The One-room School Grows
Student population grows along with the teacher’s salary average $30-$35-$37.
1890 22 students $35 a month for three months
1895 Teacher Hannah Anderson notes water had to be carried some distance.
1900 43 students
1902 $40 Tax vote to add 12 foot addition to east end of building passes.
1903 $50
1907 Teacher reports, “Have been burning stumps and clearing school grounds.”
1908 82 students Monthly enrollment 16 boys and 28 girls
1911 89 students $65-$75 Money from county spent on ink, brooms, wood, matches and pens.
1913 $85
Walking to School at McKinley
Most of the students walked to school—some for more than a mile. The roads were rough rock, dirt and mud. In the winter some of the parents would bring their children to school in their family farm wagon.
Ethnic Groups of Early McKinley
“One term when I went to McKinley there were 38 pupils. There was one boy of Danish descent and one girl of English descent, the rest were from Swiss and German families.” Learning to speak, read, and write English was the main reason most students attended school. Arithmetic was also important.
Walter Stucki former student and later school board member for many years.
