Schools of Coalville

The first four schools built in Pleasant Valley are believed to have been built in the early 1870’s. Pleasant Valley # 1 was built east of Holiday Creek on a portion of the farm land owned by the William Munn family and served all the farm children in that area from kindergarten through 8th grade. The school was destroyed by fire about 1936 and a new school was built on the same site. Coalville was a booming Coal mining town and there were several little schools owned by the Coal companies. The Assessor’s records of 1880 indicate that one company owned sixty-six houses along Holliday Creek for rental to its employees and a general store located in Coalville. The article in 1885 stated that one Coal company operated a school with 122 pupils.

This bridge spanned across the ravine that went over to the “OLD” school. The bridge was used as a way of getting over to the school. Pictured are Jim, John Sharp and Ella O’Conner in 1925.

This picture was taken outside the school on July 14, 1931. It is a guess that this was a reunion of former teachers and students posing in front of the school before it was demolished.

Pleasant Valley # 2 located in Coalville, was a two story building. Grades kindergarten through fourth grade occupied the upper floor. Many former students of this school can remember taking turns walking to a natural spring, flowing out of a hillside in the wooded area west of the school, to “fetch a pail of water” when the well on the school grounds became dry. The school was struck by lightening in 1908, hitting Roy Hay, a student sitting in the upper story and knocking one shoe from his foot.

It was lightening, striking the school again in 1932, that finally destroyed the school completely. A new brick building was soon built and used until the Pleasant Valley School District was taken into the Fort Dodge school District in the 1960’s. Pleasant Valley # 3 included the school at Gypsum and the Shady Oaks School. Both schools served all eight grades and remained in their original state until torn down sometime in the 1950’s.

Some of the early teachers who taught in these schools were, J.B. Butler, Anne Williams, Cindy Williams, Mike Healy, P.T. Flynn, John F. Flynn, Ed Devlin, Ina Rhodes Butler, Nellie Parel, Annie Parel, Hulda Anderson, Kathryn Hogan, Pearl Bargar, Mamie Munn, Agnes Teasdale, Ella O’Conner, Robert Stine, Ruth Lumsden Jordison, and Grace McIntyre. Teachers in the 1930’s and 1940’s were: Verla Ford, Opal Crouse, Kathryn Stupka, Maxine Woodman, Mabel Larson, Mabel Fevold, Florence Anderson.

For those kids from the 50’s and 60’s memories would probably be of the (2) ball diamonds on the playground. One of them being along the side of the school and the highway, the other diamond located on the south-east corner of the school yard was used by the little kids. There were monkey bars and swing sets, a teeter-totter and that BIG slide and a merry-go-round. The front of the school was on the West side of the building and there was a flag-pole in the middle. Every morning one kid was chosen from a class to hang the flag. Another responsibility would be at the end of the day to go out and clap the erasers together and get them ready for the next school day. This was always a fun job to get out of class. The sidewalks were always covered with the chalk drawings for hop-scotch and many a game of marbles and “JACKS” were played on those walks. Sack lunches were what we ate, and cartons of milk were available to go along with your lunch. The older part of the building housed 2 large class rooms, usually 2 grades per room. The basement was where the Kindergarten class was held and in the middle room a copier and extra chairs and the furnace room were located. In the North room was a little kitchen area. The newer part had 2 other large class rooms with 2 classes per room and this was where the 2 bathrooms were, one side for girls and the other for the boys. Then in 1966 with the enlargement of the Fort Dodge Community Schools the assignment of elementary students was reviewed by the administrators and it was decided to have 5th and 6th grade go to Otho Elementary. The Kindergarten afternoon class went to Otho and the 1st grade – 4th grade stayed in Coalville. Some time around 1972 the Coalville School, Pleasant Valley # 2 closed and all elementary students went to Otho and the Middle school and high school age were already going to Fort Dodge. It was a nice little country school and many happy memories were shared at our school.