In the years that followed the incorporation of New York Mills, education became one of the town’s top priorities. Many of those living in the area however, spoke only their native tongue of Finnish in their homes. In 1874, ten years before the village was incorporated, a group of residents decided that a school district was necessary to give children of immigrants an opportunity to learn the English language. Not everyone agreed.

In 1881 the New York Mills correspondent to the Uusi Kotimaa newspaper wrote: “Much has been said about Finnish language schools here, a matter in which steps should be taken promptly. In no foreign language, however carefully it may have been learned, can one develop as well as in their native tongue. Besides that, in learning English, the result is that one spends half one’s time learning to read it and master ordinary speech which still does not contain anything which could be called educational or factually important, just stories about cats and dogs, such as most readers contain.”

The language barrier would prove to be the greatest hurdle to overcome, while lack of suitable materials and qualified teachers also contributed. Gradually, students were forced to speak English while at school, and in turn, they turned the pages of progress, passing the new language on to their families at home.

For over a century, one room rural schools dotted the landscape, symbolizing rural education in Otter Tail County. Each school was a separate district and given a number by the county based on the date of their application. At its peak in 1929, 289 rural schools operated throughout the county’s 62 townships, more than any county in Minnesota.

District 47, the New York Mills Public School, started out like any other rural school in a one room building. Nan Kirkandal was the first schoolteacher here in 1880, and for two years, she taught five or six pupils in a frame shack that once was a house, then Bessie Walker took her place. The school was replaced by a two-room school in 1886, and later a four-room brick building in 1900.

During all this time, plans were made to add high school classes. It took until 1905 when one year of high school was added. The school board planned to add one year of high school each year. They expected the high school to double in size.

School board meetings were held and country school districts were approached to encourage them to join the effort. Fearing a tax increase, a group of area farmers petitioned to withdraw from District 47 and formed District 281, or the Muckala School. Despite this resistance, the four-year high school opened in September 1915 with Harry Peterson as superintendent, who was paid $160 a month. During his term, plans were put into motion for a new building.