USA > Nebraska > Richardson County > History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions > Part 31
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When in the early stages of the introduction of the automobile it was scen that the auto had met with almost instant and universal favor there were those who believed their purchase on so large a scale would bankrupt the county, but, in so far as we have been able to learn, there has never been a foreclosure of a mortgage in Richardson county on real estate that might be traced directly to the purchase of automobiles, notwithstanding the fact that so many are owned here. As a matter of fact the farmers of
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Richardson county are prosperous to a degree not known in many sections of the country and are amply able to buy and pay outright for whatever num- ber of machines they may find necessary to use in their business.
The introduction of the auto-truck is now fast finding its way into the country districts of Richardson county and is being used for all kinds of hauling and is greatly appreciated. The same is true in the cities and villages, where most of the horse-drawn dray lines have substituted the auto- truck and found it much more satisfactory. The stage line has gone and with it the horse-drawn omnibus, which has given way to the auto-bus now used in all the towns and most of the villages, much to the satisfaction of the patrons of the same.
CHAPTER XIII.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION. By Daniel H. Weber, County Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The request has been made of me that I briefly review the school activi- ties of this county from the time of its early settlement until the present time. This is not easily done, because until comparatively recently no com- plete records were left in this office. Some schools were conducted in what is now Richardson county as early as the fifties, many years before Nebraska was admitted to the sisterhood of states. These early schools were largely subscription schools and were held anywhere where the number of pupils warranted it. The schools were not authorized and governed by law, but were held by common consent. Usually some deserted squatter's cabin was . conscripted or some hospitable settler offered his rude log home for this purpose. Indeed, many times the school was taught by some married man or woman who had obtained the rudiments of an education in the East before embarking upon the journey to the land that Horace Greeley later stated spelled "opportunity." Each parent paid his mite in proportion to the number of pupils attending and the mite wasn't very large. If someone outside of the community was selected as teacher he drew a portion of his salary, if we might term the paltry wages salary, by boarding with his his various patrons.
CRUDE EQUIPMENT OF EARLY SCHOOLS.
In 1854, there was not a public school in Richardson county, and it is said by reliable parties that Willis Maddox, Fred Harkendorf, Mary Harkendorf, Jesse Crook and family, Dave L. Thompson and Elias Menshall were the only white persons within the limits of what is now Richardson county. Instead of listening to the chimes of the school bells and feasting upon the views of well ordered farms and buildings, these sturdy and fear- less pioneers were compelled to be contented with the howl of the wolf and the bark of the prairie dog. The county was peopled with Indians, but the aboriginals lived on amicable relations with the white settlers. Little
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did those early pioneers dream that this county would ever be dotted with farm houses, churches and schools as we find it today. Today we have. a school for every four or five sections of land and very few pupils have to trudge over two miles in getting to school. The roads are open and no dangers beset them on the way. The schools are open from seven to nine months; the same teacher has charge of the school for the entire year, the school houses are built comfortably and attention is being paid to sanita- tion, seating, lighting and ventilation. The equipments are complete. Con- trast this condition with the pioneer school which was built of logs, the crevices of which were filled with straw. to keep out some of the wintry blasts and drifting snows. Shoe boxes were used as desks and soap boxes as seats. Slate blackboards were unknown, but slates instead of paper tablets predominated with the pupils. A slab or two of flat boards painted black sufficed for the board need's of the early teacher. Strange to say, similar boards are still found in some of our present-day schools. In the early days the school year was divided into the fall, winter and spring term and each term had a different teacher. Each pupil furnished his own text-hooks and all were of a different kind, which condition presented many difficult problems to the early progressive teacher who endeavored to secure anything like a semblance of uniformity. Unless one actually attended or taught one of the pioneer schools, it is indeed difficult for the uninitiated to visualize clearly the many drawbacks of these schools.
GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN SCHOOL.
From 1854 to 1860 settlers came to this county very slowly and then settled near the Missouri river because of the traffic that was wont to ply up and down this great body of water. It was the only means of trans- portation, as the nearest railroad was many miles from this county. Gradu- ally the old superstition of starving to death or being blown away by the winds if one lived on the prairies was dissipated, and the settlers pushed farther Westward. From 1860 to 1867, in which latter year Nebraska was admitted to the union a great influx of population was seen. Many came to escape the scenes of the war, others because of the opportunities offered in a new land. About this time, and before general settlement, schools began 'to be established. As time went on the various school districts were organ- ized. the early records of which are missing. On other pages appears the early history of a number of these districts. At first all the school houses
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were of log or sod, but in the seventies and eighties these were displaced with frame buildings. About 1885 a building boom began to sweep the school districts. In that year eight new school houses were built at a cost of $10,000; in 1886, two buildings, at a cost of $11,000; in 1887, three, at a cost of $2,600; in 1888, four at a cost of $8,500; in 1889, two at a cost of $7,000; in 1890, three at a cost of $4,600; in 1891, three at $2,000; in 1892, four at a cost of $3,400; in 1893, six at a cost of $3,400, making thirty-five new school buildings, costing $82,000 in round numbers, built in nine years. No information is available as to the number built since then. A few years ago the people of Stella voted bonds and built one of the finest buildings in the county. About four years ago Falls City, realizing that the needs of the pupils demanded another building, erected one of the best and most costly high school buildings in the state. Last year (1916), Daw- son reconstructed its building, making some important and needed changes. A few years ago, Verdon and Shubert each erected a separate room for the primary grades. Since I have been superintendent a number of new buildings have been erected. In 1915, district No. 31 tore down the old structure and erected a modern building costing over one thousand dollars. Last year (1916), districts 8 and 9 of this county and 2 of Nemaha county consolidated and a splendid four-room brick building, costing over ten thou- sand dollars was erected, which is pronounced by educators as the best and most admirably equipped consolidated school in the state. It has a Delco lighting system, a water pressure system, steam-heating plant and toilets. Two of the rooms are so constructed that they can be thrown together for social and community gatherings; a large gymnasium has been built. and the school has domestic science and manual training equipment. In every way the school has been arranged so that it can take its place in looking after every need of the pupils of this agricultural center. Twelve grades will be handled next year, under the supervision of four especially trained and well-qualified teachers. A teacherage, modern in all its equipment, has been erected for the needs of the faculty. The district owns six aeres of land and much practical demonstration work will be done. The principal owns an automobile and thus has a convenient means of conveyance. A lecture course will be held there next year. Short courses will also be given annually. The transportation of the pupils is looked after by three men .. two of whom transport the pupils with automobiles. Visitors from all sec- tions of this county as well as from other counties have called to see this new departure in education. Distriet No. 80 is erecting a larger and better
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building than it had before, the same to cost well over one thousand dollars, exclusive of the equipment. District No. I, which boasted one of the oldest and, I might add, one of the worst frame buildings in the county, was visited by the Missouri recently, the encroaching waters advising that a new building had best be erected on higher ground. Consequently the old building was razed and a new one was built in the summer of 1917. Dis- trict No. 22 is the name of a new district recently organized in the old Iowa Indian reservation country southeast of Rulo, and a new eighty-hun- dred-dollar building was erected there during this same summer. Other buildings will be erected next year and in the years immediately following, as a number would be condemned by any building inspector visiting us.
SOME SCHOOL STATISTICS.
While we can boast of more and better buildings, and a greater number and better qualified teachers, yet we cannot boast of any increase in the school census, between the ages of five and twenty-one. In 1886 we had 6,901 children of school age, and 126 teachers. In 1890, it was 6,814 and 133. In 1893, we had 6,846 school children and 141 teachers. Today we have barely over 6,000 school children and 175 teachers. In the early days it was not unusual to find an enrollment of from fifty to eighty. Today the average is not over fifteen and a school with thirty or more is the exception. District No. 20, near Barada, had nearly fifty on its list last year, but the attendance was very irregular. Districts 53 and 42 still have very good enrollments.
At present there are one hundred and ten public school houses in the county and in addition there are four parochial schools. Ninety-four are frame and sixteen are brick. In 1883 there were 108 buildings valued at $145,000; today they are valued at $230,000, of which Falls City alone claims over $100,000. Text-books are valued at $75,000. At least $350.000 is invested for educational purposes in this county.
In 1880 there were two grade schools in the county-Falls City and Humboldt, this former having eight teachers and the latter four. . At present Falls City has thirty-three teachers, including special experts for manual training, domestic science, athletics, art, penmanship, etc. Departmental work is carried on in the seventh and eighth grades. Humboldt has four- teen teachers and is represented in practically all the departments mentioned for Falls City. Both schools are accredited for normal training work and
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each year from five to fifteen teachers complete this department of the work. In 1881 the Rulo school was partially graded and in 1888 the progres- sive people of that city decided that better conditions were necessary. Hence a fine ten-thousand-dollar brick building was erected, which is even today sufficiently large for the growing needs of that thriving little city. When the building was completed the course of study was revised and the course increased so as to include the work of ten grades. A few years ago the eleventh grade was added. There is ample room for twelve grades, manual training, domestic science, etc., whenever the sentiment of the community favors their installation. In point of attendance the school ranks third in the county. During the past year five teachers were employed in the grades. In 1885 Salem, Stella and Verdon were added to the list of graded schools, each at that time planning to carry nine grades. At that time Verdon and Stella both built new frame buildings, costing about three thousand dollars each. Verdon gradually increased the number of grades until 1916, when the school was recognized by the state department as a twelve-grade school. During the past year several attempts were made to vote bonds for a new building, but each time the necessary two-thirds majority could not be ob- tained. Stella grew in grace rapidly and has had twelve grades for a num- ber of years, and also boasts one of the best and most complete average- sized school buildings in the state. Verdon employs six teachers and Stella, seven. In 1888 Salem built a three-room brick building which almost im- mediately proved inadequate for the needs of the school. Since that time two frame buildings, in different parts of the city, have been commandeered for the primary and intermediate grades. Several efforts have been made hy the citizens to build a new building, but on account of the other heavy taxes the proposal has each time been defeated. The school now has eleven grades. In 1884 Dawson was added to the list and bit by bit she has in- creased her course until now she has twelve grades fully accredited. Six teachers are on the faculty. Preston and Barada have two-room buildings and some years carry nine grades and others ten. Usually two teachers are employed. It is not known exactly when Shubert became a high school, but in 1912, the eleventh grade was installed and a frame building was purchased for the primary grades. The citizens of Shubert are progressive. but are now paying the limit allowed by law for school purposes, so it may be a number of years before another grade is installed. Dawson has a parochial school in charge of Fr. F. A. O'Brien, with three teachers. Rulo's parochial school was not in session last year, but will have two teachers
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next year. The Falls City parochial school, under the management of Fr. J. J. Hoffman, has eight teachers and an enrollment of about one hundred and fifty. Twelve grades are carried and full credit is given for the normal training work. It is one of three schools in this county able to secure credit in this branch. The Dawson and Rulo parochial schools carry eight grades. C. Merz teaches a German school in Ohio township, under the supervision of the Lutheran church. Half the instruction is in German and half in English. On another page will appear the names of the teachers of Rich- ardson county for the school year 1917-18, also a list of the school officers for the same period.
THE PAST CONTRASTED WITH THE PRESENT.
In comparing the schools of fifty years ago with the schools of today, one will be startled by the striking changes that have taken place. A perusal of the lists of early teachers will reveal a large preponderance of men, but slowly, as the years rolled by. fewer and fewer men volunteered their serv- ices until today, in the rural schools, the proportion is twelve to one in favor of the women. In fact, last year there were but nine men on the list and this year the number has diminished to eight, with several of these eligible for the draft. A number of reasons are ascribed for this. In the first place, many young men seem to feel that they are not fitted by nature to be teachers, especially where younger pupils predominate. I concur in that view. Others feel that the work is not a man's task and feel that it savors of housework. Others do not like it because it lacks per- manency and leaves the individual without much independence. The great- est objection is the poor wages. While the prices of the necessities of life have doubled and tripled and then some, teachers wages have hardly been affected. Ten years ago I received from forty to forty seven dollars and a half for my services. Today the standard is forty-five dollars to the beginner and fifty dollars after one has attained a year of experience. After that it depends. A man feels that he cannot equip himself for teaching, work seven or eight months at fifty dollars a month and then be idle four months. The young women look at the matter a little differently. Many of them feel that wages are only of temporary importance and are only waiting for tardy cupid to get busy. However, there is a trend toward better wages and the teacher, male or female, who is worth it, will have no
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difficulty in obtaining from sixty to seventy dollars a month. In fact, one or two rural schools are paying from sixty-five to seventy dollars now.
In the early days, teachers taught without certificates or without taking any kind of an examination. Later the county superintendent gave those who desired to teach an oral examination, which was neither difficult nor lengthy. W. A. Greenwald often tells about appearing before a superin- tendent, who was under the influence of John Barleycorn, and hence was not in condition to know who was present, let alone ask any intelligent questions. Greenwald was fortunate and was not asked any questions. Later, when he failed to receive a diploma, he wrote the superintendent asking if he had not passed a satisfactory examination. In a few days, he received his diploma with a statement of apology for forgetting to send it and with a statement that he had passed an excellent examination and was in every way worthy to be a pedagogue. In the eighties and nineties the county superintendents gave written examinations and corrected the papers themselves. So many superintendents were charged with favoritism that this method soon became unpopular. About twelve or fifteen years ago the Legislature passed a law requiring that uniform examinations be given over the state of Nebraska and that the county superintendent should mail all the papers to the state superintendent for correction, which is now done. The teachers pay one dollar and a half as an examination fee. Fifty cents of this goes to the state department and one dollar remains at home for the institute fund. Three kinds of certificates are issued, first, second and third. Gradually the third-grade certificates have been outlawed, until last year there was only one issued in this county. Next year, there won't be any issued. More first-grade and second-with-honor certificates will be is- sued than ever before. More teachers are attending summer school than before. We have a vigorous campaign on for better teachers and as a result we have better schools.
Each year an institute covering a week is held for the teachers and at this time supplies are distributed and plans made and explained for the year. Instructors who are experts usually are present and assist with the instruction. The average cost of an institute is about four hundred dollars. There is considerable agitation in favor of abandoning the week institute and substituting a one-day meeting with the county superintendent. This will probably be done next year. In addition, several teachers meetings are usually held during the year.
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SOMETHING REGARDING TIIE CURRICULUM.
Feeling that the study of spelling had been neglected, 1 inaugurated, last year, the county spelling contests, on which occasions the best spellers in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades from each school in the county gather at Falls City and have a written contest, after which suitable prizes are awarded. Each time the interest has been excellent. This year I called all the eighth-grade graduates over the county to meet at Falls City and receive their diplomas. More than one hundred were present and it was felt that the meeting was worth while. It will be repeated each year. Dur- ing the fall of 1917 a writing contest for every pupil in each grade was held. The Palmer system is being installed and ought to produce excellent results.
Feeling that a uniformity in text-books is desirable, I issued a little pamphlet containing a list of recommended books. . These were distributed to the school boards and teachers. The schools are more closely graded than formerly and a closer check is kept on the work. A course of study is furnished to each teacher and she is expected to follow it closely.
Most of the schools are supplied with plenty of text-books, which are purchased by the district. Most of them have an abundance of maps, globes, charts, etc. Nearly all the schools have single seats and slat blackboards. A number of schools are purchasing phonographs. Over fifty per cent. of the schools have a Waterbury or Smith system of heating and ventilating. District 48, while maintaining its organization, has been sending its pupils to Falls City for a number of years. Districts 12 and 36, near Humboldt have been sending their pupils to Humboldt. District 105 closed its doors last fall and is sending its four or five pupils to neighboring districts.
Each year a school directory is issued giving the names of the teachers, the kind of certificate held, years of experience and the salary of each. It also contains a list of the names and addresses of the school officers, a list of the transfers in force and the valuation of each district, in addition to the mill levies. During the past two years exhibits have been sent to the state fair and last year this county won a number of "firsts." This year (1917), a bigger and better exhibit than ever was sent.
In my opinion, the schools are on their way to progress and prosperity. They have been slow in getting started, but the people are getting more and more liberal and the school officers are co-operating loyally with the teachers and superintendent in order to improve conditions. The progress of the
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schools during the next score of years ought to be even greater than it has been during the past twenty years.
HIGH DEGREE OF EDUCATIONAL EFFICIENCY.
Education promotes material prosperity. It quickens the moral and intellectual life of the people and it leads to higher ideals of living. Rich- ardson county has for some time taken this view of education. In laying the foundation for and in developing a great commonwealth, our people have never lost sight of the value of the public schools. Hence, while the hostile Indians were being driven back, while the raw prairies were bein' broken up and being put into a state of cultivation, and while the onslaughts of the grasshoppers in the summer and the coyotes in the winter were being contended with, this ideal of a free education was the beacon light to the early pioneers of the state, enabling them to see a future citizenship not only rich and powerful, but enlightened, high-minded and true-hearted. These early settlers laid the foundations. They fought the first and hardest hattles. But their sons and daughters, who several decades ago took their places, hold the same ideals and retain the same zeal for human betterment and happi- ness. The early settlers gave Nebraska the lowest per cent. of illiteracy. The present generation is striving to give the state the highest degree of educational efficiency. So here's to those who have the destiny of the schools in hand! May they never swerve from duty and may they ever be faithful to the trust that is placed in them. Someone has said: "The ideal teacher is as wise as Solomon, as impartial as a telephone directory. as untiring as a steam engine, as tender as a sore throat, as patient as a glacier. as alert as a mongoose, and as rare as a hen's tooth."
OLD SCHOOL TEACHER'S EXPERIENCES. By Rev. James S. Smith
In 1870 the trustees of St. Stephen's school asked me if I would teach their schools. They said the boys had run the former teachers off, and that they would probably give me trouble.
I replied, that I would teach the school on one condition; that the trustees must agree before hand to back me up in what I might do in the way of discipline. They asked me what I meant. and I said, "If I tell a boy to take his books and go home, he must go."
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They finally agreed to stand by me. I received my certificate from F. M. Williams.
On the first morning of the school I explained the situation to the school. I made two rules: 1. There is to be no swearing. 2. There shall be no fighting. Any one too big to be whipped will be expelled.
"Now," I said, "you young men can help me if you will. Your example and influence will be a great help if it is good. Help me."
They did, and I had no trouble until the last day of school. Two boys about fourteen years of age made up a fake fight for me to see. They reasoned, "He has company today, and will not whip us." When I saw the fight, I told the boys to follow me to the house, which they did, and I flogged them before the company.
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