contributed by Crystal
concontributed by Crystal
William Butler is in the Buggy
Edmond & Permelia Ensley Butler donated the
land for the first Butler School
to be built around 1845. The first school was
built 3 miles or so east of
Prairetown, Illinois. The school is still standing
on private property.
The second Butler School was on property donated
by Edmonds' son, William
Butler & his wife, Nancy Ann Patrick Butler.
Both felt the way many area
families did, their children needed a place to
learn. The school was closed
in the 1950's and rented out as a home after
that. (The 2nd school burned
down Sept. 1960.) Both schools were
built by the area families that had
school age children or those just wanting to
help get a school started. It
is NEVER the work of one family or one person!
It took many hours away from
farming to build both schools and the families
that lived in the area had
just as much to do with getting the schools built
as the Butler family did.
It took teamwork to bring the foundation stones,
and many donated wood,
clapboards, and brick for the well curb. It was
always meant to be a
community school, with parents & teachers
working together to keep it in
good repair, which is the way it did turn out.
Many teachers there used to
bring items from home to make things easier for
both them and the children
they taught.
Leona Lewerenz was one teacher that played ball
with the kids and brought
many things for kids that needed a little extra
to eat or a kind word at the
right time. Most teachers at both schools did
the same thing. They really
cared about the kids.
Local stores would donate netting to keep flies
and bees from joining in the
classroom, or new water pails or the water dippers
that the kids always
seemed to lose! They also donated many items
such as chalk, chalkboards, and
the use of wagons so the firewood could be hauled
in close by.
The bell was purchased by collecting money from
the parents and from area
businesses. The yearly whitewash used was applied
by students and parents
and teachers, but I do think myself that the
parents & teachers may have had
to do some touching up on the paint when the
kids got done.
There were picnics held at the schools on week-ends
and both schools were
used as a meeting place for the road commission
and other groups. In that
era schools were a vital part of the community
as gathering places.
The second school had pale blue curtains by the
teachers' desk. I had them
here for many years & they were a thin muslin
type material. Mom didn't
remember if they were all through the school
or just at the window closest
to the teachers' desk.
The home I live in was where Nancy Butler spent
her last years. It has been
in the same family since the US deeded the property
to Telamachus Camp in
1831. I have the photo of Butler School that
Nancy Butler kept in her rooms
here. She would tell Mom stories about her life
at Butler Farm, the school,
and what her family was like.