Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/332

 272 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY barn in the basement of which were the stables for horses and cattle. Benches without backs were the only seats, and the door had to be kept open to afford light. Shooing chickens and clucks and pigs was part of the program. Quite commonly the schools were kept in log cabins which had been used while pre-empting some claim. One of these cabins is described as follows: "The house stood alone on the prairie, which was somewhat rolling, and entirely out of sight of any neighboring house. There was a large square opening, left for a window, on one side. About the middle of the roof there was a smaller opening, which had been used to accommodate a stove pipe. These were used to let in the light. There was also a door at one corner of the building, where light would come in when the weather was pleasant. The door itself had neither hinges nor fastenings. The young lady teacher had plenty of exercise in removing and replacing the door in windy weather. She said in answer to some inquiries of the superintended that she was obliged to place a large prop against the door oftentimes to keep out the wind, and in case of a hard shower, "we huddle together in the dryest corner! "

1864 there were nominally one hundred districts in the county, but only eighty-seven of these were organized. There were fifty-six school houses owned by districts; thirty-four frame and twenty-two log buildings. According to the superintendent's report only six were really good buildings. Home-made seats and desks were the order, and many schools were without black- boards, maps, or globes. There were a1 this time only two dis- tricts which employed more than one teacher. They were Red "Wing, employing five, and Cannon Falls, two. The total enrollment was 2.450. During the year of 1864-65 there were in the county 101 teachers, of whom twenty-five were men and seventy-six women. Three held first grade certificates; fifty-seven, second grade; and forty-one. third grade. M. P. Ilubbel was the first man and Mrs. Julia B. Nelson, then Julia Bullard, the first woman to receive a first grade certificate. The earliest statistical report of the county superintendent kept on file is from the year 1883. At that time there were four special or independent districts and 143 rural schools, of which five were joint districts with their school houses in the adjoining counties. The total enrollment was 7.404. During the year seven districts had three months of school ; fifteen had four months ; twenty-four, five months ; thirty-two. six months ; forty-five, seven months; eleven, eight months; two, nine months; and one, ten months. Many of the schools were very large. Thus District No. 24 shows an enrollment of ninety-one; District 54. seventy-