Clinton High School - Builder Yearbook (Clinton, MN)

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it tilt? E U tt -LU ii RQ Histor of the Clinton Public School Clinton Public School District No. 50 was organized in the year 1887, as a common ungraded school district. A petition for the formation of a new school district from portions of dis- tricts numbers 4, 6, 27 and 28 was presented to the County Board of Commissioners of Big Stone County, signed by approximately thirty-five freeholders who were legal voters re- siding in each of the above named districts. The county superintendent of schools had endorsed on this peti- tion his written approval thereof. The county superintendent of school at that time was W. R. Brown. This petition was presented to the board of County Commissioners by H. W. Hewitt, father of H. A. Hewitt. The board of County Commissioners at that time consisted of the follow- ing members: A. A. Jackson, chair- man, E. L. Kingsbury, H. C. Lyman, Andrew Lannan and G. B. Chesley. N. G. Anderson was county auditor and secretary of the board. The petition as presented by H. W. Hewitt follows word for word as it appears in the proceedings of the board on file in the County Auditor's office. State of Minnesota County of Big Stone The petition of H. W. Hewitt and others, who constituted a majority of the freeholders who are legal voters residing in each of the districts 4, 6, 27, and 28 in said county asking that the boundar- ies o f s u c h districts be allowed, hav- ing been pre- sented to the B o a r d 0 f County Com- missioners of said Big Stone County, and the County Superintend - ent of Schools h a vin g en- dorsed on such petition The First School Building his written approval thereof, and the County Commissioners having ap- pointed a time and place of hearing upon said petition and due notice thereof having been given, as by law required, and it appearing that neither of said old districts will be left with less than thirty-five residents between 5 and 21 years of age. Now said petitions having been publicly read at a meeting of said Board of County Commissioners heli at Ortonville on the 25th day of July 1887, being the time and place speci- fied in said notice and it having been duly considered by said Board. It is by said Board ordered that the bound- aries of School Districts Numbers 4, 6, 27, and 28 within said County of Big' Stone be, and they are hereby altered as follows to wit: NEV1 of Sec. 20 and N LQ of Sec. 22 is hereby detached from school Dist. No. 4. The NW V4 from Dist. No. 6. All of Sec. 15 from Dist. No. 27. All of Section 16, E V2 of Sec. 17, the N EQ of Sec. 21 from Dist. No. 28. All in town 123-range 46. t'The above described land was de- tached from said districts for the pur- pose of forming a new school district. It was by said Board ordered that a new school district be formed from the following described land: all of sections 15 and 16, E V2 of Sec. 17, the NE IA and the NW V4 of Sec. 20, N wg of sections numbers 21 and 22 town 123-range 46. Such al- terations and f o r m ati ons b e i n g a S prayed for in said petition. 'iBy order of the Board o f C o u n t y Commission - e r s o f B i g Stone County, Minnesota at a m e e t in g held July 25, 1887. 'tAttssts: N. Gt. Anderson, County Audi- tor.

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DEDICATION To OUR COMMUNITY, TO WHICH WE ARE INDEBTED FOR OUR OPPORTUNITIES, WE GRATE- FULLY DEDICATE THIS VOLUME OF THE BUILDERY, FOREWARD What we've experienced as a class Is like a curtain ca.st asideg A pleasant memory hides the past, While future's gate looms open wide. Each of us stands on the threshold of life, Ready to take our place in the Worldg Willing to conquer in any strife, And meet our tasks as they're unfurled. Unity is all that we have known, As we've traveled these many yearsg And now that we must start out alone, We're quite bewildered with sudden fears. But 1et's step out in life with a smile, And climb those walls to success and fame. This is only a commencement to many a mile, For We must conquer in order to gain. -Marjorie Yust

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A tt-it aillratag A UA. A. Jackson, Chairman, Board of County Commissioners. After the district was organized an election was held and members of the first board of education were elected. 'I'he first board consisted of J. H. Erickson, treasurer, J. C. Jasperson, clerk, and A. O. Nassit, chairman. The first taxes were also voted to meet the necessary expenditures, which were as follows: teacher's wages 3180.00, fuel 325.00, apparatus as globes, maps, dictionaries, etc. 325.00, and 350.00 for 'paying interest on the bonds that were voted to build the new school- house. The first schoolhouse was just a one-room building. It was built on the lot now occupied by the Martin John- son residence. After it had outlived its usefulness as a school, it was sold to- gether with one lot to the M. E. church society for the sum of 316600. After the church was through with it, it was used as a village pest house and later was made into a creamery. An- other lot was sold to John Lindholnr for 36600. On January 1, 1888, the first school term opened with sixteen pupils en- rolled and with Adaline Burlingame as Clinton's first teacher. Four of the sixteen pupils are still living in Clin- ton: Burt Barton, Hiram Hewitt, John Martinson, and Eugene Okeson. With- out a doubt, they all recall how big sister Mary' had to lead her little brother Burt across the railroad tracks every day. We wonder if he can make it across alone now! The years between 1888 and 1895 were rather uneventful as far as the history of a one-room school is concerned. However it is interesting to know that Alice Black, An- drew Skoglin, Ida Buck, Rose Cunning- ham, Celia Conaboy, and Floren-ce Burlin- game were the teach- ers during these years. It was a natural thing for the school enrollment to increase from year to year. Consequently the one room school became too small and it was very apparent that a new building would have to be built So on December 12, 1895, a special school election was held for the pur- pose of ascertaining whether the dis- lrict should bond itself for the build- ing of a new schoolhouse. This was a great move in the right direction and received the endorsement of thcse who had children dependent on them for an education. It was an injuslice to both Leachers and pupils to place them in the circumstance they were in and expect them to teach and learn. It was decided that the building should be 20x24 ft. The building com- mittee consisteci of E. B. Nichols, John Hagaman, and D. K. J. Clark. Three thousand dollar bonds were voted and it was decided that construction should begin as soon as the weather permitted in the spring. The contract- ors were J. A. Erickson and J. H. Hunter. Because of the crowded condition by December of the same year, 1895, it became necessary to divide the school. The upper grades were taught in the ex-photograph gallery with Ida Buck as the teacher. What a coincidence to be using this same building now for our music room since the schoolhouse was destroyed by fire. The primary department, which occupied the schoolhouse, had Mrs. E. B. Nichols as instructor. In the fall of 1896, school was de- layed in opening for a few days as the new 20 x 24 foot schoolhouse was The Second School, Built in 1896