School District No. 31

'See also, List of Washington County School Districts.''

School District No. 31 was a grammar and primary school in Cottage Grove, Minnesota that served the northeastern quarter of the township. The school was established in 1852 and remained in use for about a century, being torn down in the 1950's.

Establishment
When School District No. 31 was established in 1852, classes were held in a log cabin constructed by James Sullivan Norrisundefined, one of the founding fathers of Cottage Grove. The building cost a total of $250 and was located along present day Lamar Avenue. The first class consisted of eight students. In 1868 a new building was constructed for a cost of $3,600undefined. This new building had two classrooms: one for the lower grades and one for the upper grades.

Later Years and Dissolution
The school was repaired during the 1890's as enrollment continued to increase. By 1938 the school served 41 pupils. The students put on a mock wedding in 1931 that gained much attention from the surrounding town. In the 1950's when the county school system was discontinued, the school was torn down and a house was built upon the locationundefined.

A former student of the district, Lucille Brown Spicer recalls memories of her schooling:

"'On Friday afternoon we would move all the desks to one side and we each had a little Copen-saw and we sawed out shelves, and anything out of wood. We ripped apart orange crates for wood.'undefined"

Teachers
The Washington County Historical Society has compiled a partial list of known teachers at District No. 31 from its establishment through the 1940's. Other named teachers included Emma Winkley, Nellie Winkley, Walter Ayres, Miss Tuttle, Jennie Witherspoon, Bee Malone, Grace Derome, H.W. Briggs, Dr. Bacon, J.W. Howard and Emily Crippenundefined.