THE LILY OF THE VALLEY SCHOOL #5
Thursday 2PM-6PM
Friday 2PM-6PM
Spelling Bee Registration
3:30-4:30 at Open Activity Building
Contest 5PM at The School
Saturday 10-1
Sunday 10-1
1890-1902
The Lily of the Valley School #5 was built near Moville, Iowa, sometime in the late 1890’s to 1902. It sat on the SW quarter of section 25 in Moville Township.
1908
The quarter section where the school was located was purchased by Joe Jahn in 1908. It cost $750 for the 80 acre parcel. The school continued to be used as a school, church, Bible school, and for other community activities.
1956
The school closed in 1956 as mandated by the state of Iowa for all country schools.
1968
One day while Norma Martens was visiting a nearby farm she spied the old schoolhouse. The windows were gone, the slate boards were missing, and it was in terrible shape after being used as a hog house for several years. But, according to Norma, the school had good “bones”. Norma made a deal with the farmer and the school was purchased for $300. It cost $450 to move it to the Martens’ farm. The family spent hundreds of hours cleaning and restoring the little school house. They filled the schoolhouse with school antiques. Several family members had attended the school when it was operational. The little school became a private museum. For the next 17 years the family hosted groups of people who came to see the Lily of the Valley School.
1985
The newly established Correctionville Historical Society asked the Martens family to let them have the little school to add to the “Historical Village” they had started to develop (part of the Fort Correctionville project). The Martens family donated it to their cause with the stipulation the society would take care of the building and all the antiques inside.
1998
The Correctionville Historical Society disbanded and the school was in danger of being bulldozed. The period store, blacksmith shop and post office had already been demolished in the “Historical Village”. The Martens family rescued the school again. They contacted several possible sites for the school without any success until they found Bruce Hopkins, director of the Western Hills Area Education Agency in Sioux City. He found a new home for the school on the Cherokee AEA campus. Pam Pierce became the Cherokee contact for the Lily of the Valley School. Pam Pierce secured an emergency grant from the State Historical Society through Resource Enhancement and Restoration to help with the preparation costs, moving costs and restoration of the schoolhouse.
Preparations were made for the school location using donations and volunteers. Some of the organizations helping were Sanford Museum, Cherokee School District, EA, Russell’s Ready Mix, Lundell Construction, Harman Masonry , and Menke Construction.
The Lily of the Valley School was moved to Cherokee
1999
Six Service Committees were formed to assist with future development of the Lily of the Valley School. The committees were Funding, Restoration, Education, Operational, Governing and collections. In April the Cherokee County Iowa Retired Teacher and School Personnel Association decide to participate in the Lily of the Valley School Renovation.
Unfortunately, the antiques, pictures, etc. that had been in the school had been stolen by vandals.
Many local Cherokee residents helped refurnish the school . A bell used in a Cherokee County School was donated by Barb Stammer of Storm Lake. The handicapped accessible deck was completed in June.
In August The Lily of the Valley School Committee held a dedication ceremony and open house. The former owner Norma Martens returned for the event. Bill Sherman, author of a book about Iowa’s one-room schools also attended the dedication. There was entertainment, games, a spelling bee, and refreshments.
2005
The Cherokee community was gearing up to celebrate their sesquicentennial in 2006. Bonnie Ducommun convinced the AEA to allow her to be the caretaker for the school. The Cherokee County Iowa Retired School Personnel Association (CCIRSPA), gave money, wrote grants , cleaned the school, provided teachers to teach classes at the little school, provided help with food and lectures, and helped keep it as a living part of history for local school children and visitors.
An open house, “Fun Day”, has held for public to view the improvements made to the School. Over 80 people attended the open house.
Classes in which the teachers taught the old-time curriculum using the original teaching materials were provided at the little school in the spring and fall of the year. Recesses consisted of playing old-fashioned games. The little girls were given a bonnet to keep (made by Bonnie, Molly Ver Heul, Lynette Hyndman, Pat Friedrichsen, Karen Thomsen, and many other members of the CCIRSPA/IRSPA) and the boys were given a kerchief to keep as a remembrance of their visit. A certificate of attendance was also given to every student to celebrate his/her day at the school.
Not only have children toured the one-room school house, but many local groups have met at the school house for their meetings or programs.
2008
An old out house, from the Eulalia Woltman Farm, was donated/added to the campus of the school by Bernice Woltman. Over a period of years, RJ Thomas Manufacturing donated a sign with the name of the school on it, two picnic tables and wood to refurbish the deck on the school. The Cavaliers 4-H Club donated a hitching post to the school.
2009
In the spring, the Lily of the Valley School received a Cherokee County Legacy Foundation grant for repair and upgrades . A Keep Iowa Beautiful Grant for paint was also awarded. The building received a top to bottom cleaning, fresh coat of paint and the deck was stained. All thanks to CCIRSPA members, Mill Creek Valley 4-H club, Dick Point, Neal Phipps, Kyle Pingrey and Phil Kindwall.
The Lily of the Valley Schools has been used by hundreds of elementary school students from the area for years. Each student left with the benefit of a great history lesson and either a bonnet or a neck scarf sewn by Bonnie Ducommun, Molly Van Huel and other retired teachers.
2023
The ground that housed the Lily of the Valley school was sold. Bonnie Duccommun and members of the Cherokee County Iowa Retired School Personnel Association , began fund raising efforts to move the school. Ramona Nitz, spear headed the fundraising after Bonnie unexpectantly passed away. She secured funds to move the building. The site at the fairgrounds was prepared to receive the Lily of the Valley School.
2024
The bell tower was removed by Daryl Duccomun and his crew in early January 2024. Retired School teachers and fairboard members help pack up books, maps, supplies and furnishing in early January.
March 6, 2024
The Lily of the Valley School was moved to the Cherokee Fairgrounds. Its’s 4th move in 120 + years.
Original Coordinating Committee
Jim Adamson - Cherokee Historic Preservation Committee
Linda Burkhart - Sanford Museum Director
Jean Cook - Cherokee Historic Preservation Committee
Edith Coyle - Retired Teacher
Bonnie Ebe l - Cherokee County Tourism Committee
Hulda Engel - Retired Teacher
Connie Hankens - Cherokee Free Arts Council
Carol Honeck - Western Hills AEA Cherokee Center
Bruce Hopkins - Western Hills AEA Chief Administrator
Evan Knapp - Retired Teacher
Marlin Lode - Cherokee CSD Superintendent
Pam Pierce
Mary Jo Ruppert - Cherokee Library Director
Bob Shroeder - Sanford Museum Association
Doyle Sparks - Western Hills AEA Communications Coordinator
Shirley Staver - Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
Mildred Stevenson - Retired Teacher and D.A.R.
Geneice Wagner - Western Hills AEA
Jon Wibbels - Western Hills AEA Media Director
Dela Wolf - Cherokee County Retired Teachers Association
Local Committee Members
Jim Adamson
Bob Shroeder
Linda Burkhart
Pam Pierce
Jean Cook
Dave Sparks
Edith Coyle
Shirley Staver
Jon Draper (drove the truck to transport the school)
Bonnie Ebel
Mildred Stevenson
Hulda Engel
Della Wolf
Connie Hankens
Evan Knapp
Nancy Knapp
Marlin Lode
Linda Madison
Pat Phipps