Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

Lawrence ‘Spook’ LaBarge and Lawrence Larson.
Anamosa. along with Monticello. Tipton. Maquoketa.
Manon and Manchester. made up the Mid-Six
Conference in 1940. The Mid-Six evolved into the Tri-
River conference when Vinton and Independence
joined in 1942. In 1943 the name was changed to the
Wall/laC Conference.
The average daily student membership in the 1939-
40 school year was 761. Two sections of each
elementary grade. kindergarten through six. were
maintained in Anamosa: the junior high school was
composed of grades seven and eight; and the high
school was made up of grades nine through twelve. The
Stone City school was operated with one teacher who
was responsible for 20-25 students in the lower
elementary grades.
It was an annual ritual for Stone City residents to
appear before the school board seeking the reappointment
of a second teacher in their school which
would make the transportation of upper grade children
to Anamosa no longer necessary. They were never
sucessful. and in August 1947. the school board voted
to close the school. All students would then be
transported to Anamosa. and to answer parent
concerns about safety. the board agreed to pay the train
fare for Stone City students when weather or roads
prevented the bus from operating. The school building
was sold to the community in 1962 for $100. and it is
used today as a community center.
In January 1939. a teacher of the handicapped was
hired for the first time.
The state approved vocational agriculture and
voacational home economics programs to begin in
1939. It was dropped some time later. but it was
reinstated for the 1968-69 school year.
L.D. Murfield began his more than three decades of
service as school district treasurer in October 1943.
During World War II. the board was receiving staff
resignations throughout the school year. To encourage
teachers to finish the school year. the school board
instituted what was termed a ‘$20 per month bonus‘ for
each teacher who completed his-her contract. Actually.
teachers were being paid at a rate of S20 below the
amount shown on the salary schedule. and the amount
received by a teacher at the end of the contract year
was payment of the amount deducted. rather than the
bonus.
Supt. Kinser resigned effective Oct. 18. 1946. and
D.W. Thompson. high school principal. was appointed
interim superintendent. Supt. Thompson received a
regular appointment a short time later. and he served
through the 1948-49 school year.
March 29. 1948. voters approved the sale of $50.000
in bonds to finance home bleachers at the football field:
the industrial arts. vocational agriculture and bus
garage: gym balconies, eliminated from the 1935 plan;
and electrical services for the 1885 and 1913 buildings
were modemizcd.
Virgil S. Lagomarcino succeeded D.W. Thompson as
superintendent in 1949. Dr. Lagomarcino served until
1951. He served as the first dean of the College of
Education at Iowa State University.
Elmer L. Johnson succeeded Lagomarcino in July
1951. and served for five years.
A new $235,000 elementary school. built on
Strawbeny Hill. was completed by the fall of 1956. The
school was made necessary due to the post-war baby
boom. together with the closing ofmany rural schools.
Public employers. including schools. are now
required by state law to bargain with their employees.
The minutes of the March 21. 1955. school board
meeting report for the first time that the board had met
with a faculty committee to discuss salaries.
Mr. Johnson resigned effective July 31.1956. He was
followed by Glen B. Brostrom. who served until 1962.
By voter approval Nov. 23. I959. an $82,000
addition. called the Birk-Cavenaugh Wing. was
constructed at the Strawberry Hill School. The addition
was named to honor two veteran Anamosa teachers.
Jane Birk and None Cavanaugh.
School district reorganization came to the
community when the Anamosa Community School
District came officially into being July 1. 1962. The
reorganization election. held in October 1961. had
brought together the Anamosa Independent District.
part of the Viola Consolidated District. and all or part of
the Antioch. Black Oak. Brady. Cass Township.
Fairview Township. Hoosier Ben. Midland. Waggoner
and Wanye Township rural school districts. A second
election. held Mar. 20. 1962. brought in part of the
Anamosa High Schoolfootball team 1939-40
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