Lincoln
School History
| 1850
- |
Schools
built in Dubuque were one story brick buildings. Each building would
hold 80 students. After the buildings were almost completed, there
wasn't any money left to finish, and the schools were sold. |
| 1855
- |
The
city of Dubuque became a permanent school district. |
| 1856
- |
Jobs
were given to teachers scoring the hightest on the exams and teachers
had to take a yearly examination in order to keep their job. |
| 1859
- |
The
district got into huge financial trouble, thus, only primary and
grammar schools were operating. All high schools were closed. Teachers
worked for half their normal salary. School facilities were proving
inadequate for the large classes, so the school board decided that
no child under the age of six was to be enrolled in the schools. |
| 1861
- |
During
the 1861-1862 school year, all the schools were closed for the first
term because the district could not pay the bills. The schools were
opened again in January of 1862. |
| 1865
- |
A
two-acre plot of land was purchased to build the new Fourth Ward
School. |
| 1866
- |
Plans
for the Fourth Ward School, which later became Lincoln School, were
approved, and the building was projected to cost $12,068. During
the construction, the contractor discovered he could not pay for
the labor and the materials, so the School Board paid for them instead.
It was then discovered that the walls were four feet too low,
thus, the cornice would cover part of the windows of the top story.
To remedy this problem, it was decided to raise the walls at a cost
of $525. |
|
| 1867
- |
The
new school building, Fourth Ward School, was opened to the public
on February 11, 1867. The cost of the building alone was $14,556.
The cost of teachers and superintendents was $623 and the cost of
furniture was $2,012, for a grand total of $17,192! It was considered
a very elaborate and well outfitted school for its day. The first
principal of the new Fourth Ward School was Thomas M. Irish, a respected
teacher from Iowa City. Additional rooms were finished and put in
use in the Fourth Ward School because of the large number of students.
The students and teachers bought an organ and presented it to the
school. |
| 1872
- |
On
April 26th the roof of the Fourth Ward School was horribly damaged
by a large storm. The Daily Herald published an article accusing
the principal of the Fourth Ward School of punishing a student in
an extremely cruel and inhuman manner. After an investigation, the
accusation was proven false. On June 16th, all the students were
dismissed to allow the students and teachers to join in Pope Pius
IX's celebration. |
| 1875
- |
The
German language was taught in all of Dubuque's public schools and
a fifteen minute morning and afternoon recess was established. |
| 1876
- |
Many
black children enrolled in all the Ward schools. They were denied
admission. On February 14, all the pupils withdrew from the "colored"
school, and it was closed. |
| 1879
- |
A
central heating plant was placed in the Fourth Ward School. Lots
22 and 23 of Bradstreet's Subdivision were bought for $2,000 for
an addition to the Fourth Ward School site. |
| 1881
- |
All
principals were told to exclude any student who had not received
a certificate of vaccination on or before November 28th. |
| 1886
- |
Plans
were submitted by F.D. Hyde for an addition to the Fourth Ward School.
Plans were approved on May 10th. Construction of the addition was
awarded to A. Ney & Co. for a sum of $7,400. |
|
| 1887
- |
The
main building was so crowded, Lincoln students only attended for
half days during construction of the new school. |
| 1889
- |
On
December 23rd, Fourth Ward School was renamed Lincoln School. |
| 1890
- |
Hyde
Clark Post #78 asked the School Board to fly the American Flag on
all the days school was in session. |
| 1892
- |
On
March 11th, Irving School was destoyed by a fire, and arrangements
were made for Irving pupils to go to Lincoln School. A mining company
had permission to mine for lead under Lincoln School for two years.
The 400th anniversary of the discovery of America was celebrated
in public schools by having patriotic exercises on October 20th
and dismissing school on October 21st. |
| 1894
- |
During
this year Kindergarten classes were started for the first time in
public schools. |
| 1896
- |
Lincoln
School held an entertainment program to raise money for the library.
Admission was 10 and 15 cents. |
| 1903
- |
Lincoln
mothers began a two-year training program on teaching Kindergarten. |
|
| 1905
- |
Buechner
and Arth, architects, prepared plans for Lincoln's Annex. |
| 1907
- |
A
roof fire occurred on the early morning of January 18th. |
| 1908
- |
The
Palmer Method of handwriting was introduced in all schools. |
| 1909
- |
Domestic
science was started. |
| 1910
- |
On
September 7th the School Board voted to put in a park and playground
on the Lincoln School grounds. The first fire drills were started
in the schools. |
| 1920
- |
Parents
and teachers had a meeting to establish the first parent/teacher
organization at Lincoln. |
| 1922
- |
The
district ruled that married women could not teach. |
|
| 1923
- |
On
July 10th the new Lincoln playground was officially opened. |
| 1925
- |
Grade
levels were combined because of overcrowding. The girls wore dresses,
never jeans or slacks. |
| 1928
- |
Oil
burners were installed at Lincoln School. |
| 1932
- |
A
resolution was adopted to limit the age of employees to 67 years
old. |
| 1938
- |
A
bond election was held in the amount of $420,000 for the purpose
of erecting four new schoolhouses. The contract for excavation of
the new building was awarded to Thomas Flynn coal Co. for $648.00.
The girls wore pretty dresses, never jeans or slacks! Lincoln had
a playground but no equipment. |
| 1939
- |
On
April 1st, contractors completed excavation for the new building
that would replace the 73-year old Lincoln School building and the
Lincoln Annex. The projected cost of the new building was $240,075.
Lincoln students did not have school for two weeks because the contractors
had to change Lincoln Annex so
that it could hold all of the students while the new building was
being built. On October 9th, the opening ceremonies for the new
Lincoln School were held. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremonies. |
|
| |
| 1940
- |
Hale
C. Reid was appointed principal of Lincoln School. |
| 1941
- |
During
the 1941-1942 school year, the district made it compulsory for all
teachers to attend summer school to further their studies. The teachers
had to get 6 hours of summer school credit every 6 years. |
| 1943
- |
All
of the school openings were delayed for one month because of a polio
epidemic. |
| 1949
- |
The
opening of school was delayed one week because of an outbreak of
poliomyelitis and a shortage of coal due to the mining strike. |
| 1953
- |
3rd
and 4th graders, with parents' permission, were released from school
one hour a week to attend religious instruction. |
| 1956
- |
On
December 10th a resolution to change the district's name from Independent
School District of Dubuque to the Dubuque Community School District
was passed. |
| 1957
- |
Interstate
Power Company Bus Lines entered into a contract with the school
district to help solve transportation problems. Science programs
were started in grades 1-12. |
| 1963
- |
Lincoln
was overcrowded thus, four double-wide trailers were used as classrooms
and placed on the playground. |
| 1969
- |
Funds
were made available under a grant from the Non-Food Assistance Act
to purchase equipment in order to expand the food service program
to Fulton and Lincoln. |
| 1981
- |
The
West 5th Street entrance was changed to the current Nevada Street
entrance to make the entrance more attractive. |
|
| 1991
- |
PALS
(Lincoln's parent group) donated around $20,000 for the playground
equipment Lincoln School currently has, which was installed over
a 5-year period. |
| 1993
- |
Expeditionary
Learning is initiated at Lincoln School. The Lincoln library was
remodeled to its present state and the mural was painted on the
walls by Mrs. Arthur C. Whalen a year later. |
| 1996
- |
Multi-age
classrooms were piloted at Lincoln School. |
| 1998
- |
The
Telephone Pioneers painted the map of the United States on the playground
during the summer. Reading Recovery was started for 1st and 2nd
grade. |
|
