Chapter 35 cont. SIX INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS In the latter '50s within the present limits of the Independent district of the city of Davenport, there were six schools, none of them occupying the sites on which their successors the present schools are located. These were in independent districts, each having its own board of directors, each managing its own financial affairs, and providing for its own expenses independently of the others. This condition continued until 1858, when a change in the school law of the state made consolidation and the support of the schools by general taxation possible. May 5, 1858, pursuant to previous notice a public meeting was held at the courthouse at which these six districts of Davenport township Nos. 10, 2, 7, 17, 5 and 11, were formed into one district, each subdistrict having its representative board member and the officers of the combined district being chosen by the electors at large. On this same day at this meeting, an election was held at which Dr. A. S. Maxwell was elected president; T. D. Egal, vice president; J. R. Johnson, secretary, and George H. French, treasurer. In this consolidation district No. 10 became subdistrict No. 1, and was represented by J. M. Frizzell; district 2 continued the number as subdistrict No. 2, with Wm. T. Clark on the board; district No. 7 became district No. 3, Henry Lambach; No. 17 became No. 4, with T. H. Codding; No. 5 remained No. 5, with W. L. Cook, local member; No. 11 became No. 6, with S. G. Mitchell representative on the district board. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ IAGENWEB: Special History Project: http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm Gerischer Family Web Site: http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/