St. Margaret's School
St. Margaret's School was opened in 1922 as a boarding school for high
school aged girls. The building, constructed at the turn of the century,
was originally known as Phelps Hall. It was part of St. Alban's School,
a private boys school located on East Main Street where Knoxville High
School is now located.
It was moved in the early 1920s to
its location east of St. Mary's School. A work crew led by Billie
Wilson used ropes and horses to move the building.
When the main buildings of St. Mary's School were closed in the early
1930s for safety reasons, students attended classes and lived at St.
Margaret's until 1935 when the school closed for good. John H. England
purchased St. Margaret's, built an addition on the north side of the
building and opened what became England Apartments.
In December 1952 England sold the
building to members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Galesburg.
The building became part of the Good Samaritan Nursing Home and was
called Gospel Hall. On Feb. 26, 1996, St. Margaret's was torn down to
make room for an expansion at the home.
St. Martha's School
Miss Emma Pease Howard opened St. Martha's school for younger girls in
Knoxville in September 1911. The building was designed and constructed
expressly for this work and was located on a campus adjacent to St.
Mary's School, with which institution St. Martha's was affiliated. The
school was entirely distinct from St. Mary's; being complete in
equipment and especially adapted in methods and management to the care
and training of young children.
Everything possible was done to promote
the physical, mental and moral welfare of the little girls. The course
of study included all branches taught in the best public schools
preparatory to the eighth grade, with instruction also in French and
German, drawing, music, dancing, arts and industries.Girls enrolled at
the school were under the age of 13.
After St. Mary's closed, St. Martha's
was used as a private residence and then converted into a nursing home.
On Dec. 28, 1983, St. Martha's was destroyed by fire.
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