Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/314

 251 EISTOKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY They accordingly decided upon a site adjoining the public square and commenced excavation for the cellar when, serious opposi- tion to that site developing, a special meeting of the district was called in .July of that year to decide the matter. By a majority of four votes the site north of the Baptist church was decided upon, the land being donated for that purpose. !l has been claimed that the majority was not one of all the voters in the district, but only of those present ami voting, a majority of all preferring the much more elevated site, though some <>f them failed to be on hand at the pinch. In consequence the present tine building is located where it is instead of on a spot where its tine and im- posing proportions and asped would be much more effective than is now possible. In March, 1871, it Mas voted that there should he three schools and three terms of thirteen weeks each, and that there should be two male teachers and one female teacher. In 1871 the amount received fr the county treasurer was $1,850 and in 1872, +2.200. During this school year .Mr. Savage taught the high school for ten weeks. Previously and after the tirst school house was Iniill. the li'.idp'i's were. II. Parker. Ilattie Ward, Emma Barrett, now Mrs. .lames Farwell; Lettie Barrett, now .Mrs. Harry Sergeanl of California; A.bby Moody, then of York. Maine, and Alice Kendall. At a district meeting held in October. 1872, on motion of J. A. Thacher, it was voted, with but two of three dissenting, to maintain the schools at the highest point of efficiency then attainable and that no backward steps be taken. Recurring briefly to the early beginnings of the work of the Schools, of which, unfortunately, lor the first years no trace of records can be found, it may be said thai the persons to whom were committed the responsibilities of inaugurating and carrying forward the educational interests of the incipient community were men not only deeply interested in the work, but especially qualified to conduct il in such a way as not only to enlist hearty cooperation but also to fix and intensify the public sentiment in favor of unremitting devotion to the cause of sound, practical and thorough mental and moral training of the young people. Each member of the school board had learned the art of teaching by experience in New England. They were J. A. Thacher. 1. 0. Stearns and C. C. Webster. During all the years that have fol- lowed, the hoard has never been without members who were leading citizens, interested in their duties and competent to per- form them so as to carry forward the cause which, to the honer of our village can be said, has been always near her heart. The first school house being on an elevated site and in itself a hand- some building, having a fine front and crowned with a tasteful