John A. Cranston
Source: History and Biography of Central and Northern Minnesota, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1904.
John A. Cranston, the very popular superintendent of schools of Alexandria, Minnesota, is an instructor of high rank in his profession. He has devoted his life to this work and has every reason to feel proud of his labors and results.
Mr. Cranston was born at Madrid, St. Lawrence county, New York, June 14, 1863. His parents were John and Mary Ann (Wetherson) Cranston. His father was a native of New York, and the mother was a native of Scotland, but was brought to America by her parents in her infancy. The parents are still living.
The subject of this biographical sketch spent his younger days on his father's farm, near Madrid, assisting at times in the home work and attending the Madrid Union free school, after which he attended the Canton Academy, New York, where he prepared for college. He then entered upon a course at St. Lawrence University where he graduated in 1887. He began teaching school at the age of nineteen years, and taught three terms before entering college, and one term while attending college, striving to work his way through without help. He was compelled, however, to avail himself of his father's willingness to pay his way, but insisted upon reimbursing him afterward. After leaving college, he went to Montana and accepted a position as principal of schools there, but after filling the position two months sickness compelled him to resign, and he visited friends at Stillwater, Minnesota, where he hoped to recuperate. After a brief stay he returned to his father's home in New York, and in the spring of 1888 he returned to Stillwater, Minnesota, and for a time traveled for the Granite Marble Works. In the fall of the same year he traveled through Arizona and southern California, seeking a desirable position in school work, and accepted a country school near Phoenix, Arizona at a salary of sixty-five dollars per month. A majority of the scholars were Mexicans and after a six-months stay there he resigned the position, although offered a salary of seventy-five dollars per month and an early increase of the salary. He went to Denver, Colorado, and from there returned to Minnesota in the spring of 1889, and accepted the position of superintendent of schools at Wadena, Minnesota. He served four years most successfully and was elected the fifth year, but declined the office. He then accepted the superintendency of the Elk river schools in Sherborne county, and remained there five years. In the spring of 1898 he was elected superintendent of village schools of Alexandria. During six years of his labors before mentioned he was conductor of summer training schools for teachers and was made president of the city superintendent's section of the State Teachers' Association in 1899, and in 1900 president of the Northern Minnesota Association. He holds a life certificate, granted by the state examining board. In the twelve years he has served as superintendent of schools he has been unanimously elected to the office. Alexandria has three schools, namely: The high school, the Washington and the Ward schools, in which twenty teachers are employed and about eight hundred pupils are enrolled.
Mr. Cranston was married. July 14, 1891, to Gertrude Gully, of Canton, New York, a former schoolmate of Mr. Cranston. Mrs. Cranston is a daughter of A. D. and Caroline (Curler) Gully, both of whom are deceased. Two children have been born to bless this union, namely: Alice B. and Rena G. Mr. and Mrs. Cranston are members of the Congregational church, and our subject is superintendent of the Sunday school of that denomination. Politically he is a Republican.
Source: History and Biography of Central and Northern Minnesota, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1904.
John A. Cranston, the very popular superintendent of schools of Alexandria, Minnesota, is an instructor of high rank in his profession. He has devoted his life to this work and has every reason to feel proud of his labors and results.
Mr. Cranston was born at Madrid, St. Lawrence county, New York, June 14, 1863. His parents were John and Mary Ann (Wetherson) Cranston. His father was a native of New York, and the mother was a native of Scotland, but was brought to America by her parents in her infancy. The parents are still living.
The subject of this biographical sketch spent his younger days on his father's farm, near Madrid, assisting at times in the home work and attending the Madrid Union free school, after which he attended the Canton Academy, New York, where he prepared for college. He then entered upon a course at St. Lawrence University where he graduated in 1887. He began teaching school at the age of nineteen years, and taught three terms before entering college, and one term while attending college, striving to work his way through without help. He was compelled, however, to avail himself of his father's willingness to pay his way, but insisted upon reimbursing him afterward. After leaving college, he went to Montana and accepted a position as principal of schools there, but after filling the position two months sickness compelled him to resign, and he visited friends at Stillwater, Minnesota, where he hoped to recuperate. After a brief stay he returned to his father's home in New York, and in the spring of 1888 he returned to Stillwater, Minnesota, and for a time traveled for the Granite Marble Works. In the fall of the same year he traveled through Arizona and southern California, seeking a desirable position in school work, and accepted a country school near Phoenix, Arizona at a salary of sixty-five dollars per month. A majority of the scholars were Mexicans and after a six-months stay there he resigned the position, although offered a salary of seventy-five dollars per month and an early increase of the salary. He went to Denver, Colorado, and from there returned to Minnesota in the spring of 1889, and accepted the position of superintendent of schools at Wadena, Minnesota. He served four years most successfully and was elected the fifth year, but declined the office. He then accepted the superintendency of the Elk river schools in Sherborne county, and remained there five years. In the spring of 1898 he was elected superintendent of village schools of Alexandria. During six years of his labors before mentioned he was conductor of summer training schools for teachers and was made president of the city superintendent's section of the State Teachers' Association in 1899, and in 1900 president of the Northern Minnesota Association. He holds a life certificate, granted by the state examining board. In the twelve years he has served as superintendent of schools he has been unanimously elected to the office. Alexandria has three schools, namely: The high school, the Washington and the Ward schools, in which twenty teachers are employed and about eight hundred pupils are enrolled.
Mr. Cranston was married. July 14, 1891, to Gertrude Gully, of Canton, New York, a former schoolmate of Mr. Cranston. Mrs. Cranston is a daughter of A. D. and Caroline (Curler) Gully, both of whom are deceased. Two children have been born to bless this union, namely: Alice B. and Rena G. Mr. and Mrs. Cranston are members of the Congregational church, and our subject is superintendent of the Sunday school of that denomination. Politically he is a Republican.
John A. Cranston
Source: History and Biography of Central and Northern Minnesota, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1904.
John A. Cranston, the very popular superintendent of schools of Alexandria, Minnesota, is an instructor of high rank in his profession. He has devoted his life to this work and has every reason to feel proud of his labors and results.
Mr. Cranston was born at Madrid, St. Lawrence county, New York, June 14, 1863. His parents were John and Mary Ann (Wetherson) Cranston. His father was a native of New York, and the mother was a native of Scotland, but was brought to America by her parents in her infancy. The parents are still living.
The subject of this biographical sketch spent his younger days on his father's farm, near Madrid, assisting at times in the home work and attending the Madrid Union free school, after which he attended the Canton Academy, New York, where he prepared for college. He then entered upon a course at St. Lawrence University where he graduated in 1887. He began teaching school at the age of nineteen years, and taught three terms before entering college, and one term while attending college, striving to work his way through without help. He was compelled, however, to avail himself of his father's willingness to pay his way, but insisted upon reimbursing him afterward. After leaving college, he went to Montana and accepted a position as principal of schools there, but after filling the position two months sickness compelled him to resign, and he visited friends at Stillwater, Minnesota, where he hoped to recuperate. After a brief stay he returned to his father's home in New York, and in the spring of 1888 he returned to Stillwater, Minnesota, and for a time traveled for the Granite Marble Works. In the fall of the same year he traveled through Arizona and southern California, seeking a desirable position in school work, and accepted a country school near Phoenix, Arizona at a salary of sixty-five dollars per month. A majority of the scholars were Mexicans and after a six-months stay there he resigned the position, although offered a salary of seventy-five dollars per month and an early increase of the salary. He went to Denver, Colorado, and from there returned to Minnesota in the spring of 1889, and accepted the position of superintendent of schools at Wadena, Minnesota. He served four years most successfully and was elected the fifth year, but declined the office. He then accepted the superintendency of the Elk river schools in Sherborne county, and remained there five years. In the spring of 1898 he was elected superintendent of village schools of Alexandria. During six years of his labors before mentioned he was conductor of summer training schools for teachers and was made president of the city superintendent's section of the State Teachers' Association in 1899, and in 1900 president of the Northern Minnesota Association. He holds a life certificate, granted by the state examining board. In the twelve years he has served as superintendent of schools he has been unanimously elected to the office. Alexandria has three schools, namely: The high school, the Washington and the Ward schools, in which twenty teachers are employed and about eight hundred pupils are enrolled.
Mr. Cranston was married. July 14, 1891, to Gertrude Gully, of Canton, New York, a former schoolmate of Mr. Cranston. Mrs. Cranston is a daughter of A. D. and Caroline (Curler) Gully, both of whom are deceased. Two children have been born to bless this union, namely: Alice B. and Rena G. Mr. and Mrs. Cranston are members of the Congregational church, and our subject is superintendent of the Sunday school of that denomination. Politically he is a Republican.
Source: History and Biography of Central and Northern Minnesota, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1904.
John A. Cranston, the very popular superintendent of schools of Alexandria, Minnesota, is an instructor of high rank in his profession. He has devoted his life to this work and has every reason to feel proud of his labors and results.
Mr. Cranston was born at Madrid, St. Lawrence county, New York, June 14, 1863. His parents were John and Mary Ann (Wetherson) Cranston. His father was a native of New York, and the mother was a native of Scotland, but was brought to America by her parents in her infancy. The parents are still living.
The subject of this biographical sketch spent his younger days on his father's farm, near Madrid, assisting at times in the home work and attending the Madrid Union free school, after which he attended the Canton Academy, New York, where he prepared for college. He then entered upon a course at St. Lawrence University where he graduated in 1887. He began teaching school at the age of nineteen years, and taught three terms before entering college, and one term while attending college, striving to work his way through without help. He was compelled, however, to avail himself of his father's willingness to pay his way, but insisted upon reimbursing him afterward. After leaving college, he went to Montana and accepted a position as principal of schools there, but after filling the position two months sickness compelled him to resign, and he visited friends at Stillwater, Minnesota, where he hoped to recuperate. After a brief stay he returned to his father's home in New York, and in the spring of 1888 he returned to Stillwater, Minnesota, and for a time traveled for the Granite Marble Works. In the fall of the same year he traveled through Arizona and southern California, seeking a desirable position in school work, and accepted a country school near Phoenix, Arizona at a salary of sixty-five dollars per month. A majority of the scholars were Mexicans and after a six-months stay there he resigned the position, although offered a salary of seventy-five dollars per month and an early increase of the salary. He went to Denver, Colorado, and from there returned to Minnesota in the spring of 1889, and accepted the position of superintendent of schools at Wadena, Minnesota. He served four years most successfully and was elected the fifth year, but declined the office. He then accepted the superintendency of the Elk river schools in Sherborne county, and remained there five years. In the spring of 1898 he was elected superintendent of village schools of Alexandria. During six years of his labors before mentioned he was conductor of summer training schools for teachers and was made president of the city superintendent's section of the State Teachers' Association in 1899, and in 1900 president of the Northern Minnesota Association. He holds a life certificate, granted by the state examining board. In the twelve years he has served as superintendent of schools he has been unanimously elected to the office. Alexandria has three schools, namely: The high school, the Washington and the Ward schools, in which twenty teachers are employed and about eight hundred pupils are enrolled.
Mr. Cranston was married. July 14, 1891, to Gertrude Gully, of Canton, New York, a former schoolmate of Mr. Cranston. Mrs. Cranston is a daughter of A. D. and Caroline (Curler) Gully, both of whom are deceased. Two children have been born to bless this union, namely: Alice B. and Rena G. Mr. and Mrs. Cranston are members of the Congregational church, and our subject is superintendent of the Sunday school of that denomination. Politically he is a Republican.
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