No
Emma Zigler
-
1904
-
None
1905
Yes
Lloyd Baer
15
No
Raymond Sier
15
No
Leta Belle Pfundstein
13
1906
Yes
Raymond Sier
16
Yes
Raymond Blank
16
Yes
Leta Pfundstein
14
Yes
Anna Speidel
14
1906
No
Bertha Gunthier
15
1907
Yes
Bertha Gunthier
16
Yes
Carrie Wechsler
16
1908
-
None
-
1909
Yes
Helen Sier
16
Yes
Catherine Speidel
15
1910
-
None
-
1911
Yes
Louisa Speidel
14
Yes
Glen Wade
16
Yes
Nellie Smith
14
1911
Yes
Minnie Speidel
13
1912
No
Leora Wilger
15
1913
Yes
Minnie Speidel
13
Yes
Bertha Ebersole
13
Yes
Lola Smith
12
Yes
