Published: August 21, 2008 04:23 pm            

Looking back at the one room school

The East Amsterdam School building was constructed in 1882 replacing an earlier building, a little red brick school house which stood just south of the large basement barn on the Toom farm. This was near where the Wabash Railroad was built in 1882. The reason for changing the location was that the Wabash company had sent a letter to the Board informing them that the school would be in the way of the construction of the necessary side tracks.

The board decided to build the East Amsterdam school further up the hill because the deep water filled ditches along the tracks could be hazardous to the children. At the same time to accommodate the growing number of children in the district the Board decided to add another identical building further west called West Amsterdam. Both buildings were erected for a total cost of $1,010.

Amsterdam school takes its name from the proposed town of Amsterdam in Sec. 20 between the banks of the Des Moines River and Lake Prairie. the “Port of Amsterdam” was intended to a be river outlet downstream to St. Louis, Missouri. The town had been platted, a few lots sold, and a few businesses established. However, the devastating flood of 1851 put an end to plans for a town and the area reverted to farm ground.

Several former students and teachers have written their memories of East Amsterdam. Paul Ter Louw and his twin bother Apollos attended this school during the late 20’ and early 30’s. Their father Henry who had lost “everything” in the depression made his living selling Bibles, books, and other items. When it was time for Paul to graduate from “The University Amsterdam” there was no money for a new pair of shoes. One of the neighbors loaned him the money in exchange for helping with corn picking in the fall. Paul says his father was a very religious man who taught Bible School at five rural schools. Vera Baughman Horman remembers the sound of coal trucks from across the river going up the long hill toward the Pella Light Plant. “When the miners went in with last load I knew our school day would soon be over also.” Her mother and her children also attended this school.

Wilma Mathes Brouwer recalls her family using the school as a home during the summer of 1947 after the June flood. Her parents slept on the elevated platform at the front of the room and she slept in a little corner in the back area. The Mathes home was cleaned and readied for the family to move back into in time for school to start in the fall.

The Amsterdam School district was organized in 1875 and functioned as a one room school until mandatory reorganization. After the school closed it continued to be the site for monthly neighborhood gatherings. Neighbors Tunis and Clara Schakel mowed the school yard and kept the school clean on the inside until 1990 when the Pella Historical Society took over its care. In 1968 the Pella Historical society had purchased the building and converted it into a school museum. It is one of the few museum schools still on its original site. Several teachers have held classes at the school to enable their students to experience a day in a country school.

Teachers who taught at East Amsterdam include Flora Hopson, Tunnie Coffman 1885, May MacCollum, Alice Vander Zyl, Mary E. Durham 1886, Hattie Harmsen. Mary E. Durham, Alice Vande Zyl 1887, Hester Ver Steeg 1891, Josie Viersen (?), Anna De Haan, Bessie Vander Linden 1895, Minnie Veenstra 1898, Grace Dickey 1899,Grace Dickey, Lydia Varenkamp 1900, Lydia Varenkamp, Orissa Veenstra 1901, Hattie Harmsen, Minerva Pugh 1902, Minerva Pugh, Delia Rietveld 1903, Delia Rietveld 1904-05, Bertha Hughes, Margaret Fennema 1906, Cornelia Hospers 1907, Helene Bookman, Jennie Huffman 1908, Alta M. Vander Linden 1909, Helene Bootsma, Gertrude Renaud 1910, Clarence Renaud, Mrs. A.A. De Bruyn 1911, Mrs. A. A. De Bruyn 1912-15, Nannie McDillon 1916-17, Hattie Neyenesch 1917-18, Sara McCallister 1919, Wilma Vande kieft 1920, Irma Visser 1922, Minnie Colyn 1925, Harriet Toom 1925-26, Fern Rietveld 1929-31, Leona Arens 1935-36, Ana Mae Vande Noord 1936, Anna Mae Vande Noord Gosselink 1937, Francs Van Donselaar 1938, Kathryn Herny 1939, Dorothy Synhorst 1940-41, Dorothy Witzenburg 1942, Olive Palmquist 1944-45, Mrs. Nadine Wood 1946, Rena Marie Klein 1947, Joyce Snyder 1948, Marie S. Vander Hart 1950-52, Mrs. Ruth Vande Kieft 1954-56, Helen Adair 1957.

The next school story will be about West Amsterdam. Contact me at 628-4716.

        

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