Woodburn, Iowa: School Days

The Woodburn Independent School had its beginning in two houses in the town. One housed the larger pupils - it was just west and across the street from the current building, and the other the smaller children - it was a house back of the old gymnasium on Vine Street. The first teacher in the lower school was Anna Tallman of Osceola, and O.P. Garris was the first teacher in the higher school.

The lower school moved to the Dr. Martin property in 1879, with the first teacher being Mary Rice. In 1880 the west section of the schoolhouse now standing on the hill near the Catholic and Christian Churches was built at a cost of $3,000. It contained two rooms, one below and one above. Seventy pupils were housed in each of the rooms with one teacher for each of the rooms. The teachers were employed for seven months. The first teachers in this new school were Arthur Hutchins, upper grades, and Mary Emerson, lower grades. In 1895, some of the children were housed in an old brick building on the east bank of Brush Creek, north of town due to lack of room in the schoolhouse.

Two additional rooms were deemed necessary, and were built in 1897. This forms the middle section of the present building. After this the brick school was discontinued and a room was added to the lower east end of the building. This became the Primary room. For several years school children went to Osceola, the county seat, for eighth grade graduation exercises. These were held either in a church or the Osceola High School.

In 1922, another room was built over the Primary room when the 12th grade was added. The school grounds of 1930 were covered with trees, being entirely surrounded by a row of great maples. J.O. Swan, school director, had overseen the planting of these maples. The grounds were enclosed by a high board fence and the pupils entered over a stile on the south side. The drought of 1934 and 1936 destroyed every maple tree and there only remained a few elms in later years, one of which was over 70 years old at the time of the drought.

The school closed in 1971 and was sold to Don Rodgers of the Woodburn Furniture Market.

Woodburn, Iowa: Early Town History

The iron horse was slow in reaching southern Iowa. For nearly twenty years after its first settlement, Clarke County communicated with the outside world only by stage lines. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad came into Clarke County in 1867. It was decided to steer its course through the natural valley south of the town of Ottawa. In days of slow transportation, this inconvenience of a mile was a hard blow for the merchants. Most of the merchants and residents immediately moved to Woodburn. In July of that year, the railroad came as far as what is now Woodburn, at the fork of the Brush and Gooseberry creeks. It is said that the little town that sprang up around the railroad station was called Woodburn because of the great piles of wood that were placed along the track near the station to fuel the engines. This was the only station in Jackson Township. The first train arrived in Osceola from the east on January 15, 1868.

The town, containing 22 lots, was laid out in the autumn of 1867 on 40 acres of land owned by the railroad and became known as Sigler’s Addition. Sigler’s Addition was named after H.C. Sigler, the first banker in Osceola, who was perhaps the one who had the greatest influence in bringing the railroad through this part of the county.

The first building in Woodburn, according to Clarke County history, was a store owned by J.L. Tedrow and O.L. Palmer. Later, W. J. Smith bought out Palmer. The first hotel was built by Haywood in 1868. John L. Morrison was the first blacksmith, and later built Swan’s Hotel. T.E. Johnson, J.R. Felger, and W.S. Randolph were the first carpenters. John W. Boden owned the first harness shop, established in 1873. D.N. Smith built a grainhouse in 1868 and also sold salt. J.L. Tedrow was the first grain buyer. The first residences were built for J.L. Tedrow, Irwin Parmenter, J.E. Chapman and Alf Hardin. The first school was taught by E.M. Lash.

On June 11, 1878, the town of Woodburn was incorporated. The Mayor was E.T. Knight who served until 1881. The Trustees were C. Blythe, Henry Garris, H.R. Means, G.W. Smith, and W.S. Lowe. The Recorder was C.P. Garris and Postmaster was Joseph L. Tedrow, who served for 10 years.

Woodburn, Iowa: Historical Street Scenes

Sigler Street looking west