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Beardshear School

This postcard image from about 1904 looks northeast.

In March 1903 a special election was held for the purpose of issuing bonds to the amount of 12,500 dollars to build a school house in the first ward.  The proposition carried by the combined vote of men and women, so the contract was let and the building was under construction when the board discovered that they could not dispose of the bonds for the reason that the counting the votes separate, the majority of the men votes were against, and the bonding companies would not handle the bonds under these conditions.

The board found itself in a great predicament, it was first thought to get around this by the board issuing warrants and get the legislature to legalize it, but it was finally decided to call for another election, which was held with the following result.  Men voted 157 yes, 60 no.  Women voted 14 yes, 0 no.  This school was completed in 1904.  It contains four class rooms and principal's office and has all modern conveniences.  It was named the "Beardshear School."  The following men constituted the board of education at the time: L.H. Pammel, Pres., C.A. Duntz, M.K. Smith, Herman Knapp and George Baker.