“ We had everything from the very , very poor that were living in houses with hard-earth yards , no screens , and chickens wandering in the front yards , to the children of doctors and lawyers .”
-Molly Myers Naumann
Jefferson School
The southside elementary school was built in 1907 at the intersection of Mary and Milner streets and , like Irving , was in use until 1974 , when students were sent to Douma . The building was then sold privately , with the potential for a residential development . When it was built , it was almost in a rural area before there was residential and business expansion in the area .
Children gather around in a circle for recess outside Jefferson School in 1940 . The school was built in 1907 on Ottumwa ’ s south side , and closed in 1974 . The Lemberger Collection
Lincoln School
Three iterations of this elementary school existed , with the first being burned down and the second torn down . The third school building was built at Lincoln Avenue and Court Street in 1958 . It closed as a public school in 2002 and was sold to the Ottumwa Christian School .
A picture of the third version of Lincoln School in 1965 . This version , built seven years before , replaced two other versions that were burned down and torn down . The Lemberger Collection
We Are Ottumwa 11