Czech School (Matice Skolska)

2nd Street and 10th Avenue SE (northwest corner)

Built with funds raised by the Sbor Damska Matice Skolska (Ladies's School Board) and dedicated on January 1, 1901, it was the first building in the United States to be used exclusively as a Czech school. The furniture was donated by W.F. Severa, an internationally known drug manufacturer based in Cedar Rapids. There were school rooms on the first and second floors while the third floor was used by the Ctenarsky Spolek (Reading Society) for meetings and to house a library. Thomas G. Masaryk, who later became the first president of Czechoslovakia, gave a lecture here when he studied in the U.S. The school was used until 1951 when it was sold. Additions have since been made to the building during its use as a commercial location but the original part can still be distinguished.

Bibliography

Program for the 75th Anniversary Banquet of the Sbor Damska Matice Skola, dated 10-13-1967.