Streumph School circa 1898
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School Information:

Date Started:  1886              Date Closed: 1939

School Registers:

Some Teachers Have Been:
Teachers: Judge Jenkins lists the following teachers in the early school years:

Roy Doerhoff lists the following additional teachers:

taken from HISTORY OF ST. ELIZABETH R-IV SCHOOLS Part I THE RURAL SCHOOLS
by Ray Doerhoff

The School was located near the center of section 8 which puts it near the center of the district. This was a concrete building and remained standing into the 1990’s. The district was named after Henry and Anna Struemph who donated one acre of land for the building site. The school site, and surrounding area still remains in the Struemph family.

The following excerpt is taken from Judge Jenkins’ History. On October 7, 1889 there was a meeting of the board of directors of Struemph School. Directors present included Jas. M. Hamilton, Henry Heckemeyer and John Volmert, and the district clerk, R. C. Clark. The following charges were presented by Thomas Whalen against the teacher:

Whalen alleged the teacher, before his children, said John Grosvenor was the raggedest man in the country, and that George W. Grosvenor was not far behind him, and that, for having told their parents, the teacher, on October 3, 1889 “did whip the children in a brutal manner, whipping his girl, age 13, and saying he would whip her until sundown unless she cried, and whipping his little boy, age 7, leaving black marks on whipping him twice for the same offense.” He further alleged that “the teacher, in time of books, while Miss Nora Roark was teaching, crowed and said I am a rooster, then punched Miss Nora Roark in the side with his elbow, and did act in a manner unbecoming a teacher.”

The board examined 14 witnesses (probably all students) and recorded their testimony. The board then examined the child that was whipped and found 18 marks on the child’s body, four of them black marks, and agreed the little boy received a tolerable hard whipping. The board referred the matter, together with all testimony, to the County School Commissioner. On October 29, 1889 the school board met again. The teacher had quit teaching and the board employed James M. Renfrow to teach in his stead for a term of four months and seven days at $25. Per month.

Judge Jenkins’ History of Miller County Vol. 2 Page 233:

On May 1, 1886, the qualified voters in Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, & 18 of Township 40, Range 12, meeting at 2 o’clock p.m., elected J.W. Shepherd, Chairman, and R. Holtmeyer, Secretary, and after discussion, organized School District No. 4. Newton F. Clark, James M. Hamilton, and John Volmert were elected directors.

A vote was taken to determine if the people were willing to take the school house on the land of Sicily L. Clark and finish paying for it, with 12 in favor, and 5 against. There was an unanimous vote for allowing Sunday School and Singing Schools in the building. In 1889 the board voted in favor of ‘Wheel meetings” at the place.

In the next decade, several votes were taken to divide the district, but iin 1884, on a promise not to divide, it was agreed the schoolhouse would be established and erected nearer the center of the district, on one acre of land given by Henry & Anna Struemph; hence the name of the district.

Resident Taxpayers in 1886:

H.L. Barnett, William Calvert, N.F. Clark, Sicily L. Clark, Everett Davidson, John Goodman, George Groxvenor, J.M. Hamilton, Richard Holtmeyer, Henry Heckmeyer, George W. Hawk, Robert Johnson, Robert Kinworthy, John Pitman, William Quick, Henry Quick, Benton Quick, William Quick Jr., Harman Rehagen, Albert Robinson, Charles Sanderson, John Volmert, J.T. Whalen, and P. Whalen.

Harry Green, Strumph School Teacher