I found the following artile very interesting. I remember my aunts telling stories of going to school on early mornings with a pistol strapped to their hip in case a wolf came toward them!

Contributed by Rosemarie Novak

There were twelve school houses in this area. The school teacher stayed with a family in the area. Each school was a separate district. The teachers walked to school, regardless of the weather, started fires in the winter, thawed water for drinking, was a disciplinarian and a friend, and taught all subjects to all students. She was paid thirty to thirty five dollars a month depending on how much the district could afford. In 1911 one district raised its salary to forty dollars a month. By 1921 a teacher could make one hundred dollars a month. A teachers contract could contain the following rules:

 1. Not to get married. This contract becomes null and void immediately if the teacher marries.
 2. Not to have company with men.
 3. To be home between the hours of eight pm and six am unless in attendance at a school function.
 4. Not to loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
 5. Not to leave town at any time without permission of the Chairman of the Trustees.
 6. Not to smoke cigarettes.
 7. Not to drink beer, wine or whiskey.
 8. Not to ride in a carriage or an automobile with any man except for her brother or father.
 9. Not to dress in bright colors.
10. To wear at least two petticoats.
11. Not to dye her hair.
12. Not to wear dresses more than two inches above the ankles.
13. To keep the class room clean.

-to sweep the class room floor at least once daily.
-to scrub the class room at least once weekly.
-to clean the black board at least once daily.
-to start the fire at seven am so the room will be warm when the children arrive at eight am.

14. Not to wear face powder, mascara or to paint the lips.

The twelve school houses are:

District 1. Long Lake; 1909-1960
District 2. Pine Grove; 1915-1962
District 3. Twin Lakes; 1908-1962
District 4. High Banks; 1902-1944
District 5. Chain Lake; 1919-1939
District 6. Maplewood; 1900-1962
District 7. Tillinghast; 1895-1957
District 8. Ling School; 1920-1957
District 9. Oakdale; 1919-1942
District 10. Sand Lake; 1919-1938
District 11. Hiland; 1919-1946
District 12. Pleasant Valley; 1914-1943