Iowa Loves Schoolhouses!

Iowa Remains in the Forefront of Schoolhouse Preservation

You read a great deal about Iowa's one-room country schools in the CSAA newsletter with good reason. The Iowa Historical Preservation Alliance continues to sponsor its annual Country School Conference highlighting the counties that value their one-room schoolhouse heritage. Spearheaded by CSAA's Bill Sherman of Des Moines, the conference continues to draw attendees from across the US, and this year Norway! The 2009 conference, "Celebrating 10 Years of Country School Preservation" was held October 2-3 at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence. 60 participants enjoyed a full day of presentations and tours and a second-day bus tour of local schoolhouses and historical sites. 

Presentations included: County School Preservation in Norway, by Leidulf Mydland from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research; Creating a Country School Curriculum and Generating Visitors, by Dale Williams, Reed School Director, Wisconsin Historical Society; How Networking Can Help Your County School by Caroline Bredenkamp, Jackson Country Preservationist; What's for Lunch at the Country School, by Sarah Uthoff, Country School Researcher;Tourism and Implications for Country Schools by Carrie Koelker, Eastern Iowa Tourism Director and Candy Streed, Program Coordinator Silos and Smokestacks; Amish Schools Today by Mark Dewalt of Winthrop University, SC; Planting Around a Country School by Sheralyn Hazen, Buchanan County Roadside Manager; and Creating the Agribition Center and Tour by Mike McGill, Events Manager and Leanne Harrison,President of the Buchanan County Historical Society.

Tours included the Summit School, the Wapsipinicon Mill and Little Red Schoolhouse Antique Shop in Independence, an Amish schoolhouse, and the schoolhouse museum in Fredericksburg. The Farm House Bed and Breakfast and Winery hosted the group for lunch.

For additional coverage of the event visit the Courier's  link below:

Conference Pushes for Preservation of Schools

Congratulations to Bill Sherman, and the volunteers and presenters who created another successful schoolhouse program.

Photos: Top right: Amish school, Charity Flats, in Buchanan County; Bottom: Restored public school museum in Hazelton.

    

Comments

[Fay Stone]

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