Iowa rural schools in Iowa, marked on the old maps, were planned so that students wouldn’t have to walk farther than two miles to attend classes. They were usually just one-room structures with an area to hang “wraps” and park lunch pails.
Clabe Wilson and his sisters, Rectha and Alice, attended Frog Pond School.
The Wilsons farmed in Section 28 in Jackson Township, Guthrie County. I believe that Frog Pond School is in the southwest corner of Section 29 in this old map.
One of Clabe Wilson’s schoolmates there was Wesley Clampitt, who became the Superintendent of the Dexter School when Clabe’s children attended there during the Great Depression. He is mentioned in Leora’s Dexter Stories.
At one time, more than 12,000 rural schools dotted the Iowa landscape, most two miles apart. Today some are in use as houses or farm buildings, others as township halls and community centers. Many have been preserved as museums.
A piece of the school foundation was erected on the site marks the area where Frog Pond School used to stand.
It was fun to learn that former Frog Pond students gathered for reunions as late as 2007. This one was held at The Port Restaurant in Panora.
A tribute to the endearment of the community and rural beauty of Guthrie County, Iowa.
Very interesting news on history. Aww, the children in these clothes look a bit like their own parents. 😉 Thanks for sharing the information, and have a beautiful week! xx Michael
Thank you, Michael, for sharing it. A beautiful week to you, as well!
It’s good that some of those old one-room schoolhouses are being preserved.
This one is long gone, but even where ones used to be will soon be getting markers. So many have turned into other uses. Two were moved into the town of Dexter. One was our music room, the other houses 5th and 6th grade, at least when I was that age.
The one-room school houses left in our area have mostly been turned into private homes.
Have always loved how they named cities and towns, and apparently schools. Of course, I’m not sure how they ever came up with two of my favorites; Weewah (Wewahitchka), Florida (I heard it was an Indian word) and Arp, Texas (did the town father’s just finish breakfast when they named it?). 🙂 Thanks for a little slice of history today Ms. Joy
Thanks to you for a morning laugh!
I love the name of the school. What wonderful history!
It was fun to find it, out “in the middle of nowhere,” and imagine it there. My photo wasn’t very good, so someone who lives nearby furnished this beauty!
I love the name of the school. I did not know about every two miles. Thanks
My wife went to the Adair country school, which was located on land donated by her grandfather, Lawrence Lehman. The building today is occupied by my wife’s niece.
I wonder if Adair County is getting them all recorded. Audubon County is even marking where they used to be. I signed up right away to sponsor the one the Goff children went to! Dallas County has started working on it too. That would make a wonderful blog post as well! With photos!
Great post! I wonder why this is not appearing on my Reader page…
Hmm. Well, as my dad would say, it’s to make you ask questions. It always got a laugh, even a frustrated one!
You couldn’t ask for a cuter name for a school! 12,000 schools! WOWSA, even when there was less population! Wonderful post, Joy.
Thanks, Luanne! I’m having fun!
I also didn’t know the schools were every two miles. I’ve seen a number of these in the plains communities (and Idaho) homes of my ancestors. One was named for an ancestor who provided the land, but Frog Pond is delightful! Those children had some sturdy shoes for doing all that walking.
It was every 2 miles in Iowa when we were mostly rural. Most of the boys, especially only wore shoes when it was too cold to go barefooted!
I love that the Frog Pond students continued to have reunions as late as 2007. That is a wonderful thing…
I thought so too! They are an energetic bunch on Facebook!
I enjoyed reading your article.
My grandmother, Rosa (Davison) Bain, taught there in 1930. I have her contract as well as a couple of photos of her class.
Thank you for your note! You might like to share those with us on the Historic Guthrie County Facebook page. There are several people who remember Frog Pond School. I gave a book talk yesterday at the Panora Library, since the third “Leora book” has stories about Morrisburg, Frog Pond School, and the Liza Jane Train. The photo on the cover is of a Panora house that still stands today. Women there remembered Frog Pond School. https://www.facebook.com/groups/893933030639017