The Annual Papinville
Picnic date has been set for Saturday, September 27th. There will be
more information and details about the day events as it gets closer, for now
the Papinville Historic Association has again prepared a weekly historic press
release for the public. The Papinville history information will be released
every Friday at the end of the 9 and 5 pm local news. Stay tuned for this
weekly historic information from the Papinville area through September 27th
When the Civil
War ended the people begin to move back rebuilding their homes and a two storying school was built in 1868. School
was conducted down stairs while the Osage Masonic Lodge was conducted upstairs.
The present school was added on to the two story in 1895.
In the
late 1800’s a school year was only six months. Some schools had seven and eight
months. Most of the records we have found for Papinville had eight months. I
was always told that the boys had to help with planting the crops and the girls
had to help plant to gardens. In 1917 it discussed about going to a nine month
school year but it was voted down by the school board.
In 1913 a
law was passed providing for a teachers training class to be taught in a
approved high school. The school had to be designated by the state superintendent
of schools. If student had finished the course in high school they could teach
for two years and then they had to go to college to get a teaching degree. They
also had to be eighteen years old. A
rural teacher salary in 1906 through 1917 was $234.00 to $400.00 a year. My mother taught at Papinville for one year,
because she took the teachers training course. When the teacher came to teach
(if they lived far away) lived with a family close to school. I remember going
to my grandparents (Herman and Mae Steuck) that Evelyn Schooley lived at their
house.
There
were four schools in the Prairie Township. Papinville was the first school in
district 7. Seelinger, Mission Branch and Prairie City followed. The next story
will continue about Papinville. We hope when we have the picnic that there will
be some students that attended these schools present or family members of a
student. When you come to Papinville you will see a beautiful new sigh
welcoming you to “the little town with a big history.”
The
Papinville Historical and Cemetery Association will be serving fried fish,
pulled pork and hot dogs with all the trims. There will be music starting at
1:30, cake walk, silent auction, pie contest plus pie auction, wagon rides and
children’s games. A time schedule will be published closer to the event.
Papinville History and District 7 School books, hats, T shirts printed with (present school) and many other
booklets will be for sale. We are still adding events for our 130th
anniversary of the little school. Come
help us celebrate. Sat. Sept. 27th in historical Papinville. Until
next week.
Submitted By
Phyllis Stewart Activity Director
