Our forefathers had a tremendous respect for education, and nearly every parent saw to it that the children received training in the "three R's". Township schools, provided by state law, were located in each section of land, and Iowa's first state university was founded just a year after statehood was reached. Students between the ages of five and 21 were granted a basically free education, and it is noteworthy that Iowa has consistently had one of the lowest illiteracy rates of all the states in the Union.

One of the township schools in this area before 1880 was located at the eastern edge of section 18, which is now the site of Manning Heating and Sheet Metal. As the community formed and families arrived, they immediately called for a town school. Classes opened just four months after the first lots were laid out, with 61 students enrolled at the Callimore Hall on Main Street. B.I. Salinger taught the class as a way to supplement his fledging legal practice.

Within a year, the growing number of people resulted in the need for a more permanent school. A wooden building was constructed between First and Second Streets on Sue; although several additions were made, the school was outgrown by 1907 and a larger brick building was erected. By 1917, it was necessary to add another building, and the high school on Sixth Street (now Highway 141) was built.

It wasn't until 1973 that all Manning classes were again housed under one roof. From the late 1950's, when rural schools began closing and students were transported to Manning, until the second half of the new school was completed, classes were scattered throughout the town. One graduate of 1969, for instance, attended classes in six different locations: two years in a rural school, four years in the old brick grade school, one year in the old Catholic Church, one year in the Firemen's Hall (the old Opera House), two years in the new elementary-junior high school, and three years in the old high school.

Many of the early teachers were 16 and 17 year old girls just out of high school. Salinger, who was promoted to superintendent by 1882-83, received $722 that year, while the teachers each received a yearly salary of $400. Teacher training programs were initiated in the early 1900's, and by the 1920's, future elementary teachers were required to have two years of advanced training to be certified, with high school teachers needing four years of training. Many of the country schools, however, were still taught by those without certification. When the rural schools closed, many of the country teachers returned to college to obtain their certification. As teaching became more professional, salaries began to increase, and the average yearly wage in Manning in 1979-80 was $12,919.23.

The Manning school system showed a steady growth for more than 90 years, with over 900 students enrolled during its peak. The declining birth rate and fewer families in the rural areas has caused the school enrollment to fall in recent years, and by 1979-80, Manning had 636 students. The school district, which covered five square miles in the 1930's, now covers 111.8 square mile, with eight school buses traveling 118,833 miles each year.

One hundred years ago, the Manning school operated on a yearly budget of under $3,000. The school's budget surpassed $1 million for the first time in 1974-75, and in 1979-80, expenses amounted to $1,347,066. Increased enrollment, new facilities, and inflation are only partly responsible for the budget's jump; today, many more instructional tools are used, a wider variety of classes are taught, and more extra-curricular activities are offered.

The Manning school is today the community's second largest employer, with 75 people hired as teachers, bus drivers, janitors, cooks, clerical help, and administrators. The total payroll amounted to $887, 327 in 1979-80.

The school was originally governed by a six-person board of directors, with the first board elected in 1883. They were John Hoffmann, L.P. Bingham, C.M. Failing, J.S. Ferguson, P.A. Emery and V. Roush. When the independent school district was created in 1899, the board changed to five members, and included Douglas Rogers, Edward Signal, A.K. Resner, M. Jones and H.D. Radeleff. When the school district was reorganized in 1959-60 to incorporate the rural areas, the board of directors was revamped to include members from the country. At this writing, the board includes Warren Puck and Tom Bandow, who live in Manning and Millicent Wiese, George Opperman and Ronald Hodne, who live on farms.

Highlights of the past 100 years, as taken from the school board minute books and the student yearbooks, give an interesting picture of changes in attitudes and programs.

School began November 20, 1881, with B.I. Salinger as the teacher. There were 61 pupils enrolled and classes were held in the rear part of a building at 215 Main Street, where Dr. Ahrens' office now stands.

By January there were 90 students enrolled and Mrs. Winter was added to teach the Primary Department. Because of the low valuation of property, Manning was forced to remain part of the Warren Township school organization. A notice about building a school was published and a tax of one cent was levied to build the building.