School District Number 43
Legal Description: Section 18, T16N R4W
Location: Just east of the junction of U.S. 54 and H.W. 3.75 E northeast of Sangamon Avenue in north Springfield.
In 1874 the school was on Calvin S. Churchill land. Which was southeast of German Prairie Station on the railroad.
In 1894, Amanda P. Foraker owned the land near German Prairie Station.
In 1914, Amanda P. Foraker was the owner and the railroad station was Bissell.
In the 1902 eighth grade graduation program C. F. Churchill was listed as the teacher at German Prairie School. From 1907-08 it was listed as Bissell School in the Sangamon County Teachers' Directory. The school closed in 1961 as the last two-room eight-grade school in the county. Today it is a private home.
Teachers
|
|
|
School District 38 Legal Description: Section 23, T16N R4W Location: One-eighth mile west of the junction of H.W. IAN and R. W. 7.75E southeast of Riverton. In 1874 P. J. Kennedy owned the land. TeachersCLEAR LAKE SCHOOL
In 1894, J. McGinnis was the owner and in 1914 John McGinnis was listed as owner.
|
|
|
FORK PRAIRIE SCHOOL
Legal Description: Section 39, T16N R4W Location: On the northwest corner of the junction of H.W. 1S and H.W. 7.25E north of Rochester and about five and one-half miles east of Springfield. In 1874 it was located on S. Reed's land. Teachers
School District 39
In 1894, James Martin was the owner and in 1914 the land was owned by Michael Kuhn.
In 1946-47 the school became a part of the Rochester Unit and was known as the Fork Prairie Building.
NORTH ROUND PRAIRIE SCHOOL
Legal Description: Section 29, T16K R4W.
Location: On County Road 12, Mechanicsburg Road, four and three-fourths miles east of Springfield. It was one-fourth mile east of H.W. 4.5E on the north side of the road. In 1874 & 1894 J. Upton owned the land. TeachersSchool District Number 40
In 1914, Leonard J. Steenks was the owner.
|
|
|
|
The building is now a private home owned and occupied by the William Baker family. Mr. Baker attended the school as a boy. The State Journal-Register, March 24,1975, P.10 had the following story by Loretta Green:
North Round Prairie School became part of Rochester Unit School District in the mid 40's and the ground, in accordance with the original deed, reverted to the owner of the farm, who at that time was A. E. Cormeny. The building was used as a community center for a couple of years and then Mr. Cormeny converted it to a rental house. The Bakers were the third family to rent it. After living there two years they bought the property. The owner has divided the 26 foot by 36 foot building into five rooms--a living room, dining room kitchen, two bedrooms and a bath. He lowered the ceiling, added a front porch and took out the eight foot long stage where pupils recited and where the blackboards were elevated so all could see them.
Old timers in the area place the age of the building in the late 1800's or early 1900's. It has twelve by twelve white pine beams and two by two by twelve floor joists of white pine. The original hardwood floor which was oiled when it was a school, has been Sanded and varnished. A ridge in the floor extending from one bedroom through the kitchen marks the location of the stage. The hand-fired furnace sat in the southeast cornet to the right of the entrance hall and cloak rooms. Bill Baker was the fireman for his teacher, Miss Kathryn Watt. He earned ten cents a week to bring in coal and carry out ashes. In cold weather he came early to poke up the fire which was banked the night before. The Bakers have plastered, put in insulation, gas heat and enclosed the front porch into a foyer and closet. The school stood is on one acre of land originally, but Mr. Baker has acquired, more.
The author, Helen Murray attended this school from 1927 until 1934 when her family moved to Ball Township. Her grand-father, Frank McVeigh, attended the school with his brothers and sisters in the 1870's and early 1880's. Mr. McVeigh's children and two of his grandchildren were in attendance there. For many years the Illinois Traction Railroad ran along the road in front of the school from Springfield to Mechanicsburg. The road was called East Washington Street Road then. The school was named for the area, Round Prairie. The author remembers a well at the southeast end of the yard from which a bucket of water was carried to the entrance hall for drinking. Each pupil had a tin cup hung on a nail with his name over it. A long-handled dipper was used to fill the cups. There were two cloak rooms, one for boys and one for girls. Kerosene lamps were set in brackets on both sides of the room to be used for evening socials and programs. About 1931 or 1932 an electric line was built along the road in front of the school and electric lights were installed in time for the Christmas program much to the delight of Miss Middlekauff, teacher, and the students. There was a long recitation bench in front and the teacher's desk sat on the stage. The cellar held the coal and kindling.
Some names of pupils remembered from 1927 to 1934 were: Helen and Ethelbert Tuxhorn, Russell and Dorothy Cravens, Jessie, Marshall and Nadine Kidd, also --- James, Betty, Nellie Grace, and Walter Edward Neff, Charles Robert Turley, Billy Elliott, Wayne Adams, Robert and Grace Cory, Melvin and Mildred Ashton, and Helen and Loraine Thompson.
School District 41
Legal Description: Section 20, T16N R4W
Location: Across the road north from Oak Hill Cemetery on old Route 36 to Riverton. It was one mile east of H.W. 4E and one-fourth mile west of H.W. 5E.
In 1874 the land was owned by C. Werner. In 1894 the land was owned by C. Werner, Jr. and in 1914 it was situated on Howard land.
Oak Hill was a one-room school until 1940-41 when it was enlarged to two rooms.
Teachers
|
|
|
1955 and through the 50's the school became part of a consolidated district