Mrs. Shields maintains that she was the first legally qualified person to teach in the public schools of Cedar Rapids, according to the laws then in force in the state.
The evidence seems to confirm her contention.
TEACHERS' INSTITUTE
A teachers' institute, first of which record is made and notable in point of attendance, was held in Cedar Rapids December 26, 1859, and continued for three days. There was constant drilling for the pedagogues in common school branches. Some sixty teachers were present.
Linn county teachers held their institute for 1860 at Western October 29-30, with Prof. F. Humphrey of Cedar Rapids, president. Some of the subjects discussed may serve to illustrate differences in the times. Question of teachers (presumably male) using tobacco came up, and a resolution was adopted expressing "disapproval of the use of tobacco by teachers, and recommend to those of Linn county to abstain therefrom entirely." Dr. J. Maynard of Tipton made an address on the subject of "Children's Rights." Prof. Wheeler of Cornell orated on "Demosthenes." Editor Jerome of the Iowa City Republican urged teachers to use the press as an ally in the cause of education.
Mrs. Ruth A. Dale, of Cedar Rapids, sister of Elias Doty, now living near Bertram, where the family settled in the early days—1839—has distinct recollections of pioneer life in the county. She states that Aretas Crane and Daniel C. Doty, brothers of Elias and James M. Doty, the pioneers, settled at Ft. Stevens, now Davenport, in 1836 or 1837—1836 she believes is the correct date. Daniel Doty and his son, J. M. Doty, and his son-in-law, Aretas Crane, passed over the ground on which Cedar Rapids now stands in 1837. This being the fact, it is evident that these people were the first white men to look upon the present site of the city, with a view to finding a permanent settlement for themselves. They, however, after looking over the ground concluded that the site afterwards known as Westport, and somewhat later as Newark, was the preferable location. They returned to their home at Middletown, Butler county, Ohio, and arranged their affairs. James M. Doty and Elias Doty, sons of Daniel Doty, returned to the county in 1839 and took up a claim at Westport. There they started what was, without question, the first manufacturing plant within the limits of the county, and possibly in the state. This was a pottery. The date of its establishment was probably in 1840. Later the same year Elias Doty began the erection of the first saw-mill in the county.
The Dotys were induced to come to Iowa through the fact that their brother, Daniel C. Doty, was at the time engaged in steamboating on the Mississippi, his headquarters being at Davenport.
In this connection the following extracts from a letter written by Elias and J. M. Doty to their parents and dated May 2, 1841, are of interest:
"I have my mill frame up, that is, the lower frame. The upper frame is almost ready to raise. The millwright work can be done in about six weeks from the time we raise the frame. I have commenced the race. I have three hundred feet in length of a race and two hundred feet dam. As soon as I get water to it, it will be ready to run.