Page 16 - Clear Lake Mirror Reporter E-Edition 9-16-2015

Local NewsPage 16 • Sept. 16, 2015
Stories from the History Room
Take a lesson in early Clear Lake schools
by Dana Duesenberg
School days are upon us and
I thought this to be a good time to
write about the beginning of Clear
Lake’s school history. The perplexing
question facing history buffs is how
the early school history went down-
- when and where the schools were
built.
My recent review of the Library’s
History Room--early memories,
newspaper microfilm and souvenir
editions, county history books, maps
and pictures-- help reconstruct the
past. The difficulty is that articles
were written after the fact and photo-
graphs are hard to come by.
The first records indicate that
children were taught in the private
cabin of the first settler, Joseph Hewitt, Humane Society sets fall festival
and the teacher was Elizabeth Gard-
ner. Ms. Gardner was the daughter
of Roland Gardner, who with other
members of the family died in the
infamous 1856 Spirit Lake Massacre.
Elizabeth was living elsewhere during
the tragedy and so survived.
It appears that the early pub-
lic schools were constructed in Clear
Lake in 1857, 1869, 1872, 1889, and
1901. The 1901 school was a remodel
and extension of the 1889 school.
Rose McIntosh and Ida Gary,
two well-known early settlers, re-
ported in newspaper articles that they
recalled a school stood somewhere
south of the outlet. Ida remembers
that there were two schools in Clear
Lake when she moved here in 1870.
One was formerly where the 1857
school stood and was used as city hall.
The other was where the Outlet Park
is now, meaning south of the outlet.
Later, Ida says, she attended a
school where contractor Ernest An-
dersen’s mill shop was later located.
Still later, Ida says, she attended high
school on what became known as
the Clausen residence on the lot at
the corner of North 5th and Benton
Streets.
In a Warranty Deed, July 4th,
This photo depicts the Clear Lake Bank which stood on Lot 8, Block 10, facing Main
Street. To the rear of the bank building shows only a portion the first school built in the land where the school house stood
1857. The school house originally sat on the lot facing Main Street, but was later
turned so as to face North 4th Street.
1857, James Dickerson is shown was turned to face 4th Street. Mrs.
deeding to School District No. One L.E. Ashland said, “Clear Lake’s first
of Clear Lake Township, the lot where schoolhouse did some traveling— it
the present day Clear Lake Bank & eventually ended up as a private resi-
Trust now sits. At this location in dence on South 3rd Street where it
1857, a 26 x 26 foot building with stands today.”
a cupola was constructed and is now The second school house was
recognized as the first school house in built in 1869. The 1883 map depicts
town. One chronicler remembers that the school where the Parks and Recre-
the school was painted white, with a ation building is located present day.
colored cornice painted Turkish red, By the 1870’s it was recognized that a
but time had softened the colors. separate high school was needed. The
Circa May 1870, the school house school would become known as the
The Humane Society of North The event is being held at the Na-
Iowa will host its 16th Annual Fall tional Guard Armory, located at 1160
Festival Fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 19th St. S.W., Mason City. There is
20, at the National Guard Armory in no admission charge for the event and
Mason City. The free event is open all activities are free with the excep-
to the public and will take place from tion of a nominal fee for some of the
noon to 4 pm. children’s activities.
The Fall Festival Fundraiser will “The Fall Festival is an important
feature activities such as a silent auc- annual event for our organization,”
tion, a bounce house for kids, horse said Humane Society Executive Di-
rides, games, bake sale, concession rector Sybil Soukup. “Proceeds from
stand, and other fun activities. Adopt- this fundraiser will allow us to provide
able animals from the shelter will also quality care to the animals that rely on
be at the event. us in our shelter as well provide ser-
vices to communities in North Iowa.”
Flu Clinic planned
locally Sept. 25
Thrifty White Pharmacy will be
holding a Flu Clinic at Lake Plaza
Apartments, 20 N. 4th St., Friday,
Sept. 25, from 10-11:30 a.m. The
clinic is open to the public and Thrifty
White will bill health insurance carri-
ers if that information is provided by
the patient.
Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter
1872 School House. In June of 1890
was deeded to S.J. Clausen, a well-
known mill operator in Clear Lake.
It is unclear just what portion
of the existing garage on the Clausen Flag ceremony at Veterans Memorial
property is from the old school. The
1881 map of the city shows a much Veterans Memorial Golf Club in Clear Lake wrapped up its Patriot Golf Week
larger structure than the existing ga- with a flag raising ceremony on Friday morning, Sept. 11. During the week of
rage. In an article dated July 12, Sept. 4-11, 10 percent of all green fees were earmarked for donation to the Folds
1951, the Clear Lake Mirror Centen- of Honor Foundation. Folds of Honor provides annual educational scholar-
nial Edition reads, “The building on ships to the military families of those who have been killed or disabled while in
the Louise Clausen property is half of active duty. Golf Course Manager Mike Oimoen said he plans to continue The
the Clear Lake School. This was not Patriot Golf Week program, which raised nearly $900 in a short week. Oimoen
the first school.” Another article in stressed the golf course is here for Veterans and always will be. Pictured raising
the same paper states the school built the flag are Mike Tarr and Dave Theiss.-Reporter photo.
in 1872 was on the lot occupied by
Louise Clausen’s home. The garage is
part of the original building.
The 1889 school stood on the
North end of the present day Central
Gardens. It was completed at a cost
of $40,000. In 1901 it went through
a complete renovation and expansion.
This school was destroyed by fire in
1912.
In 1874 there were two school
districts, Clear Lake and Lake Town-
ship’s, and they were combined into
one district called the Independent
School District of Clear Lake. This
summary, taken from historical docu-
ments, seems to answer the questions
of where and when the schools were
built.
If you have documents or infor-
mation conflicting with this summa-
ry, please contact the Public Library’s
History Room.
Starting off the school year in style
Josif Miranda was the Clear Lake Public Library’s Summer Reading Program winner of a limousine ride on the first day
of school. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, Ethan Zickefoose, Josif, and Sadie Sellers arrived at the Clear Lake Middle School to
begin the 2015-16 school year. Josif ’s sisters, Abbie and Kloie Miranda are also pictured here. All middle school students
who read 10 hours this summer were eligible for the limo ride drawing. The Friends of the Library sponsor the library’s
Summer Reading Program, including the ride from Odyssey Limousine Service.-Submitted photo.
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