Maroa Grade School - Grade Yearbook (Maroa, IL)

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HISTORY OF SCHOOL (Continued) By the fall of 1864 the school population had so Increased that two teachers had to be employed for part of the year. Both teachers taught In the same room. Additional ground having been purchased and the old building moved away, work was begun on a new school building in the summer of 1866. The new building was a two-storv brick of four rooms. An east wing of two rooms was added In I8b7. During the summer of 1875 a one-room frame school house was built on the rear end of the school lot, back of the main building. By 1877 the school had a principal and four teachers. The average monthly wage at this time was about $45. to $50. per month. At a meeting of the board held April 3, 1882 it was decided that more ground was needed. Two acres of ground lying east of and adjoining the school lots were purchased for $500. By 1890 the population of the town had reached a point where by law the management of school affairs should pass from a board of directors to a Board of Education consisting of a president and six members. About this time it was decided to purchase a steam heating plant for the brick school. W. C. Dine was given the position as Janitor and held this position until June 16th, 1941, completing nearly fifty-two years of Janitorial service to the school. In 1895 improvements included the laying of concrete walks about the school buildings, and extending the city waterworks to the school premises. In 1916 the present brick building was erected. It contained twelve classrooms, an assembly and a small gymnasium. In 1953» four classrooms and a gymnasium were added. The old gym was converted to a kitchen and lunchroom for school lunches. The assembly is being used at present as a visual aids room and the new gymnasium provides a space for public meetings and assembly. It is interesting thus to follow the history of the schools through the past century. Starting with two dozen pupils and one teacher in 1858, in a village of but a few scattered houses, a mere speck upon the bread, unbroken prairie, we have seen their gradual but constant growth and development until now there is an enrollment of over three hundred elementary pupils. Also during that period a new high school has been built and has an enrollment in excess of 130. The total enrollment of of the two schools in the village is about 450 pupils. Information taken from a catalogue and course of study of the public schools of Maroa, 111. in 1901. 41

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