1898: VANDALS STRIKE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL

TRANSCRIBED

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1898
VANDALISM AT THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL HOUSE IN HOMEDELL

When the janitress of the Hutchinson school, at Homedell entered the building on Wednesday, she found a side door unlocked and everything in the interior of the building in the utmost confusion. Paper, pencils, penholders, ink bottles and rubbish of all kinds littered the floor; blackboards were scribbled over, and the teacher's desk in the primary department broken open. The Webster's Unabridged Dictionary which had cost the county $12 a year or two ago, was completely destroyed, the leaves torn out and torn to pieces. The handsome new globe was also seriously damaged. Fortunately, the map which had been procured for the school through the kindness of ex-Judge James Buchanan was not destroyed, and the miscellaneous library was not molested.
Nothing definite is known as to the depredators, but the authorities are on the lookout, and if the miscreants are found they will he severely dealt with. Such conduct comes under the head of malicious mischief and is a State Prison offense.

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Tom's note: Hutchinson School was on property owned by the Hutchinson family. Symmes Hutchinson was a veryrespected member of the Homedell community. As the years unfolded, a Homedell School would be built in the area we call Homedell.