Wildcat School's bell

[Clubine Ranch]

The bell shown in the picture is the bell from the Wildcat School. All eight of the Clubine brothers and sisters attended this school and Louise Clubine was a teacher there. Our sons attended Moline Shining Star 4-H Meetings there during their many years of 4-H. I belonged to a the Busy Bee Club and they had most of their meetings there. Wildcat was also the place they held our wedding shower many, many year ago. That school held many memories for us and we tried several times to buy the bell and was finally successful a few years back. The rock it sits on was given to us by Corky Durbin and came from the Harshman Quarry. The bell has a beautiful ring to it. We are sure happy to have it and people can enjoy its memories as they pass our home. So sad Wildcat School was destoyed by a vandals stupid act a few years ago.

[Clubine Ranch]

Hey Dan thanks for the PM. Yes, we are interested and will check out the pages. If my memory serves me correctly, years ago the ladies of the Busy Bee Club were concerned that the bell was no longer safe in the bell tower due to age of building and the leaking roof etc...so they offered it for sale (so the club could have money to fix the roof) with the condition whoever bought it had to be responsible for getting it down and plus fix any problems that might occur. We were not interested in trying to take it down and would have preferred it stay in the tower. It finally came down to Bob Karr agreeing to remove it. Do not remember what was paid. We offered to buy it from Bob thru the years but he never wanted to sell it. It just sat at his place for many years. When he had his  auctions, he was already in the Nursing Home, the bell was among the items to be sold. We were able to buy it then, cannot remember the year but it might six years or so ago.

[Ole Granny]

I was not aware Wildcat had been destroyed.  What a shame after all the efforts of the Busy Bees.  I remember the pride my mother had for Wildcat.  So very happy you have the bell, it could not have a better home.

[Clubine Ranch]

Thanks, as we said it has many memories. A fire destroyed the floor and roof, some of the walls fell in but then had to be pushed in and removed. Totally uncalled for.