Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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Bunker Hill School in 1936. Shown. from left: Don
Ketelsen on "Paint". Merlin Finn on “Scramy". Leo
was made, all without beneflt ofelectricity or gas.
As the years passed, most of the Cass schools were
replaced with new structures. They retained the same
plan, one-room with outdoor plumbing; but furnaces,
electricity and telephones were added. Other
improvements were better equipment and supplies.
The teacher's duties remained the same — teaching.
janitorial duties, nurse, friend, and counselor. There
was a close relationship between pupils, parents. and
teacher, and friendships and memories for a life-time.
But changes are inevitable.
Thus. on July 1, 1962, rural schools became a thing
of the past. Cass Township schools became a part of the
Anamosa Community Schools. No longer are rural
youngsters any different than ‘town-kids’. You might
Housman on third horse. Standing. from left: Leonard
"Hank" Ketelsen, Ray Finn.
ask, "What happened to the buildings and the
teachers?" Many of the teachers were absorbed by
town schools: with some going to college to earn
degrees.
The buildings were sold. Some were moved to new
locations. Bunker Hill. Ridge road, Lubben School and
Hickory Grove were converted into private homes.
West Cass is used as a hay storage building. Cass
Center is a community center. Fremont school was
moved to a new location to be used for a home. Frog
Hollow school was sold and converted into a machine
shop.
Thus, even our buildings are serving in useful
capacities, as are our rural pupils who have become
good citizens in many areas of life.
When bids were let on a new bridge to span the Wapsie
at Stone City in 1970, it was the beginning of an end
of an era. The bridge. made famous by artist Grant
Wood in his painting. ‘Stone City,‘ was built in 1882.
The old wagon bridge was built after many years of
petitioning by the people to the Jones County Board of
Supervisors. After being ordered built. it was not completed
until nearly one year later. John A. Green, one of
the founding fathers, and quarry owner, donated stone
for the west embankment and nature provided the shelf
for one on the east.
Prior to the bridge, a ford three-quarters of a mile up
the river was crossed after the ice went out in the
Stone City
by Bertha Finn
112
spring. Also, a foot-bridge was attached to the first
railroad bridge built in 1859.
Beginning in 1852, with Stone City stone's flrst major
shipment, by oxen, to build Cornell college. the stone
has been used in every major city in Iowa and as far
west as Texas and east to Virginia.
The first stone shipped by rail was to Dubuque and
Cedar Falls in 1859, by David Graham, who opened the
flrst quarry: it was later owned by D. Graham, Haines &
Lewis, M. Heisey, and John Ronen.
Next to enter the quarry business were Crouse. Shaw
and Weaver, who opened a quarry adjoining the first, in
1866. This was sold to the State of Iowa and was used to