The Otley school was classified as a country school until it was consolidated into the Pella School District in 1958. The unincorporated town of Otley takes its name from Colonel Otley, an engineer of the Des Moines Valley Railroad Company, who was instrumental in choosing the town as a shipping point for the railroad.

The school is thought to have been organized in 1868 or 1869. The first building was a one room frame structure, but by the summer of 1876 according to the Knoxville Journal, the board was calling for a new building to accommodate the growing number of pupils. The Oct. 18, 1876 issue of the Journal says that a two room building was ready for use. The newspaper also reports that the town has a population of 200 with two churches and no saloons. In 1927 a third new school was built with a full basement under its two rooms. Later a wing was added to this building. The Pella School District continued to hold classes in the building until 1992. Its ownership then passed to Marion and Marge Van Haaften.

In a story in the “Pella School History” long time teacher Doris Lee writes that in 1876 there were 146 pupils ranging in age from 5 to 21 years. In 1887 there was an enrollment of 125. As coal mining in the community decreased from the 1920’s until the time of reorganization there were seldom more than 65 enrolled. When the surrounding country schools began to close more students began attending the Otley School.

The picture of the end of the year picnic on May 17, 1945 shows 42 pupils with two teachers who taught the upper and lower grades. The accompanying story reported 11 primary students (a large number for the school) while there was only one 8th grade graduate, Howard Buwalda. Two upper grade students Ruth Kaldenberg and Louisa Longdin had perfect attendance and Raymond Van Hemert had a perfect spelling record for the year.

Both the primary and upper grades had been faithfully buying Defense Stamps and Bonds. The upper grades had been engaged in several projects such as the Milk Weed Floss Drive, Waste Paper Salvage and had held a carnival with the proceeds going to Defense Stamps.

After teaching six years in other country schools, Doris Lee began teaching at Otley in 1933 and taught there for 27 years. She then moved to the Pella Middle School and continued as a teacher there for another 13 years. She also taught the children of U.S. service men in Munich, Germany in the 1960-61 school year. After her official retirement she continued teaching in the ESL program, and teaching GED courses at Pella High and for prisoners at the Riverview Release Center in Newton.

During its long history the Otley school no doubt served more students than any other country school in Marion County. There were several long term country school teachers who later taught in town schools so I’m not sure if Doris Lee holds the record for touching the lives of the most students, but she has to be near the top.

From the official records comes this list of teachers: Miss Dunlap, Irene McCleary, Miss Flora Baker 1876, A. M. Reynolds 1877, Prof. Andrews 1879, Grace Orcutt, Mary Edwards 1883, Auria Dickey, Minnie Davis 1886, J. A. Sloan, Eva Jones, Amelia McMichael, Maggie Cooper 1895, Amelia McMichael, Carolyn Mae Harris, Minnie Forsythe 1896, Forsythe & Jankai 1898, E. F. Pierce, Laura Fisk 1899, Laura Fisk, Mrs. C. P. Cook 1900, Albert Vander Ploeg, Alma Rambo 1901, Albert Vander Ploeg, Annie Vander Ploeg 1902-03, Sylvia Platt, Sadie K. Mullins 1904, Nellie L. Gaass, Lula M. Carr 1905, Albert Vander Ploeg, Ethel M. Welch 1906, Albert Vander Ploeg, Mary Clark 1907, Albert Vander Ploeg, Katherine Rietveld 1908, Elsie McReynolds, Edna Ver Heul 1909, Edna Ver Heul, Lillian McReynolds 1911, Leulah Stuff, Edna May Ver Heul, Marie McDonald 1912, Marie McDonald, Hollis Byram 1913, Katherine Rietveld, Marie McDonald , Bessie Williams 1914, Bessie L. Fall, Beatrice Fennema 1915, Bessie Fall, Hazel Rice, Nellie Van Rheenen 1916, Ada Alexander, Hazel Rice 1917, Cornelia Kleinendorst, Anita Ford 1918, Sylvia Rankin, Lynn Platt 1919-20, Elsie Charls 1924, Cornelia Kleinendorst, Marie Muilenberg 1925, Cornelia Kleinendorst 1926-28, Marie Vander Hart, Bertha Van Zante 1929, Carl Houfker 1930-31, Florence Van Sittert, Mae Vogelaar 1932, Doris Lee, Dick W. Miller 1933-35, Frances Spratt, Doris Lee 1936, Minnie Rozeboom, Doris Lee 1937-39, Doris Lee, Irene M. Vriezelaar 1940, Doris H. Lee, Loren D. Wing 1941-42, Doris Lee, Rena Marie Klein 1943-44, Doris Lee, Rena Marie Klein, Anna Koons 1945, Doris Lee, Minnie Mcdonnell 1947-48, Doris Lee, Florence Van Steenis 1949-52, Doris Helen Lee, Bertha M. Wittmer 1953-55, Doris Lee, Hazel Reeves, Bertha Wittmer 1956.

The next school will be Rees school. Contact me at 641-628-4716 or helenboertje@iowatelecom.net