Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society: Historic Homes and Places

In about 1855 the original frame school house was built with in the present school yard. A wood shed was attached in back. A high board fence north of the wood shed divided the playground and out houses, for girls to the west and boys to the east. To the front was the socalled entry, a place for dinner buckets, caps, coats and overshoes. Inside was the typical one-room school, heated by a round oak wood stove. There was no basement. Hence, cold winter floors produced an "epidemic" of chilblains, and it was not unusual for the one and only dipper to freeze in the water pail. Early day teacher wages were as low as $25. a month. In keeping with the need for improved educational and social facilities, citizens of the district voted to replace the 60-year-old school building with a modern structure. The present building was built in 1915 with central heat, running water from a well and sanitation facilities. In addition to enabling a far better offering in rural elementary education, this 1915 building also made way for the development of a social center that served for decades to provide adult education programs, high quality entertainment and good cultural influence.