1865
After the Civil War ended and the military reservation was reduced, the settlement of Minneapolis, Crystal Lake, and other towns developed rapidly. The first school for District No. 24 was built in 1865 was located on the Stillman farm at about 4342 Adair Avenue, it served for 25 years as a school, later being used for a dwelling then torn down and the lumber used in the construction of a barn. The school was a focal point for grange meetings, spelling bees, singing school, sunday school, town meetings and elections. School was held off and on during the year when the children were not needed to work in the fields. Often school was closed because there was no wood for the stove or when there was an epidemic of measles or diphtheria. On the last day of school, parents were invited to a program and sometimes the pupils received a little gift from the teacher—such as a pencil. (Pencils were sharpened by a knife in those days.)
This post is part of a series based on the book Robbinsdale Then and Now by Helen Blodgett