History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time, Part 30

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Nebraska > Custer County > History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time > Part 30

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Oconto has been given state-wide prom- inence by Orel Jones, of the Jones Drug Com- pany, who has just closed a five years' term of service for the state, as a member of the state examining board in pharmacy, and this past year he was state delegate to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as well as to the national meeting of the American Phar- maceutical Association, whose meetings were held at Indianapolis, Indiana.

In the workl-war crisis. Oconto went over the top in everything asked of it. In the

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

STREET SCENE AT OCONTO

A RESIDENCE STREET IN OCONTO

BIRDSEYE VIEW OF OCONTO

OCONTO DEPOT AND ELEVATOR

FH.GILCREST

A BUSINESS SECTION OF OCONTO

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

stamp, bond. Red Cross, and other war activi- ties it was to be found near the head of the column. It has been well represented in the fighting part, by about fifty of its best young men, and more were awaiting their call at the time when the historic armistice came. There has been maintained also a home guard organ- ization of seventy-seven members, with G. Campau as captain.

Educationally, Oconto had one of the first schools in this part of Custer county. In 1909 a nice, four-room building was erected, only three of the rooms being occupied until 1913, when the fourth teacher was added. At the present time there is an accredited eleventh- grade high school, with Miss Georgina Tolbert as principal; Miss Helen Paine, grammar teacher ; Miss Nellis O'Nele, intermediate ; and Miss Allegra O'Nele, primary teacher.

Oconto has three churches. The Catholic church was the first to be established. in 1889, and Rey. Father Pedlock, of Kearney. offi- ciated. At the present time Rev. Father Moynihan is pastor. The Episcopal church

was organized in 1890. being supplied from Kearney. In April, 1901. a church building was completed and dedicated by the United Evangelical church, with Rev. B. Hillier, now presiding eller for this district, as one of the first pastors. The following pastors have served since then: Rev. J. H. Williams, four years : J. F. Hendricks, one year ; H. S. Tool, four years: J. A. Lemming, one year ; Frank Majors, one year; J. N. Melton, three years ; and W. H. Garries is completing his first year.

At the present time Oconto is considered one of the best business towns in this part of the state. all classes of business being well repre- sented by hustlers in their respective lines. Oconto has a doctor, a weekly paper, two well stocked drug stores, two restaurants, two banks, two lumber yards (which also handle coal), three garages, three well stocked general stores, two cream stations, two blacksmith shops, two implement dealers. a harness shop, two barber shops, electric lights, two elevators, and one of the most up-to-the-minute opera houses to be found.

CHAPTER X

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN SOD AND BRICK

THE BEGINNING - DISTRICTS ORGANIZED - FIRST COUNTY INSTITUTE - THE MASON CITY SCHOOLS - BROKEN BOW - ANSLEY - ANSELMO - ARNOLD - CALLAWAY - COMSTOCK --- SARGENT - OCONTO - MERNA - JAYNESY LLE - BERWYN - LOWER LODI - DISTRICT No. 97 - KING - HOOSIER VALLEY - LONGWOOD - SAND VALLEY - IN GENERAL

The present-day school system of Custer county has long been heralded to the world as one of the best in the central west, and the facts bear out the reputation. No county in the state has made greater development or achieved such a signal success in forty years. The initial years were largely handicapped by conditions which must always prevail in a new country. There was no money for school pur- poses and the first districts had to resort to all kinds of schemes to secure any kind of school privileges.

The first school houses were built of sod, and from these the entire system has devel- oped until to-day there are to be found in every town in the county great brick structures into which all grade-schools granduate fine classes of young Custerites. The road from sod to brick has been long and the toil of develop- ment sometimes irksome but the tireless efforts of the teachers and the sacrifice of the patrons have banished the "soddy" and ushered in the great, brick high school.

For the data which follow the present coun- ty superintendent of public instruction, C. T. Grimes, is to be given credit.

THE BEGINNING

The people of Custer county have always held the education of children in high regard, and the very first settlers gave the matter considerable attention. In the spring of 1874 Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Eubank settled in the un- organized territory which afterward became Custer county.

At that time there was neither school dis- trict nor school, but during the fall Mrs. Eu- bank brought this important matter before the settlers and they were delighted to have her organize and conduct a private school for them. She gives the following account of her experiences :

"We could not have a public school, because there were no funds. At last I concocted a plan. I would organize a neighborhood school. 'But where is your salary to come from?' my husband asked. I replied, 'I will teach with- out any stimpulated salary. I will take what each feels he can give.' Accordingly I drew up a subscription paper and presented it to my neighbors. They were delighted. They had very little money, but there were vast herds of elk and many antelope and deer ; the men were good marksmen, and killed many elk. So it came to pass that the most of my salary consisted of elk meat. This was in the winter of 1874-5. That fall, 1875, we built a kitchen of logs, and when it was completed I used it for a school-room. That was the first school in what is now Custer county."

About the same time the cause of education was attracting considerable attention along Victoria creek, in the community of New Helena. During the summer of 1876 a private school was taught by Miss Callie Dryden, in the home of Mrs. Forsythe. In order to se- cure a certificate, Miss Dryden would have to make a long and unhappy journey over to North Loup, in Valley county, where the su- perintendent, having supervision over the

233

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

EARLY-DAY SCHOOL HOUSE AT MILBURN

ARNOLD SCHOOLHOUSE AND PUPILS

FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE IN NEW MERNA DISTRICT AND PROBABLY THE FIRST ONE BUILT IN THE COUNTY. ORIG- INALLY IT HAD A SOD ROOF

SOUTH SIDE SCHOOL, BROKEN BOW

OCONTO PUBLIC SCHOOL

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

schools of this section, then resided. This the young lady refused to do. To overcome this inconvenience Judge Mathews, the sage of New Helena, evolved a new plan. He decid- ed to conduct the examination himself. Ac- cordingly he drew up his questions and sub- mitted them to the teacher. She wrote her answers in the best manner she could, con- sidering writing material to be had and other inconveniences. After she had completed her writing the Judge gathered up the answer pa- pers and carried them to North Loup. He laid the case before the county superintendent, Oscar Babcock, who, after due consideration, decided that the case was very unusual, but nevertheless, the exigencies of the occasion de- manded that the certificate should be issued, and it is altogether likely that no other Custer county certificate was ever issued in such manner. The next year the lady secured a regular certificate from Superintendent Eu- bank, and she was one of the first certificated teachers in Custer county. During the sum- mer of 1878 was erected a splendid cedar-log building which for several years served the people as an educational and social center. This building is still standing.

DISTRICTS ORGANIZED

In the fall of 1877 E. D. Eubank, the first superintendent of Custer county, was elected and for four years he was busy organizing new districts and re-arranging boundary lines to meet the rapidly changing centers of popu- lation. During his term of four years he formed twenty-seven school districts.

Early in the administration, petitions were received from the people of what are now districts No. 1 and No. 2. No. 2 was the first preesnted, but a remonstrance was filed against the formation of the district and action on it was deferred. Later, the objections were finally withdrawn, but not until after another petition had been presented, and thus it came about that the first petiton presented resulted in the establishing of the second district by number, that is, No. 2.

District No. 3 was organized in 1880, cov- ering the greater part of the southwest quarter

of the county and comprising 900 square miles of territory, but before this organization was effected Alfred Schreyer taught a term of school in an upstairs room in the home of David Sprouse. The next year a sod house was built, and for many years it was the seat of attraction for almost every kind of public entertainment, from preaching and Sunday school on down to political meetings and gen- eral elections.

Before the close of the year 1881, districts Nos. 23, 26, 27, 34, and 42 were carved out of this territory, and within a short time thereafter Nos. 73, 88, 89, and 102 further reduced the size. Before the close of the year 1885, Nos. 106 and 113 were cut off, and so the territory of this district continued to be divided and subdivided until nearly a hundred schools are now being supported within the limits of what once was district No. 3.

About the year 1882 settlers came into the county in great numbers, and educational affairs became very interesting. Schools were established in almost every part of the county. D. M. Amsberry, superintendent from 1882 to 1888, organized more than 160 districts, and changed the boundaries in many places.

The first teachers' examination ever held in Broken Bow was conducted by Superintendent Amsberry, on the third Saturday in January. 1882. Miss Raymond was the only person tak- ing the test. 1

FIRST COUNTY INSTITUTE

During the month of August, 1882, Mr. Amsberry organized and conducted the first county institute for the county. It was held in a wareroom of the lumber yard at Wester- ville. Only a few teachers were in attendance and the superintendent was his own general manager, instructor. and conductor of the whole affair. The next year he changed his place for holding the institute, called it for Broken Bow and held it in the room now oc- cupied by the Custer County Chief. He se- cured the assistance of several experienced instructors and laid the foundation of what has come to be one of the important factors in the educational system of Custer county - the teachers' institute.

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1- CALLAWAY HIGH SCHOOL. 2-SARGENT IHIGH SCHOOL. 3-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOL. 4-BROKEN BOW HIGH SCHOOL. 5 MASON CITY HIGH SCHOOL. 6-ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY. NEBRASKA

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

TIIE MASON CITY SCHOOLS

The following description of the Mason City schools, written by M. M. Warrington, will give a suggestive idea of the varying scenes and changes through which most of our graded schools passed - from the little sod shanty to the splendidly built and well equipped institutions of learning that adorn all of our towns.

"The town of Mason City was started in April, 1886, and continued to grow in rather an apathetic manner until the arrival of the railroad, in July of that year, and then things went on with a boom.

"Among the things to be provided were school facilities. The only building in the way of a schoolhouse in sight was one of sod, north of Muddy creek, near town, which was the schoolhouse of the district as it was then formed.

"Henry M. Kidder, a young attorney who had cast his fortunes with the embryo city, was employed to teach the fall term of school, which was attended by the boys and girls from the town. The population of the town grew so rapidly in the fall months that the winter term of school was held in a sod house north of the railroad track. near where the railroad section-house now stands. Miss Lincoln Groat was the teacher, this term being under the old district arrangement.

"School district No. 169, the Mason City district, was organized in March, 1887, by electing John A. Hall director, C. H. Coricks moderator, and Mrs. Ellen O. Gates treasurer. The lady finally refused to qualify, and Jud- son C. Porter was appointed treasurer in her place. J. J. Tooley, now secretary of the state banking board. was elected teacher, which position he held for three years. The first term of school was held in a store building which had been moved from old Algernon. The second school year another teacher for the primary department was added, in the per- son of Mrs. J. H. Kerr.

"The red-brick schoolhouse. of two rooms, was built in the summer of 1888. This build- ing was partially destroyed by a cyclone on

July 2. 1892. One story of it was rebuilt that year, and a vacant store-room rented for the primary department. This arrangement con- tinued for two years, when an additional frame structure of two rooms was built. The pres- ent two-story-and-basement school building was erected in 1905. The first high-school work done in the Mason City schools was under the superintendence of J. H: Hays, in 1895 and 1896, when the first class was grad- uated. Now seven teachers are employed in the Mason City schools, and the schools oc- cupy a prominent place among the other good schools of Custer county."

BROKEN BOW

Broken Bow school district was the twenty- fifth district to be formed within the county It came into existence during the last part of the closing years of Superintendent E. D. Eubank's term of office. The first school was taught in the spring of 1881, by Mrs. Martha E. Lewis, wife of Moses Lewis, who resided on his homestead a mile east of the north part of the city. Since her three boys, John, Amos, and George. constituted the greater part of her pupils, the school was taught in her sod house. In the fall the school was moved to a sod shanty located a block north of where the Grand Central hotel now stands.

The school site had previously been located a mile or more from town, and to remedy this inconvenience. the director, C. D. Pelham, called a meeting of the district, at the post- office in Broken Bow. The site was placed where the South Side school now stands and in the next year a new house was put up. In the meantime school was held in a frame store- room on the southwest corner of block No. 2 of the original townsite. In 1885 a new frame building was put up in the southeast part of town, but this was abandoned when the North ward school was formed. During the year 1888 the present South ward building was erected, and it was not until January 1, 1911. that the full, complete system, including the high school was established. The Broken Bow high school represents an outlay of about

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

$50.000 and is not only the best in the county, but also one of the modern and well equipped high schools in this part of the state.

ANSLEY

The Ansley district was organized during the year 1888, with Miss Michael as teacher. Her school was composed of twelve pupils. The school population increased very rapidly. so that in 1890 a second, or primary, teacher was employed. It was not long until a larger building was required and this, after rapid succession, was supplanted by the present beautiful, brick structure, erected at a cost of $27.000. with an equipment valued at $8,000. The district employs ten teachers. carries a course of twelve grades, is accredited as a normal training high school, and has an en- rollment of about 300 pupils. The personnel of the present school board is as follows: A. F. Pinkley, president ; E. P. Gaines, secretary ; J. T. McGowan, treasurer ; and H. D. Reed, D. P. Scott, and E. O. Morris. Professor Clem Wilder has been engaged as the super- intendent for the year 1918-19.

ANSELMO

The Anselmo district came with the busy times between 1884 and 1887. with J. A. Homis teaching the "young idea how to shoot." He carried on his work in the Methodist church. In 1888 a two-room building was put up and two teachers were employed. This number of teachers was found adequate to the needs of the district until 1905. when a third was found necessary.

The present beautiful, brick schoolhouse was erected in 1916, at an expense of $11,000. four teachers being employed and eleven grades introduced. That same year the school was organized as a high-school district. The school equipment is valued at $7,000, five teachers are employed, and more than 150 pupils are enrolled. Already the building has come, to be too small for the accommodation of the rapidly increasing school population, and the people are beginning to plan for an addition to their educational plant.

ARNOLD

No community in the county has shown a greater interest in school affairs than that man- ifested at Arnold. The district was found necessary during the early '80s, but because of the lack of railroad communication with other points, the school population did not increase very rapidly. In 1911 two teachers were in- troduced and an attempt at high-school work was begun. Progress was made so rapidly that by the fall of 1915 it was found possible to open the school in a most beautiful, con- venient, and commodious brick structure that had cost, including equipment, the goodly sum of $25,000.

The district is accredited for high-school purposes, and eleventh-grade work is given. Six teachers are employed. Like many other school plants in Custer county, this one has become inadequate and before many years will have to be enlarged.

CALLAWAY

During the closing year of Mr. Amsberry's term of office, the Callaway high-school dis- trict was organized. It was one of the hun- dred or more to be carved out of the original and interesting district No. 3. The first build- ing was greatly impaired, and a second was erected in its stead. Not only was this struc- ture found to be too small, but the location proved unsatisfactory. hence. in 1906, the pres- ent site was secured and new building erected, at a cost of practically $30,000 for the entire plant. The school grounds are ample. and are well provided with trees and shrubbery, thus giving a very attractive appearance.

The school maintains eleven grades, em- ploys seven teachers, and has enrolled as many as 325 students.

COMSTOCK

District No. 28, including the village of Comstock, was the first to be organized by Superintendent Amsberry in the early part of the year 1882, and Mrs. Ida Strop was in- stalled as teacher. Her school was made up of ten or twelve pupils, varying in age from

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

five to twelve years. For some time the school did not grow very fast, and not until 1907 or 1908 was any attempt made at organ- izing a high school. From 1911 to the pres- ent time a good eleven-grade school has been maintained. There are six teachers, with 155 pupils. The present building was erected in 1905 and with furniture, grounds, and fixtures represents an investment of $10,000.

SARGENT.

Sargent not only has a very progressive people, with enthusiasm for the education of the youth of the community, but also one of the most beautiful, convenient, and expensive school equipments in Custer county. The dis- trict was organized in 1884, with Mrs. A. R. Humphrey as teacher. Twenty-five pupils en- gaged her attention.

In 1897 a second teacher was found to be necessary, and from that time the school has increased in enrollment and grown in impor- tance. In 1914 the school site was changed and a new house was erected, at a cost, in- cluding furnishings, of about $30,000.

The school carries twelve grades and is fully accredited to the State University. It is also accredited for high-school purposes. The school requires.and employs ten teachers.

OCONTO

The Oconto district was one of the last graded schools to be established. Originally the territory of this district was a part of dis- trict No. 34, but in 1896 the people from the country turned out at the school meeting in a body and voted to move the schoolhouse out of the village and to locate it more than a mile in the country. This so much displeased the villagers that they immediately petitioned the county superintendent to detach a part of the territory and form the present district No. 256.

One teacher was employed until 1908, when a second teacher was engaged. During the year 1909 the present building was erected and a third teacher was added to the corps of instructors. The school now employs four teachers, gives eleven grades of training and enrolls 120 pupils.

MERNA

The Merna district seems to have been named after a previously discontinued district. In the early days cattlemen had a custom of organizing large tracts of land into school districts. They invariably chose territory on which very few, if any, settlers lived, so that a school would not be needed. Two purposes were accomplished by this plan. First, it avoided the school tax and, second, it pre- vented the annexation of unorganized terri- tory to other organized districts for school taxation. In the course of time the county superintendent would discover that the district existed only in name and he would give some new district that number. This, it seems was the case with district No. 15. However, in 1884, there being a school population of more than twenty pupils within the community, the county superintendent granted the petition that added the Merna district to the list of schools. Miss Affie Gordon was the first teacher and twenty-five pupils were enrolled.

In 1905, a high-school, with four teachers, was supported. Three years later the present building was put up, at an expense of $25.000. Nine teachers are employed and 193 pupils are attending school.

JAYNESVILLE

District No. 33 has been constantly in the lime light since the year 1914, and has been written and talked about a great deal. Many magazines, including the Ladies' Home Jour- mal and practically every farm paper in the United States, have written articles about this school. The picture of the building and a depicture of its floor plans have been printed in many publications. The plant was erected in 1915, at a cost of about $4,500. It has a teacherage. a barn, and a complete equipment. Two teachers are employed and ten grades are taught.

BERWYN

When the state rural-school inspector visited Berwin in 1916, he was quite generous in his commendations of the Berwyn school property, which he declared to be one of the best three-

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teacher buildings he had ever seen. When completed the entire plant cost about $7,000. It stands on an elevated plat of ground and faces down the main street of the village.

Considering the fact that the school district is very small and the village itself has just recently begun to grow, the people deserve to be given great credit for their school. A good ten-grade course is given and the teachers have been unusually strong in their work.

LOWER LODI

Unfortunately the Lodi community has two schools where one could well supply all the needed school advantages, thus dividing the interest and needed success. District No. 73 has for the past three years employed two teachers and maintained a good ten-grade school. The people are interested in such affairs and are looking forward to a better school condition. Ten grades are maintained and successful work is being done in each.

DISTRICT NO. NINETY-SEVEN

Nine miles northeast of Broken Bow an- other ten-grade, two-teacher school is main- tained. It was opened in September. 1917. is growing in popularity, and the number of at- tendants is increasing. Grades nine and eleven are open to students.

KING

District No. 32 is an interesting two-teacher school, organized in 1917. It is located in the valley of Muddy creek, about seven miles southeast of Broken Bow. The people are en- thusiastic over their new building and the re- sults of their efforts. The building is well equipped and the grounds contain numerous new playground devices. The ten-grade work usually done in such schools is being accom- plished.

HOOSIER VALLEY

In the sand-hill region of Custer county has lately been organized what is known as the "Hoosier Valley High School." It was formed by combining districts Nos. 210. 252, and 262. It is composed of fifty sections and has about ten miles of railroad to help defray the ex- pense of the school. When completed the

plant will comprise a two-room school, with a teachers' residence. a good well, and a barn. This will be the first school of the kind in the county and its progress will be watched with interest.

LONGWOOD

The Longwood school is especially interest- ing because of its splendid building and grounds. It is the best equipped one-teacher school in the county and one of the best of its kind in the state. The building has a large school-room, a porch, a vestibule, a cloak- room, library, dinner room, and a full base- ment, which is reached either through the dinner room or from an outside entrance. This plant is standard as to light, heat, and ventila- tion. The entire plant is valued at $3,000. A good salary is paid the teacher and, of course. none but a good teacher is ever secured.

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History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time, Part 30

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180