Schools Open

From the Pine County Courier, January 17, 1895:

At this season of the year with boys and girls about our doors, everyone thinks of the "pleasant school room" in which to get them off their hands and minds.

For some time all have been wishing for school to open, and the day of their satisfaction is at hand. Next Monday will witness the opening of the schoolhouse doors, and the opening of parents' mouths in thanksgiving.

No school has been held here since last June, as the building was burned just before the opening of the fall term [in the great forest fire of September 1, 1894, which completely destroyed Sandstone and several neighboring towns].

This was one of the severest loses of the fire, as Sandstone had as fine a school building as any town of its size in the country, and unfortunately there was no insurance on it. The building was constructed of brown sandstone taken from the quarries at this place and was two stories high with a ground measurement 60 by 80 feet. It contained a fine basement with two large rooms on the first floor and a spacious hall above. Its arrangement was complete and its facilities adequate to accommodate the school population of quite a large town. The building cannot be replaced for less than $12,000, so it has been found necessary to get along with more limited accommodations, which will probably be sufficient for the coming term. The number of pupils before the fire was 92, and it is anticipated that at least an equal number will be in attendance at the opening next Monday.

The new building is 24 by 42 feet and was constructed by the relief committee on lots donated by the Minneapolis Trust Company for that purpose. It will seat the number likely to attend but will not begin to be sufficient when six months have rolled around.

The school board has provided school furniture to the amount of $394 that will be in place for the five months' term, and everything will be done to insure complete success.



The photograph above shows the first school in Sandstone after the 1894 fire. It was purchased by the Pine County Courier after the village build a new, larger schoolhouse .