Early Schools in the South Hamilton Area - (South Hamilton History, page 2)

Jewell and area

      The back of a store building that had been brought from Callanan (a settlement located between Jewell and Ellsworth and a mile south, just east of Tim Holt's residence - Learn more about Callanan) during the winter of 1881-1882 was the first school of the newly formed town of Jewell.    It was located on Main Street of the Original Jewell (now called Jewell Street in the NW portion of town).   The next year, Jewell Independent District was organized and moved into a building south of the tracks (New Jewell).   This building was across the street from where the former Catholic Church was located.

    By 1890, when a larger building was needed, a whole block was bought and this brick building was built.  The addition on the back or west side was constructed in 1905.  This was located in the second block south of the old tracks (north of Division Street, between Edwards and Elm Streets).

In 1925, when Jewell Lutheran College was discontinued, the school district bought its entire campus layout on the west edge of town.


photo courtesy of Tena Johnson (born 3/17/1902)

Jewell Public School with students

Again, this early Jewell High School was located in the block
that is west of Division Street and south of Elm Street.



South Cairo School (close to Lake Cairo)
located 2 miles west of Jewell on the north side
Lyon township school #5
Prairie Center School, Lyon Township #1
      This poor quality dark picture is of an early school called the Ridge School because it was located on the slight natural ridge or raised land formation which extends through most of Hamilton County.

The school was located a mile east of where Jewell is now located.   In those days (1870's) the school was on the corner of a road which came from the south and turned east.   This school served the children as far north as the Lakins Grove area.

     The storage building directly east of the South Hamilton superintendent's house has been known as the TAG building, the kindergarten building, or the old band room for Jewell High School.    The building was originally a country school house from Ellsworth township.


(This is page 2 - Jewell area)

(page 3 - Ellsworth area)         (page 4 - Stanhope area)          (pages 5 & 6 - Randall area)
 

back to South Hamilton Website Archive