History: Memories of Dover School
 

One Teacher's Memories of Dover School ~ By Lauren Zechin

Dover school had many teachers in its approximately 69 years of operation.

Spiritual Elegance is the biography of one of those teachers, Pauline Krehbiel Raid, who was the daughter of August and Laura Krehbiel of Donnellson.  The slim volume telling of Pauline's life was written by Elaine Sommers Rich and published in 1987 by her husband, Howard D. Raid at Bluffton College, in Bluffton, Ohio.  Howard donated a copy to the Donnellson library, and the book not only covers much of the Krehbiel family history, but also gives information about early Donnellson that is fascinating for anyone interested in local history.  The book tells the story of Pauline's growing-up years in Donnellson, mentions her year teaching at Dover, and then goes on to tell of her life as Mrs. Raid in Ohio. 

Pauline was born in 1907, the sixth of eight children.  Pauline's father, August, called "Chicago August" to distinguish him from a relative of the same name, was a prospering merchant in the town, his furniture upholstery skills learned in Chicago.  He had immigrated from Southern Germany as a teenager to escape the draft.  The book tells of August building a doll house for Pauline and her sister Gladys out of a furniture crate.  His wife, Laura, grew up in Donnellson and was a soft spoken

person of delicate health.  The family lived in a large house across from the Mennonite Church, where they were members.  The book relates the story of the Krehbiel children surviving the measles epidemic that plagued the community in 1910.  The family was also very musical.  The Krehbiel children all played instruments, and sang solos at church.  "On summer evenings the children played outdoor games until dusk, then sat on the church steps across from their house and sang in the moonlight," tells Rich.  The reader is almost transported to Donnellson as it was one hundred years ago.  One of Pauline's brothers, Gordon, recalled the family taking Sunday drives.  Prior to purchasing their first automobile in 1919, the family would rent a horse from the livery in Donnellson.  Sometimes on the way to visiting family members, they would stop at the store at the little community of Dover and their father would purchase a dime's worth of candy for the kids for the trip home. 

~The settlement of Dover once had a post office, blacksmith’s shops, and a store, pictured below, owned by the Dickey family, and located on the northwest corner of the crossroads.  One can almost see the overall-clad farmers sitting out front on the porch playing checkers.

At that time, Dover was considered a village, with a doctor, blacksmith shops, a dry goods store and its own post office.  The stone school building was built around 1872 using materials from the stone mills at Franklin. 

During her high school days at Donnellson High, Pauline participated in class plays and a debating club.  She was active in her church as well.

She writes of purchasing a new Edison record player for her father and brother's birthdays.  She tells of getting her hair bobbed, and of her father sticking up for her when the church thought the new do too worldly.  "The 1920s were characterized as 'roaring,'" writes Rich, "but any roar was distinctly muted by the time it reached Donnellson."

Pauline graduated in 1926 from Donnellson High School.  The next year, after completing an Iowa State Teacher's College extension course in Bloomfield, Pauline taught eight grades at Rising Sun Country School.  The next school year of 1927 and 28, Pauline was closer to home, teaching at Dover School.
 

Later in life, Pauline looked back to her time as a teacher.  Her dedication to her work is evident.  She wrote:

  "Two of the most exciting and interesting years of my life were spent as a teacher in a country school.  Many days during these months seemed hard and trying, and I often felt as though it wasn't worth all the anxiety and care that it caused me.  And yet, considering all things, I can truthfully say that these two years were full of some of the grandest experiences that I have had and I would not give a fortune of a wealthy man in exchange for these experiences...   Many times in the evening I would help the little children put on their wraps and then stand in the doorway and caution them again to walk right home through the snow so that they would get there before it became dark.  It was a glorious feeling to stand there in the doorway watching the little tots wave back and call, "Goodbye Miss Krehbiel.  I'll see you in the morning."  I would return to the desk and work for the coming day with a satisfied and happy feeling, believing that the day had been a success.  I had taught a little child something useful and helped another to make his way easier."

Reproduced from the original and to be continued in the May issue.