* Some details and pictures for this article are taken from Historic Cannon Falls, or are used with permission from the Cannon Falls Historical Society
The Cannon Falls school system has evolved over its 168 year history. The schools of Cannon Falls have come a long way. The one room school buildings have flourished into a modern and safe learning environment for kids all around the community. The 6th graders of the Torch have put together a 4-part series to help learn more about the District of Cannon Falls. These are the changes the schools have made to be what it is today.
The history of Cannon Falls school is educational and that is good considering it is all about education. The schools were definitely smaller than the current schools but held more people in one room than in one class today. While there were all these public schools starting up there were also private and rural schools by the dozens, which were also in the school district. It all started with E.L. Clark in 1856 when he built the first public school and taught the students there.
When the first public school was built, it was known as The Basswood Seminary. The school was built near where the Cannon Rivers Senior Living building is today. Clark built the school and also was the teacher, which happened often when a teacher built a school and then taught in it, which happened often during this time period. The school size was 16’ by 24’ and construction took only a week, whereas it would take months or years to build a school today. The school started building in January which meant cold temperatures, which is why they wanted to build fast. Since there were cold temperatures they built the school around a stove. The building first taught only 31 students, not even half of today’s grade levels. The first school building was a place of gathering so the school also held spelling bees, lyceums, and church gatherings, proving the people of Cannon Falls had a strong sense of community.
Some bachelors got together in 1857; (they didn’t have to worry about not getting enough work done because of their families.) They built the second school before the first school was even a year old since the community needed a larger school because finally more students enrolled. The school was located on Hoffman street, and it would have been neighbors with the police station and liquor store in town now. The school’s size was 28’ by 38’, but the size soon doubled by 1875, and another school was added for the kids on the other side of the river as well.
Rural schools also started during this time period. Children must have attended school if they were older than 8 or younger than 16. Religious groups had class wherever it was open, if they met in a barn they would have to move chickens during school. These church schools only lasted three months and if you can believe it the teachers were only required to teach four subjects: English, writing, religion and arithmetic. By the year 1864, there were 100 schools and 101 teachers in Goodhue County; it was super rare to have more than one teacher at a school. There were many private schools in Cannon Falls back then and few today.
By 1877, 181 students were enrolled at school in Cannon Falls, which caused the Hoffman Street school to add an addition later on in 1880. 1893 consisted of a high enrollment of students (305). As a result, the district bought land for $750, which caused them to sell $15,000 dollars worth of bonds to pay for the new school. Limestone was used for the building which cut some of the cost. After the new building was made the Hoffman Street school became a cheese factory and the school by the river closed. Cannon Falls left behind many schools in the 1800’s.
The 1800’s was the start of school in Cannon Falls, but of course not the end. At this time it was the start of public and private schools in Goodhue County. The schools in the 1800’s are like artifacts to learn from for the schools today.
