To the editor:
Did you attend a country school in Marion County? Were you a teacher there? Did your relatives leave you pictures of their days at a country school? If so, you're a person I'd like to contact. For some time both the Pella Historical Society and the Marion County Historical Society have been compiling scrapbooks of pictures and other information about the Marion County Schools. Over time there were 138 country schools in this county.
I have written articles for the Pella Chronicle about 23 of these schools and plan to write as many more as I can find information for. We have some wonderful photos but very little information about the schools south of the Des Moines River.
On Friday, Feb. 13, I will be at The Next Chapter Bookstore in Knoxville starting at 1 p.m. so that you can bring in pictures. I will make a copy for you if you wish to keep the originals. Even if you don't have any pictures I would like to hear your stories of your days in country school.
The country school scrapbooks will also be available for viewing and you can make requests for copies of pages to be sent to you.
You may contact me by e-mail helenboertje@iowatelecom.net, by phone at (641)628-4716 or write me at 615 Elm St., Pella, IA 50219
Helen Boertje
Pella
