IowaJones/Schools/Onslow

History of Onslow Schools
Written and Submitted by Boyd Wasson
Onslow High School Graduate

TEACHERS WITH LENGTHY SERVICE

Grace Maple
25 years, 1890-1915

Miss Estelle McCune
23 years

Miss Matie
Johanna Harms
42 years, twenty-two in rural schools and twenty years in Onslow and Midland, 1944-1964, when she retired

Mrs. Mabel
Streeper Gearhart
44 years, four years in Madison Village District near Center junction, forty years in Wyoming, Onslow, and Midland until she retired in May, 1970

Mrs. Mildred
Streeper Dreibelbis
45 years, four years in rural schools, 41 years in Onslow and Midland beginning in 1929 and retiring in 1971

Walter Wagner
served Onslow as superintendent for ten years

Mrs. Ava
Streeper Bramer
was secretary to the Onslow School Board for fifteen years

THE GRACE MAPLE AWARD
Howard Hall, a former resident of Onslow and Cedar Rapids, is the donor of a scholarship to high school graduates of Onslow since 1952 called the Grace Maple Award, because of his great admiration and respect for his first teacher. From 1952 through 1960, this scholarship was given to the senior of the graduating class with the highest scholastic rank of the Onslow seniors. After the Onslow school became a part of the Midland District in 1960, this scholarship has been administered through the Onslow Presbyterian Church. Since that time it has been presented to the senior of the graduating class who is a member of our First Presbyterian Church and has the highest scholastic rank of the Onslow area seniors.
Graduates receiving the Grace Maple Scholarship Awards:
1952 Kathleen Moran
1953 Warner Wasson and Janet Wagner
1954 Carol Stickley
1955 James Chaplin
1957 Alice Larkey
1958 Leland Hodoval
1959 Robert Holst
1960 Leland Haring
This was the last class to graduate from Onslow High School.

Education has always received attention and been a great concern to the people in Onslow. When the town began in 1871 the children of school age were given instruction in “readin, ‘ritin, and ‘rithmetic.”

The first school taught in Onslow was not a public school, but a very select or private one taught by Miss Addie Walters of Clay Mills, during the fall and winter terms. She would be a great aunt to Bill Walters, head of Walters Lumber Company, formerly Kennedy Lumber Company of Wyoming. She was paid for her services by the parents of the pupils whom she taught.

The first public school was taught in the spring of 1872, by Miss Sadie Doxsee, in a building located at 301 Summit Street, now incorporated as part of that residence. At that time the school district was a part of the sub-district No. 3 of Wyoming Township. At an election held June 13, 1874, the Independent District of Onslow was organized. Then, by vote of the electors, at an election held on July 3, 1874, the consolidation of the Onslow school district was completed. The school was started by the erection of one room and located on the ground just southwest of the residence at 102 Second Street. (On the southwest corner of 2nd Street and Anamosa Avenue.) In 1878 a second room was added and from this date two teachers were required to properly instruct the children in the fundamentals of education.

Later, part of the school was used as a barn and was torn down in 1946. The other part was moved, used as a residence, and eventually torn down with the lumber being used in constructing another residence.

A modern two story frame building was constructed in 1898. A third teacher was added to their faculty. Provision was made for four rooms to make allowance for increased enrollment and another teacher could be added without delay.

In 1890, Onslow had its first graduation class of eleven members. According to previous records the next commencement was held in 1900 with students completing the eleventh grade. In 1911, the twelfth grade was added with Mr. B. S. Moyle as superintendent teaching all four grades.

Graduation exercises were held in the IOOF Hall until 1918. From 1918 until 1925 students were required to go a high school of their choice to finish the twelfth grade and receive diplomas. Some went to Wyoming, Monticello, Anamosa, Maquoketa, or elsewhere. Again in 1926 till 1960 commencement exercises were held in Onslow. Music was added in 1929. Horse drawn school buses were used to transport students to and from school.

About 1920, the rural district of Defiance Hill consolidated with Onslow. About the same time the south upstairs room was finished for use as an assembly and classroom. Domestic science and manual training were added as elective subjects and athletics, a special activity. Baseball was enjoyed and basketball was played on an outdoor court after the four o’clock dismissal. Indoor basketball games were played in different buildings around town. Bonds of $36,000 were voted and passed in 1936 to erect a new building, then this one was torn down.

In 1936, a new building replaced the 1898 building at a cost of $24,000. It was a P.W.A. project. This consisted of a home economics room and manual training room in the basement. Grades were housed on the first floor and high school on the second floor. We were also privileged to have a school gym for the first time and inside modern rest rooms.

In 1957, a one story addition was extended to the south at a cost of $53,000. It has been used for elementary grade purposes. After reorganizationin 1960, the north part has been used as a Junior High Center. At that time the high school was moved

to the Wyomingbuilding and the Onslow Independent District became part of the Midland Community District. This district included Center Junction, Onslow, and Wyoming in 1960. In 1963, Monmouth voted to join Midland. The Midland name was selected as it identified the Midland Branch of the Northwestern Railroad that had formerly served the area.

The last rural school to close in Jones County was the Spencerville District in 1966-1967. This district then became a part of the Midland District. Hazel Bearinger had been the teacher for twenty-two years. With the closing of this district Miss Bearinger then became the second grade teacher in the Onslow center of the Midland District.

Onslow School Superintendents
1888-1960

1888 - 1889

J. J. Billingsly
1889 - 1890

J. D. Hullinger
1890 - 1891

J. M. Davis
1891 - 1892

F. E. Felenocker
1892 - 1893

A. L. Franklin
1893 - 1894

J. C. Magee &

John E. Cameron
1894 - 1895

A. W. Albertson
1895 - 1896

Dan R. Perkins
1896 - 1897

Fred Williams
1897 - 1898

W. C. Cummings
1898 - 1899

L. Buchanan
1899 - 1903

C. D. Walrod
1903 - 1905

Frank Fowlie
1905 - 1906

Hugh Mossman
1906 - 1907

R. W. Fellows
1907 - 1908

C. E. Williams
1908 - 1909

G. W. Dunham
1908 - 1911

B. S. Moyle
1911 - 1912

Mr. Evans

1912 - 1914

Ruth Spooner
1914 - 1915

Earl T. Crane
1915 - 1916

Mr. Keyes
1916 - 1917

T. Lyle Joseph
1917 - 1918

Ralph Bone
1918 - 1919

Mr. Foster
1919 - 1920

Glenn Bailey
1920 - 1922

Guy Stutzman
1922 - 1924

Ethel Koon
1924 - 1928

Mr. Bowser
1928 - 1929

H. E. Irons
1929 - 1934

J. M. Macualay
1934 - 1936

Ralph Collister
1936 - 1937

Keith Lemon
1937 - 1943

Arthur F. Pottle
1943 - 1946

Wilson Briggs
1946 - 1956

Walter Wagner
1956 - 1957

E. A. Heland
1957 - 1960

Ralph Rogers

The Onslow School District was consolidated into the Midland School District
beginning with the 1961 school year.

Onslow High School Graduates

1890 to ?
Mabel McKean Biglow
Mae Brulo Overly
Amy Underwood Johnson
Lou Reade Neelans
Jennie Smith Bender
Jessie Reade Arnold
Lizzie Paul Erwin
Lottie Chase Clark
John Sokol
Louis Curtright
Lester Curtright

1894
Jessie Brown McMaster Tompkins

1900
Pearl Welch Gray
Vera Paul
Josie Klimo Stelzer
Edna Richardson Moreland
Theresa Mackrill Utley
Laura Coburn Scroggie
Ella Horton

1901
Roy Streeper
Albert McQuown
Lila Welch
Laura Vaughn Stinley
Florence Maple Smith
Bess McQuown Richardson
Laura Johnson

1902
No graduating class

1903
Carrie Miller Dreibelbis

1904
Wilfred Streeper
Stanley Livingston
Edna Livingston Owens
Ruth Spooner Pike
Ida Cole Williams
Blance Orr Acorn
Victoria Fowler Wilcox
Robert Overly

1905
Jennie Streeper Orr
Jessie Garside
Lizzie McMaster Sams
Ed Buck
Ira Johnson
Elmer Coburn

1906
Amy Streeper Anderson
Thomas McMaster
Oliver Spooner
Blanche Hamilton Mann
Boyle Paul
George Overholt
Jessie Hilburn

1907
Ada Streeper First
George French
Carroll Lightfoot
Andrey Alexander Fullerton
Beldon Dennison
Alice Greene Overholt
Rex Spooner

1908
Mary Coburn Burnson
Clifford French
Verna Brulo French
Carrie Mackrill Kirchman
Mabel Jeffries Corwin

1909
Grace Miller Walters
Hazel Schlomer
Elma Greiser Behrends
Ada Walters Henningson
Roy Beck

1910
Ina Young Jansen
Mildred Lamey Barlow
Martha Jansen Bramer
Ava Streeper Bramer
Jessie Smith Bristol
Ida Hall Johnson

1911
Added a 12th grade.
No graduating class.

1912
Mabel Chatterton Phillips
Gladys Jeffries Challis
Sybil Walters Smith
Ralph Brown

1913
Lavina Corbett Inglis
Frances French Adams

1914
Ella McMaster Eisentriger

1915
Amy Jeffries Leager

1916
Cecil R. Smith
Kenneth Kennedy
Isabelle Scroggie Emery
Fred Carson
Ruth Rowe Helfrich

1917
Harold Brown
Marion Overly
Allen Chatterton
Hannah Jeffries
Helen Rowe Rynerson
Edwin Wilcox
Ida Wilcox Cass
Mary Paul Babcock

1918
Matie Harms
Faye Smith
No graduating classes at
Onslow, but their tuition was
paid to other schools.

1919
Glatha Cram Willsion
Velma Conley Orr
Dorothy Scroggie

1920
Elma Streeper Husman
Robert Scroggie
Ralph Conley
Emma Hanken Eby

1921
Carrie Hansen McKinstry
Nellie Clark Bradshaw
Thelma Johnson Soesbe
Agnes Corbett McLellan

1922
Carol Kennedy Hunwardsen
Mary Snyder Logan
Mable Hicks Paulsen
Bernice Garnett White

1923
Iva Greisser
Ted Hamilton
Kenneth Moats
Ben Harms
Mildred Streeper Dreibelbis
Mabel Streeper Gearhart
Otto Hunwardsen

1924
Emma Ker Herzman

1925
No graduating class.

1926
Regina Duffy
Harley Streeper
Amanda Paulsen Westphal
Wilfred Wherry
Norma Norton Davidson
Clayton Garnett
Christine SchmaldfeldtWomanckka

1927
Dillion Hall
Leslie Babock
Jessie Kurtz Tanis

1928
Mae French MolsberryWilson
Elsie Holst
Dorothy Abel
Aaron Abel
Lela Coppess Vansickle

1929
Laura Holst Reiss
Helen Hanna Browne
Delbert Mayberry
Cornelius Paulsen

1930
Alva Streeper
Earl Mayberry
Willard Larkey
Ruby Carl Holub
Irma Carl Barr
Berniece Hall Frisby Bergman
Pauline Coppess Teymer

1931
Lucille Starry Ray
Alvin Hanna
Dorothy Buck Hamilton
Ethel Mann Richman
Lucille Orr Butts
Frances Keating Coppess
Millard Allen
Helen Babcock Hamilton

1932
Vera Garnett Edwards
Ruth Carpenter McCalmant
Beula Dague Ostert
Edna Thuman Pegorick
Willard Rickels
Lyle Lathrop
Elmer Streeper
Ronald Hanna
Marguerite Tebo Countryman

1933
Lorene Starry Edwards
Harold Hall
Frieda Martens Jensen

1934
Martha Easler Provan
Frances Carl Allen
Melvin Carl
Ruth Sears Serr
Stuart Beck
Robert Leinen
Delores Hanna Scott
Audrey Moorhead Scott
Herman Lightfoot
Carroll Edwards
Harold Overholt
Billie Easler

1935
Lois Streeper Eby
Irene Lightfoot EdwardsBoots
Donald Jansen
Maxine Orr Brady
Lincoln Rickels
Ruth Lathrop Jansen
Lester Orr
Caroline PetersenRemington
Glenn Fayram
Dillion Hall
Gordon Hall
Wilma Doll McDonald

1936
Ruth Beck
Lois Bramer Hicks
Lois Bullock O”Hallaran
Clarence Doll
Dale Mayberry
Dorothy Orr Thompson
Dorothy Overholt Northrup
Walter Streeper

1937
Howard C. Bramer
Wilma Streeper Prull
Helen Edwards Jansen
Max Fayram
Imogne Hamilton Kron
George Hinrichs
Lawrence Jensen
James Lathrop
Donald Leinen
Dale Neilsen
Velma Starry Sprinkle

1938
Wanda Bullock Brown
Grace Brown Shumann
Paul French
Martha Hinricks Patrick
Floyd McCarthy
Emma Neisen
Aurilla Orr Bunting
Eldon Tjaden
Ruth Tomilson Cormack
Merle Orr
Raymond Snyder
Dorothy Streeper Otten

1939
Walter Wasson
Gerald Ritenour
John Petersen
Annamae Guetzeit Harkinsen
Anna Jensen Sauers
Esther Leinen Anderson

1940
Ida Louise Brokens Kobos
Forrest Briggs
Leo Warren
Minnie Jensen Welty
Daryl Jansen
Lewis Stone
Russel Hall
Edward Tjaden
Alice Ripperton Beckam
Herta Guetzeit Beatty
Paul Dean Heeren

1941
Bell Bonney Hickman
Gladys Heeren Blanchard
Norma Pottle Krug
Edna Jensen Jansen
Lorraine Peters Huntlely
Clayton Snyder
Francis Moran

1942
Ernest Husmann
Inez Brown
Helen Tjaden Stanford
Dwain Wilcox
Jean West
Paul Ritenour
Norma Petersen Balster
Lorraine Hanna Heeren
Kathyn Waggoner Orr
Carol Orr Null
Dale Orr

1943
Ray Bonney
Mary Clare Jansen Briggs
Keith McCarty
Mary Ellen KcKinstry Bernal
Thomas Byrd
Betty Jean Lathrop Davis
Glenn Wasson
Wanda Petersen
Helen Warren Siex
Elizabeth French Orr
Lorraine Schmidt Leinen
Lavern Tjaden

1944
Marvin Snyder
Donald Derga
Bob Taylor

1945
Eleanor Kennedy Walters
Lila Bramer Snyder
Dwila Bickford Baker
Mabel Goarke Moore
Velma West Schrader
Betty McLaughlin Doden
Harold Bonney
Lois Horton Wyeth
Harold Dean Gress
Robert Snyder
Ruth West Balster
Galen Waggoner
Paul Wilcox
Rosemary Kleineck Specht
Wayne Buck
LeRoy Petersen
Dale Tjaden

1946
John Moran
Henry Townsend
William Walters
Vivian Calloway Hay
Francis Taylor

1947
Edna Heeren Schnoor
Alberta Schmidt Willey
Frances Tjaden Andre
Phyllis Harms
Joanne Paulsen Buresh
Howard Leinen
Loyd Westphal
Maxine Calloway VonSprecken

1948
Forrest Ripperton
Arnold Bickford
Robert West
Richard Westphal
Richard Wherry
Arvin Welch
Wanda Reid Becker
Curtis Buck
James Hanna

1949
Donald Walters
Harold Heideman
Thomas Guetzeit
Norma Schmaljohn Calvert
Raymond Moran
Gerald Meyers
Wayne Williams

1950
Ann Tomlinson Heideman Knight
Jane Ellen Paulsen Sonneman
Jack McLaughlin
Lonnie Ripperton
Dale Bickford
Ronald Hodoval

1951
Vera Johnson Moran
Marilyn Larkey Vliestra
Larry Schnmaljohn
Kenneth Harms
Paul Waggoner
Margaret Edwards Storm
Daryl Wherry

1952
Viola Garien Finn
Marilyn Calloway Eggers
Ronald Reid
Ronald Martens
Russel Streeper
Lewis Norris
Kathleen Moran Takes Menster

1953
Audrey Kleineck Twatchman
Norma Waggoner Christiansen Brady
Janet Wagner Graichen Kurka
Donna Bonney Tredway
Shirley Harms Bahnsen Holerud
B. Warner Wasson
Harb Orr
Ruth Fadley Orr

1954
LaVern Taylor
Carol Stickley Reid
Phyllis Snyder Rockwell
Darrell West
Irei Welch
Barbara Dietiker Harms
Gerald Rockwell
Joyce Lange
Beverly Murphy Frankfurt
Pat Foulks
Mary Supple Callahan
Howard Luckstedt

1955
Nina Fuchs Munier
Mary Jo Moran McElmeel
Gerald Yarlem
Katherine Dietiker Norris Hickey
James Chaplin
Lester Langrehr
Nancy Westphal Chaplin

1956
Marian Eiben Blunt
Kay Chaplin Saelens
Robert Streeper
Richard Remington
Nancy Meader

1957
James F. Gallatin
Donald Westphal
Judy Davis
Sharon Ann Ripperton Howie
Dennis Meyers
Alice O. Larkey Burmahl
Loretta F. Supple Conner

1958
Janice J. Widel Edwards
Emma D. Culver Lange
Suzanne M. Otten Eden Dirks
Jacqueline Fuchs Houser
Carol J. Westphal Streeper
Leland F. Hodoval
Nancy J. Orr Kress
Richard Foulks
Bernard J. Streeper
Martin D. Townsend
Karen J. Hinrichs Smith

1959
William Lange
Jerilyn Jansen Streeper Danielsen Husmann
Gary Jansen
Robert Holst
Bercitis Bickford Miller
Gary Fairley
Robert Stafford

1960
Linda Koranda Thomsen
Roseann Larkey Roberts
Linda Smith Fairley
Robert J. Eby
Leland Haring
Marvin Null
Larry R. Jensen
James K. Leggett
Gerald L. Green
Thomas Doll
Stewart O. Snyder

Onslow High School Songs

Loyalty Song
We’re loyal to you, Onslow High
We’re scarlet and black, Onslow High
We back you to stand
‘gainst the best in the land
For we know you have sand, Onslow High Rah! Rah!
So on to the front, Onslow High
For that is your stunt, Onslow High
Our team is our fame protector
On boys; for we expect a victory from you, Onslow High!!!

Last but not least...this song was sung with gusto and raucous delight at pep rallies before important basketball games. The teachers and superintendent would watch with a bemused look on their faces. Nowadays, this song would not be permitted in the school!!!

Beer, Beer, For OHS
Beer, Beer for old Onslow High
Shake up the cocktails, bring on the rye,
Send some sophomore out for gin
And don’t let a sober teacher in . . .
Oh, we never stagger, we never fall,
We sober up on wood alcohol
Loyal sons of OHS go staggering to the bar for more Rah! Rah!

So much for the civilizing effect of education!