SCHOOLS

For the first few years there were no schools, but a philanthropist belonging to Rock Island county built a schoolhouse and presented it to Bowling township, and also built one at Preemption, in Mercer county, about the same time. His name should be preserved, for in all he built fifteen schoolhouses in Rock Island county.

A Mr. Phillips was one of the first teachers. In this first school the age limit ran from four to twenty-one years, and some­ times there were eighty-five pupils enrolled, all of whom attended school at one time and were handled by one teacher.

Many of the pupils never received any more educational advantages than those afforded by this little school, or ones similar to it, and yet they developed into sub­ stantial and prosperous men and women not only of Bowling township, but were a credit to every community in which they happened to locate. One of the pupils of this first school who became distinguished in after life was John Blakely, who moved to a farm near Sioux City , Ia. , later becoming a member of the Iowa State Assembly, and still later state auditor, which office he still holds.

Samuel Baily is another of the pupils of the first schoolhouse who has distinguished himself. He was born and reared in Bowling township, and after studying medicine and being graduated from a Chicago medical college, developed into one of the leading physicians of Mt. Ayr , Ia. As in the other townships of Rock Island county, there is a good school system in Bowling township. The teachers possess a thorough knowledge of their work and appreciate the responsibilities resting upon them.

 

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