Editing Cresco, Iowa (section)

=== Governance and expansion (1871–1880) ===
The school board's earliest documented minutes date to December 1871. Among the board's initial members were Augustus Beadle, Edward Gillette, W. R. Mead, S. A. Stone, and W. H. Patterson. During this period bonds were issued and subsequently sold for cash, providing the financial resources to expand the school building with the addition of the west wing.

The next year brought changes in both the composition and governance of the board. In January 1872, the board welcomed new members D. W. Owe and Charles I. White. A series of appointments took place in March of that same year, with Beadle assuming the role of president, John E. Peck appointed treasurer, and White taking on the position of secretary.

During the course of 1872, the board undertook initiatives to further enhance the educational facilities. An allocation of $400 was approved for the acquisition of four lots adjacent to the schoolhouse, aiming to provide ample space for future development. Additionally, a tax levy of 10 mills on the dollar was introduced to contribute to the school house fund.