This quality article on the early history of Bemidji’s schools was found in an early edition of the Bemidji Pioneer (March 21, 1901) and gives a fine history of the first years of Bemidji’s education system.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE SCHOOLS OF BEMIDJI. BY CHARLES D. JONES.
(From the SIRIUS.)
The second epoch begins by the division of District No. 4 into three common school districts, namely 4, 6 and 7 the one which is of the most interest to us is district No. 7, as it was composed of the same territory of land as is now called the Independent School District of Bemidji.
This division was made by the county commissioners some time during the month of May, 1896, and on the 10th of June the first school meeting of Dist. No. 7 was called to order by Porter Nye, in the Eagle office, (the office of the first paper printed in Bemidji). D. W. Stevens was elected secretary pro-tem, and they proceeded to elect the following officers: Director, Dan Dennis Treasurer, W. S. Brannon Clerk, H. 0. Geil, to serve until the annual school meeting in July. At the first annual school meeting, held in Malzahn’s hall, now the room occupied by his dry goods store, the following officers were duly elected: Director, Dan Dennis Treas., W. White, to serve until July, 1898 Clerk, D. W. Stevens, to serve until July, 1899. At this meeting, nine months of school was voted and the school board was instructed to find a suitable site for a school house. School was to be held in Malzahn’s hall until a site was found and a school building could be erected and furnished.
So on the 6th day of Sept. Miss Gertrude Omich, whose father had the first drug store in Bemidji, and who now has a fine home on the south side of upper Lake Bemidji, commenced a three months’ term. She taught about two months in this building, when the new school house, being built on the northwest quarter of block 10, or now the City Hail block, was finished, so she taught her last month in the first school house in the city of Bemidji. The building is a frame building 23×45 feet, one story high, and is quite an improvement on the little log school house in old district No. 4. Mrs. H. L. Heffron, who was among the early settlers of Bemidji, and who now has a beautiful home one-half mile northwest of the city and whose son is the manager of this paper, was engaged to teach the last six months of school. The enrollment for the year was 54 pupils. I may be well at this time to say that Portar Nye was appointed Jan 1, 1897, as the first county superintendent of schools in this county.
At the annual school meeting for the year ending July 31, 1897, the following officer was elected: E. Achenbach, to serve until July 31, 1900. Nine months of school was voted for the coming school year. Mrs. E. J. Achenbach was hired to teach the fall term, consisting of three months, beginning September 6. But, at the end of that time, the school house was found to be too small to seat the fast increase of pupils, so a small building, then situated on the same lot that Barney Burton’s clothing store is now standing on, was rented for a school room for the next six months. Mrs. H. L. Heffron was then hired to teach the A and B grades in the school building during the winter and spring term, or six months, while Mrs. E. Achenbach taught the primary grades in the building rented near the
Remore Hotel. The enrollment for the year was 127 pupils.
At the annual school meeting for the year ending July 31, 1898, W. P. Street was elected treasurer to serve until July, 1901, and nine months’ school was voted forthcoming year. On the resignation of D. W. Stevens as clerk, A. H. Weagant was appointed in his place on Aug. 22, 1898. It may be well now to say that P. Dunwoody was elected at the November election to succeed Nye as county superintendent. Mrs. E. Achenbach was hired to teach the first and second grades in the old school house. Mrs. Ida M. Bailey, who needs no introduction to the people of Bemidji, but is known by all to have been one of the best and kindest teachers that has ever taught here, was hired to teach third and fourth grades, in the little building which was down by the Remore, now moved back of Ted Smith’s place.
J. H. Eschliman, from Cloquet, who, during his stay in Bemidji, organized the Literary Debating Society, and had a school entertainment by which he added about $30 worth of books to the school library, was hired to teach the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, in the Presbyterian church.
This is as good time as any to note of the resignation of A. H. Weagant as clerk, in November, and the appointment to the vacant office Frank Sprague, November 22, 1898. During the time between September 1st and the Christmas vacation, a fine, four-roomed, brick school building was being built up in the northern part of the city, on a block, between Beltrami and Minnesota avenues. [Central School]
On the Monday of the new year [1899] all the schools moved into this building, and it was found that they needed another teacher so Miss Rhoda Moon, of Wadena, and who is now teaching near the Maltby postoffice, south of Bemidji, was hired to teach the primary department. Mrs. Achenbach then took the second and third grades. Mrs Bailey the fourth and fifth grades and Prof. Eschliman, the sixth and seventh grades and high school.
F. Sprague was elected July 11, 1899, at the annual school meeting, to serve until July, 1902. Nine months school was voted for the coming school year. School began the first Monday in September. Miss Moon was to teach the Kindergarten in the old school house Miss Dixie Smith, who is a fine elocutionist, was hired to teach the primary department. Miss Nellie Covell, from the schools of Marinette, Wis., whose home is Sandusky, Ohio, and who has won the approbation and friendship of all those who have come in contact with her as a teacher, was hired to teach the second grade in the brick school house. Miss Edith Bland, of Anoka, who made many friends while teaching here, was hired to teach the third grade.
Miss Minnie Bailey, of this city, was hired to teach the fourth and fifth grades in the Presbyterian church. Miss Blanche Goudy, of Anoka, who won high esteem from L. D. S. for the active part she took in helping it along in its most trying time, was hired to teach the sixth and seventh grades in the brick school house. Prof. Bret E. Cooley, from the University of Minnesota, was hired to teach the eighth grade and high school. He won many friends among the people of Bemidji while here.
After the Christmas holidays, Miss Goudy resigned and Miss Katrine MacMahon, of Minneapolis, taught the rest of the term. Miss Clara Sathre, of Bemidji, taught the A part of the third grade and part of the fourth grade in the Methodist church for the rest of the year. The total enrollment was 418 pupils.
Bemidji Weekly Pioneer: Oct 26, 1899: “The steady growth of Bemidji is shown in the constant increase of her school membership. To carry on the educational work at present four buildings and seven teachers are furnished. Two new school rooms and two teachers have been added since school began two months ago to the original facilities. Next Monday Miss Smith will take charge of a primary class in the Presbyterian church.”