Source: History of Whiteside County 1908
William W. Davis, M. A.
Vol I
Chicago: The Pioneer Publishing Co. 1908
Reprinted by: Hissingson Book Company, Salem, MA

Extracted and Transcribed by: Denise McLoughlin
Tampico Area Historical Society
www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com

Page 205

The School

Like our other towns, Tampico takes pride in the education of her children. In the two-story building there are eleven grades under the direction of the following efficient corps of teachers: Miss Edna Allen, first primary; Miss Grace Booth, second primary; Mrs. Jennie Maxwell, intermediate; Mr. L. W. Denison, grammar; Mr. T. J. Haney, high school. Mr. Denison, one of the most successful and efficient teachers to Whiteside, is now filling his thirteenth year in the school. He is a capable supervisor of grade work, and a useful citizen everywhere. The principal, T. J. Haney, is a Hoosier, and after teaching country schools for seven years, studied two years at Eureka college, and after graduating at State Normal at Carbondale, took post-graduate work at Indiana State Normal and University of Illinois. After eight years as principal in various towns, he assumed his present position in 1903. In 1900 he passed the state examination, and holds a life certificate. The members of the school board are Frank Davis, president, O. D. Olson, clerk, and Bert Meredith. There is a three years' high school course adopted upon the recommendation of the state university. In the first year, English, arithmetic and algebra, physiology and Latin. In the second year, English, algebra, English history and Latin. In the third, English, geometry, physics, civics, and American history. English, as will be noted, runs through the whole course. This is sensible, as readiness to speak and write correctly is of the first importance.

Before Tampico was started, the first school in the district was a half mile south, 1869, but when the railroad was made in 1871, the schoolhouse was moved to town. When this became too small, an upper room of Guffey's building, now part of Burden's opera house, was rented, and another teacher hired. The present structure was built in 1874. A long list of teachers have wielded the birch since A. W. Bastian, who, after attaining fame and fortune, is now, educating his countrymen through the columns of the Fulton Journal.

Beneath the rule of men entirely great,
The pen is mightier than the sword.