The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
Rock County Village (continued from 10-8-20 edition of the Star Herald.)
Beaver Creek — School
When Beaver Creek was founded late in the year 1877, it was in the territory of school district No. 15, the school house of which was located one-half mile west of town. In 1878 the old building was sold to another district and a one-room building was erected in the village. The school was opened in September, 1878, with nearly fifty pupils in attendance and with Miss Jennie Grout as teacher. Other early teachers of the school were A. H. Grout, O. E. Ferguson, W. H. Hummell, Robert Ord and Laura Ord. An addition to the school house was made a few years after its erection, making a two-room building. This pioneer structure served the district until the present school house was erected, twenty-seven years later.
Late in 1904, by a vote of 64 to 10, the electors decided to erect a two-story, four-room brick building the following year. The contract for its erection was let in July, 1905, to Otto Miller on a bid of $6500, and the building was dedicated November 11 of the same year. The total cost of the building, heating plant, and furnishings was about $10,000. A two year high school course was established in 1909. There are now four departments, the enrollment, according to the annual report in June, 1910, being as follows: High school, 27; grammar department, 13; intermediate department, 29; primary department, 40; total enrollment, 109.
Churches
The church history of Beaver Creek antedates that of the founding of the town by a number of years. Three church organizations have been founded during the forty years that have elapsed since the first religious services were held. Two of these organizations, the Methodist and Presbyterian, are still represented at Beaver Creek. The Baptist society gave up its organization nine years ago.
The Methodist society was the first organized. The church of that denomination came into being following the first religious services held in Beaver Creek township. A tent, pitched near the habitation of A. H. Grout, was the temple of neighborhood devotional services so early as the summer of 1871. New settlers, most of whom had left church affiliations in the east, became members of the Beaver Creek settlement in the course of another year, and one of the first concerns of the pioneers was to provide regular worship.
On Sunday, June 2, 1872, a meeting held at the sod house of B. I. Crossman resulted in the organization of a Sunday school. On the same occasion a Methodist class was also formed with William Grout as leader. Until the fall of 1872 the occasional services of the little congregation were conducted by the lay members. The first minister of the gospel to visit the Beaver Creek settlement was Rev. William Bear, of Worthington, who preached the first sermon in the township in the sod house of E. L. Grout. Rev. Bear at that time gave his official sanction to the class already organized. That same fall Dr. B. H. Crever, also of Worthington, preached to a large gathering at the home of William Grout.
The congregation became anxious for the services of a regular pastor, and in accordance with this desire a petition was prepared asking for the transfer of Rev. E. H. Bronson, the pastor of several of the settlers in their former home, from the Wisconsin conference to serve the new charge. The request was granted and Rev. Bronson, on the first Sunday following his arrival in the new country, June 20, 1873, conducted the first pastoral services in the open air before the home of William Grout. At the close of this meeting a formal church organization was perfected with a large membership. Among those most influential in bringing this event to fulfillment were William Grout, E. L. Grout, Charles Williams, F. Miercort, B. I. Crossman, Moses Ferguson and G. H. Henton. Rev. Bronson, later assisted by Rev. J. M. Bull, continued in official charge of the Beaver Creek church, in connection with his other ministrations in Rock and adjoining counties, for a period of four and one-half years.
The story of the village of Beaver Creek will continue in the Oct. 22 edition of the Star Herald.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.