Lone Tree Community School - Elm Yearbook (Lone Tree, IA)

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TOP: Methodist Church (1955). BOTTOM: Grace Evangelical and Reformed Church (1955). located miles south and l£ miles west of town. In 1868 they built a church 2 miles south of Lone Tree and later the same building was moved to town and rebuilt at some increased cost. The original members were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Anderson, Sidney Potter, A. W. Leonard, George Sanders, Clement Wood, and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Huskins. In 1864 the Grace Evangelical and Reformed Church of Fremont township was organized with the following members: A. P. Ellen, and Mary King, Mr. and Mrs, McNeal, Lottie McNeal, Adam Kichner and wife, Charles Fernstrom, James Lutz and wife, and James Allison. These original members first held their meetings in King's schoolhouse. Their place of meeting was changed several times until in 1887 the first church was built in Lone Tree on the present site an Jayne Street (1 block east of Main (Devoe) Street.) The Baptist Church of Lone Tree originated in 1873. In 1874 they constructed their first build- ing in the town on the lot north of Earl Rife's Barber Shop (1955). Rev. Charles Brooks and wife, W. E. Alyworth and wife, Charles H. Ayl- worth and wife, O. N. Aylworth, Martha J. Ayl- worth, John W. Jayne and Annie B. Jayne were the original members. By 1 900 the Baptist Church was discontinued and later torn down. The St. Mary's Church of Lone Tree was or- ganized in 1874, under Father Emmonds of Iowa City. A new building was completed on May 24, 1913, and still stands on Jayne Street, 2 blocks west of Main (Devoe) Street. A list of the original members could not be obtained. However, it is known that on November 13, 1919, Rev. F. A. Kottenstette moved from Hills to Lone Tree to become the first resident pastor. It is known that a Lutheran Church was once located in Lone Tree north of the present site of the Grace Evangel- ical and Reformed Church. The date of origin is not known, but three of the men who helped organize the church were John K. Doerres, F. H. Lenz, and Peter Freyermuth. Public Schools In the summer of 1877 the building on the right was erect- ed in Lone Tree at a total cost of about $1800. It was then considered a fine structure and was the pride of the resi- dents of Lone Tree. Not only was it used for school pur- poses, but also as a voting pLace and for township meetings. 6 First School (1877).

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Mr. Jayne had strong anti-liquor feelings. According to H. C. Buell, there was a stipulation in the original platting of Lone T ree that the buyer could never sell any intoxicating drinks on the property bought. It was further provided that, if on the new premises, the new owner or any of his heirs or assignees violated the contract, Mr. Jayne would bring action and recover the property. After Mr. Jayne’s death some prop- erty owners disregarded the original stipulation made by this pious Baptist pioneer. Taverns have been and are located on what was once Jayne property. Railroad The growth of the town and the railroad were parallel. In 1872 the B.C.R. N.R.R. replaced the old stage coach line between Muscatine and Montezuma. The B.C.R. N.R.R. was later purchased by the Rock Island line which has continued to operate it to the present time but at a much slower pace than in the early days. The first depot was situated on the north side of the railroad tracks where Harold Krai's coal bins now (1955) stand. Later a new depot was built on the present site south of the tracks. The old depot burned, probably after the new one was built, according to H. C. Buell. Cemetery What is now known as the Lone Tree cemetery was first used by the George Amlong family as a burying ground. In 1875 J. W. and H. D. Jayne bought 1 acre of this land. By May, 1876, they completed a cemetery stock company organization for the purpose of paying for the land and improvements. Receipts from lots sold were spent on the improvement and ornamentation of the cemetery. Churches. The first church in Fremont township (where Lone Tree is located) was organized in 1854 and was known under the general name of the Church of God. (It was also known as the Christian Church.) The members first held services in a schoolhouse but later erected a church building in Lone Tree across the street and east on the corner from the pres- ent (1955) Reformed Church. The original members were Daniel S. Ball and wife, the families of Joseph Hamilton, R. V. Smith, William Hill, Delates Groves, Joseph Holland, Mrs. David Drosbauch, C. M. and John Holland, and others. This church later discontinued its services aid the building was sold at an auction. The Methodist Episcopal Church of Fremont Township, with the assistance of Rev. A. W. Strycker and the original members, held services in King's schoolhouse which is ABOVE: Methodist Church. BOTTOM: St. Mery's Church, Grace Evangelical and Reformed Church, Church of God (No Longer Standing) 5

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In 1896 the building at the right was completed. A part of this building is the old building remod- eled with the new addition built onto it. This re- modeled building was in constant use until 1915 when it was torn down. It contained three class- rooms and hallways on the first floor. A base- ment had toilets and a furnace room. This building met the needs of the town for about 10 years. A fire damaged part of the building and it was tom down after a new modern brick structure (the one now in use in 1955) had been erected to Second School (1896). take its place. This new school building (not in- cluding the gym) was erected in 1915, just before the price boom, and cost about $35,000. Now (1955) the same structure would doubtless cost twice as much. In 1941 the school gymnasium-auditorium was erected in co-operation with the Work Projects Adminis- tration (WPA) and connected to the north side of the 1915 brick building. When the first building was erected, education in this community was in its infancy. Gradually it has grown and expanded until today our schools are fully accredited and are recognized by all colleges and universities. At the time the present building was built (1915), it was considered large, larger than was necessary to accommodate the patrons of the school. Today (1 955) the building is much too small to take care of the ever-increasing numbers of grade and high school students. The building today is used by both grades and high school. In the main basement are: the northeast room used to prepare hot lunch, as a dining room, and for home economics cooking classes; the northwest room, used both for home economics sewing and cooking classes and a dining room for hot lunch; the old sunken gymnasium on the south is partitioned into two parts and used as the seventh and eighth grade rooms; on the west is a boiler room with a coal stoker and coal bins; boys and girls toilets, a boys shower, and storerooms complete the basement. At street level is the new (1941) gymnasium across the north end of the 1915 building. On the west end of this is a stage with a dressing room on both the north and south sides and with both boys and girls dressing rooms underneath On the first floor are grade rooms and boys and girls toilets with the superintendent’s office across the south end of the hall. On the second floor the original large assembly has been divided into 3 smaller rooms. These are used as home rooms for ninth, tenth, and eleventh and twelfth grades. The large northeast room is a science classroom and laboratory; the small room at the north end of the hall is used as a typing room; the large northwest classroom is used for music and for other classes; the middle room on the west is a grade school room; a small room on the west and next to the ninth home room shelves the library. School Building and Gymnasium (1955). 7