principal's room, thirty-two intermediate and seventy primary. Their course embraces ten grades, but there has been no graduation as yet. The building is a pleasantly situated frame structure of two stories, completed in 1881, at a cost of about $3,500, and is well supplied with apparatus. This is 1890, but the first school was taught in the winter of 1856-57, thirty-four years since, by Anne Sutlief, in the old Jenness log hut. Among those who followed her were W. A. Wier, Mrs. R. P. Sheffield, Jennie Overton, Annie Brinson, E. D. Maynard, J. A. Dewey, Rose Rieman, O. O. Roe for several years, J. E. McCready, O. B. Peterson, J. A. Wellington, J. H. Leighton, W. H. Wier and E. L. Ericson for several years to the present. Mr. Roe and Mr. Ericson have been the greatest influences in the success of the school. It was Mr. Roe who gave the school its grade.
The first building was erected in 1857; the second cost about $500, and was sold in 1881. A third teacher was added in 1882 and a fourth in 1887. The district was organized independently in February, 1881, and among those citizens who have been careful of the welfare of their schools may be mentioned B. F. Allen, S. R. Corneliussen, S. S. Larson, O. B. Peterson and John Swan. The district does not hesitate to tax itself well for the welfare of its schools.
The Maxwell schools also have three teachers besides the principal, with four large study-rooms and two recitation-rooms. The course has ten grades, with extra high-school studies in the last grade. The building, with its two stories of brick veneer, graces an elevation in the northeast part of town, and holds within its walls a fair library, apparatus, etc., the entire school building being probably worth $5,000. Among their early teachers were Davis Hankins, Rufus Hanson, Hattie Underwood and Mattie Livingstone. The principals have been Clark McClain, Charles Stalkup, A. Bartlet and Frank Jarvis.
The first building was the old warehouse opposite the Maxwell Hotel, and the district was organized in 1883. A course of study was adopted in 1889. The citizens have spared no pains to improve their schools, and among those who have led in this movement are Dr. Goodman, J. W. Maxwell, Mr. Starr, F. W. Hill, S. E. Cooper, J. O. French, Sr., and C. W. Morse.
The Cambridge public schools started back in the fifties, Dr. Grafton teaching Mr. Chandler's children, and he therefore was a pioneer in that line for the county as well as Cambridge. There were few teachers before the war. Orin Crowser taught as early as 1862, but it was a mere country school until 1870, when two teachers were employed in the new building. About 1882 Prof. McCord gave the schools such a new impetus and grade that three teachers were soon needed. Since his time Mr. H. E. Wheeler, the present principal, has given the school the most systematic organization.
The first building was a small one on the south edge of town, and the second one, built in 1870, was made to grace the beautiful groves of the public square. It was of brick with two stories, until two more rooms were built on at a total cost of about $6,500. The fourth room is a public hall. The building and grounds are the pride of the town, and present to the stranger a fine appearance.
The course of study is followed closely, but as yet no graduation has been had. The enumeration is about 120, and, like all of Union township, it has been an independent district since the early seventies. Among the patrons of the schools most active in its behalf are: J. C. Kinsell, Dr. Grafton, G. M. Maxwell, A. W. Bartlet, A. P. King, Dr. J. M.