The early 1900s brought changes to the way small town schoolhouses were built. In the late 1800s most schools were still fairly small in Minnesota. As the towns themselves were small, there was not much need for large, substantial school buildings. However, by the early 1900s, many small towns across Minnesota were thriving and their populations were increasing. The need for larger school buildings had arrived. This was also the age of brick, which was stronger and less flammable than wood. Hundreds of new brick schools were built across Minnesota in the early 1900s.
If you get on the web and search for old Minnesota schoolhouse postcards, you will find many pictures of these old schoolhouses (see Figure 1). Almost every town of reasonable size had one. They were architectural pieces of beauty! They often were two or three stories tall with a bell tower in the front. There was usually very fancy brickwork on all sides of the building.
If they were so common, what is my point here? My point is that just because they were common in the early 1900s does not make them common today. I have seen a few of these old school buildings still in existence today, but not very many. The buildings had to be maintained and communities would also outgrow them. There were also fires and other disasters that claimed some of the old schools. So, to find any of them in good shape today is rare.
One of the rare examples of an early 1900s schoolhouse still stands in Tyler, Minnesota. If you exit off the highway and turn down the main street, you will see this amazing building at the end of the road. You can literally see it as you turn off the highway. It must have been made to be a showcase for the community, as it was placed in a highly visible location. It is well worth a trip to Tyler just to see the old school.
Of course, the school is not used in that capacity today. New school buildings have sprung up all around the old schoolhouse, but the old building maintains its original characteristics. I think it may actually be used for storage or offices, but what a neat building. As you stand and look at it you almost feel like you have been taken back in history over a hundred years ago. You are literally looking at a postcard from the past. I am still somewhat shocked that it is in such great shape today. The Tyler schoolhouse is well worth the designation as a Minnesota Brick Structure of the Month. All I can say is WOW!!
