Moline Public Schools
The first school house in Moline was built in 1843 on the north west
corner of Sixteenth Street and Fourth Avenue, where the Burling-ton
freight house now stands. "The people of the new town," says an old
settler, "felt the need of a school, and of some place in which to hold
religious meetings." Accordingly the owners of the town site donated two
lots; a subscription was circulated and a brick school house built, which
was for several years used also as a place of worship by different
denominations. The first teacher, who also served as city clerk and
justice of the peace, was Joseph Jackman, a native of Massachusetts, where
he had been a school mate of Honorable Charles Atkinson. The school was
subsequently taught by S. P. Hodges, who afterwards became county clerk.
The present school system dates from April, 1873, when, under the city
charter, and in accordance with the revised school laws, the following
board of education was elected: C.. A. Wheelock, president; H. H. Grover,
secretary; William H. Edwards, Ezra Smith, C. C. Nathan and Jonathan
Huntoon.
During the following year the board purchased sites for two new school
houses; for the West Ward school, six lots of John Deere, for the East
Ward school a part of H. R. Edwards block, paying respectively $3,000 and
$1,500 in bonds. The Central school which also contained the High school,
was erected on the old site, the contract calling for an outlay of
$25,000. From these beginnings has grown the present excellent system,
which according to the last school report is housed in ten large
buildings, with all modern improvements, employing one hundred and twelve
teachers, including special teachers and superintendent; and expended for
instruction and supervision alone, exclusive of care and maintenance of
buildings and grounds for the season of 1907, $68,186.74. The course of
study begins with the kinder-garden; carries the child through eight
grades into the High school, from which, after four years, he may pass on
to any of the leading universities or colleges, or find himself equipped
with a good education for the business of life. Throughout the course
there is instruction by special teachers in music, drawing, physical
culture and the "higher grades," and in the High school is offered
industrial work, in the shape of cooking and sewing for the girls, and
manual training for the boys, looking possibly to the establishment before
many years of a model trade school; an advantage much to be desired in
such a manufacturing center as Moline.
The enrollment of all the schools for 1907 was 3,836 pupils.
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908