“SCHOOL DAYS, SCHOOL DAYS, DEAR OLD GOLDEN RULE DAYS”
by
Carolyn Saul Logan
The words of this old song go on . . . “reading and writing and ‘rithmatic, taught to the tune of the hickory stick!”
There is no old school day’s hickory stick in Willow School (Norway No. 6) at the Humboldt County Museum. There is just about everything else, however. Double desks, globe, blackboard, slates, potbelly stove, books, ink pots in the desks, and the familiar portrait of George Washington with the fog rising across his chest. Above the painted blackboard, the Parker Penmanship cursive alphabet slants gracefully across the room.
Mrs. Norman Kirchhoff was a member of the Willow School Restoration Committee and wrote in her letter to the editor in 1968, “Norway No. 6 School was built by Ole Blondahl in 1883 in section 13 of Norway Township. At that time there were 79 rural schools in the county.” Mr. Blondahl kept a diary as he built the school so we know quite a bit about it.
“Classes were first held in the building on December 18, 1883,” Mrs. Kirchhoff continued. “There have been 58 teachers that have taught in the school until it closed on May 26, 1955, with Dorothy Mickelson as teacher. There have been 136 known boys and girls in attendance, with forty-five pupils the largest enrollment and seven pupils being the smallest group.” All eight grades were taught in the one room, which meant that the teacher had to keep good order and the older students had to help the younger ones. According to former country school students, it all worked out extremely well and everyone got a good education.
The school was donated by Dorothy Mickelson’s brother, Dr. Clifford Mickelson, veterinary, of Webster City and made its journey of twelve miles to the Museum grounds on September 21, 1966.
Many people donated items to ensure that the school portrayed education as it was in the 1880’s. The school bell in the belfry was given by Miss Leva Johnson of Eagle Grove as a memorial to her brother, Lars R. Johns. The story is told that one teacher rang the bell only to be attacked by a swarm of angry bees, who considered the belfry their home.
During a recent visit by fifth grade students from Taft School, Marilyn Hinners acted as their guide into the “good ole golden rule days.” The students sat in the desks, leafed through the books, wrote on the slates, and for a very brief moment, were back in the 1880’s. As they left the school, Marilyn rang the bell. There were no bees, of course—just the loud clanging of the old school bell.
Special tours for groups can be arranged at the Humboldt County Museum—such as a group interested in the school. Contact the Director, Connie Overby on her cell phone 890-9652 or by e-mail c.overby@mchsi.com.