Hall County, Nebraska - Chapter 19: The Schools of Hall County, 1920

Chapter 19: The Schools of Hall County

The pioneers lost but little time in getting educational facilities for their children, in fact as soon as the children first brought to Hall County by the original colony were of sufficient age to receive some public instructions, a means was provided. From log house quarters to splendid brick buildings has been a long road of fifty or fifty-five years, but a story in consistent keeping with the other phases of the county's progress.

In some districts of Hall County the official records reach back to 1871 or 1872. Beyond that, it is necessary to resort to statements furnished by the earliest settlers, even though some minor disagreements might arise on such facts.

As early as 1864 a private school was held in the neighborhood adjacent to Grand Island where the pioneers first settled. This territory was afterward organized into district number one (which is treated separately at some length) and also originally included a large part of what became district number two A first hand account of the earliest school has been furnished to us by Frederick Stolley, one of the pupils : first scholars who attended Mr. Nagel's school (for this was a private school, with Mr. Nagel as teacher) were, Henry Henne, William Stelk, Fred Lilienthal and myself, and later Charley Hann and John Hann were added to our list. The school house was Mr. Nagel's dwelling of logs, with an earthern roof. I remember one day that father and Mr. Menck visited our school, when it had rained very hard the night before and a drop of rain was still dripping here and there from the earthern roof, with some dirt and hay coming down, and soon there came tumbling down seven or eight young mice onto our studying table. The two older gentlemen asked in astonishment, "what is that?" Mr. Nagel answered, "Oh, that is nothing uncommon with us," and he reached out with his coat sleeve and brushed the family of young mice from the dining table, improvised for school work, onto the floor, and orders, "Fred, you take a broom and sweep that bunch of dirty creatures outdoors."

At other times the boys attending his school had to help Mr. Nagel keep his corn field clean of weeds, which we were to pull up root and all. Our teacher never indulged in this kind of labor, but would wander over to the O. K. Store and buy a large sack full of sweet crackers for us. After we had devoured them he would order us back to school where we studied multiplication tables, and the "A.- B. C.'s." I think that is about as far as we ever got, except for some great ear pulling stunts, and some terrific stick blows over our backs once in a while. Christian Goettsch and Lillie Scheel were also students at that school. Three years later the public school was put in its place, and gave our young people an opportunity to make acquaintance with the English language. The first (private) school handled by Mr. Nagel was a German school exclusively, because he was unable to even speak the English language, let alone teach it. But, otherwise, he was a very learned man and deserves due credit for his efforts in establishing school work in this vicinity. This school was the only possible chance for us in those frontier days. The children derived a direct advantage through this school.

County Superintendents

John Wallichs and Fred Hedde bore the burden of superintending the first schools of the county, during the first five years of the county's existence. There was not much of a tax roll to work with prior to 1872, and of course only a few school districts, so the position was hardly a "full time job" at that. O. A. Abbott, Sr., was the next superintendent, and he resigned on April 1, 1873. His successor, John D. Hayes, served about three years. Another lawyer, Henry Dunn, became superintendent in 1876, and James Ewing in 1878. D. H. Vantine was superintendent from 1882 to 1886. The next two superintendents were lawyers also, H. A. Edwards in 1886 and E. E. Thompson in 1890. Maynard Spink became superintendent in 1894, served for six years, and afterwards moved to Beatrice. D. H. Fishburn served from 1900 to 1906. He is now interested in Paine-Fishburn Granite Works. Miss Margaret Brown, the first woman teacher to be advanced to the leadership of the county schools, served around three years, and resigned to become state secretary of The Nebraska Sunday School Association. Her successor was Miss Dorothea Kolls, who gave her entire life to educational work in the county, first as a teacher, then as principal of the Wasmer school, and later as county superintendent, in which office she served efficiently for nine years until her death early in 1918. The majority of times that she ran for election she was the official nominee of all political parties, thereby showing the unqualified endorsement she received from the people as a whole.

March 1, 1918, Miss Elizabeth Cunningham, who was then principal of the Jeft'erson ward school in Grand Island, was appointed county superintendent, elected for a four year term beginning January 9, 1919, and following her recent marriage to Arthur C. Mayer she resigned and in November, 1919, Prof. W. A. Julian of Wood River was elected to fill the vacancy.

District No. One

Commencing at the Northwest corner of Section One Township 11 North of Range 9 West, thence west two and one half miles thence west one half mile, thence south threequarters of a mile, thence west one half mile, thence south one-fourth of a mile, thence west one and a quarter mile, thence south to Wood River, thence northeast along the north line of Wood River to the county line, thence north to the line of beginning.

This boundary discription. of course, was placed in the records after the formation of District Two and at a time when the county had twenty-seven districts, so does not include the original boundaries of District One.

The reports for the years 1871 and 1872 made to the county superintendent by C. L. Meves, director, discloses some facts concerning the status of the district at that early date. The attendance in 1871 was seventeen, with forty-one children in the district between the ages of five and twenty-one, and 215 days of .school taught by qualified teachers. For 1872 the report showed twenty-one attending between ages of five and twenty-one out of fortyone children and one child under five admitted, and 308 days of school taught by Charles Rief, the teacher for both of these terms.

The financial problem presented then is displayed in the figures showing assessment, $550 for teacher, school house valued at $345.22 and $20 allowed for other purposes, given for 1871. The actual expenditures showed, teacher, $530. fuel $15, building school house, $326.22. other purposes, $10.

The families then Hving in the district who had children of school age, in 1871 were: Heinrich Schaaf (Ida, Willy, Emma, Minna, Heinrich), Joachim Doll, Sr. (Minna, Sophia, Ferdinand, Emma), Widow Hamann (Hans, Catharine, Miene, Heinrich, Alweine Paurtian), John Graham (John, George, Vrathy), Hans Ruge (Hans, Christian, Antzie), Edward Math (Luiriane, Sophie), Hardwig Voss (Catharina, Caroliene), Christian Menck (Gustav, Emilie), Mary Stetch (Wilhelm), Heinrich Joehncke (Willy, Frederick, Hein- ,rich, Carl, the latter reported in 1872), Adam Windolph (Eliere, Catharina, Tommy reported in 1872). William Hagge (Caroline Scheel, Andrear Catharine), J. Timpke, (Claus Eggers), Wm. Stolley (Fred, Anny, Minna, Willy, and in 1872, Emil), Jacob Gremmiter (Conrad). In 1872 C. A. Meves reported Dan. Grahams and Ruge were not reported in 1872 and a family named King with son Willy, age seven, came in, the total being forty-one for each year.

District No. Four

Before taking up a detailed history of District Number Two (Grand Island) which necessarily will be of some length, we will digress and treat of District Number Four, slightly out of its numerical order.

John M. Hanssen has furnished the following very interesting story, which not only sheds light on the establishment of this particular district, but added to Mr. Stolley's story of the first school, gives a more comprehensive idea of the difficulties under which Hall County's school system started out :

The first record made public concerning district No. 4, of those days, was the definition of its boundaries by Fred Hedde, then acting as county superintendent on December 5, 1867. In short, district No. 4 comprised in addition to present district four all of the present district 28 and district 23.

The first meeting of qualified voters of the new school district was held on November 16, 1867, and the first board elected were H. Wrage, moderator, John Wallichs, director, and John Lassen, treasurer. The first funds for the erection of a school house were collected from the residents in that vicinity, late in 1867, by donations and at the beginning of 1868 they had $148 which thirty men had contributed. A meeting was held at the home of John Seier on January 16, 1869, and it was there decided to lease a site and build a frame school house, 20 x 17 feet and the site then leased is the same site where the present school house of district four now stands (1919). Further action was taken at this meeting to levy on all taxable property at one-half of one per cent and also $1. on each 40 acres to defray expenses. John Lassen, John Seier and Claus Stoltenberg were chosen as the building committee.

The first meeting held in the new school house was on October 1, 1868, and it was then decided to fix the school term at eight months ; a tax of one and one-half per cent was levied on all taxable property, plus the $1. on each 40 acres then taken up for paying the debt on the school house and hiring a teacher.

From the early records of this district it is not plain who was the first teacher nor just when school really opened, but since the records of the treasurer of No. 4 show that Louis Lorenzen drew Order No. 1 on May 1, 1869, for $135, it must be surmised that he was the first teacher, for the school house was not finished until October 1, 1868 and the funds were not raised until later, and if he had a predec' ssor, there is no record of any pay being made to such predecessor.

At a meeting held June 1, 1871, it was decided to build a log school house in the eastern end of the district, on the site where the school house of district No. 28 now stands ( 1919) . The logs and labor were furnished by the residents of that vicinity and a committee consisting of John Lassen. Theodore Scherzberg and Fritz Mathews, Sr. selected as building committee. It was further resolved to have a term of twelve months of school in the two schools of the district.nine months in the western or first schoolhouse, and three months in the eastern or second school house; that both schools be conducted and financed by District Four. Henry Rief was the first teacher who acted for both schools, at a salary of $45 a month. At a special meeting of June 12, 1873, it was resolved to buy the school site of the western school, one acre each of John Seier and Hans Wrake, for $15 an acre, this being the same location occupied now (July, 1919).

In perusing the records of District No. 4 through its fifty-two years of existence one cannot fail to be impressed with the following distinctive facts : all times, considering the adversities met by the farmers of that viciiiity in early times There is no record of less than $40 a month being- paid, the rule being $50 and upwards.

2nd. That it was emphasized at every meeting, as late as 1917 when the switch was made to the American language exclusively, that two languages should be taught, with preference given to the American language at all times.

A school was conducted in the new Grand Island community by private subscription for some time prior to the formal organization in 1868. At that time the district was formally organized, the first board chosen was composed of Fred Wiebe, Henry A. Koenig and W. H. Piatt.

The first public school was held in a onestory frame building on Second street opposite the City Hall block. Gov. O. A. Abbott, Sr., bears the honor of having taught the first public school in that building. The children of Wiebes, Koenigs, Michelsons, and the Thorspeckens were the patrons of this early school. The parents and residents in general turned out and built this little 16 x 20 school house. Governor Abbott tells of having worked with a hatchet and saw to prepare the quarters in which he was to teach.

A new one-story frame building was built on block 81, the Dodge school site, and formally opened on September 19, 1870, by a dedication that took the form of a dance with a supper, at the Railroad hotel. George Mc- Kenzie became principal of this school at a salary of $784 a year. The building cost $2,- 895, and the district incurred a total indebtedness of $3,000. To cover this debt Governor Abbott prepared written school bonds, which were sold to Seth Lee of Cameron township.

the increasing demand for school privileges and an addition was built to this building. In 1878 this addition was moved to Block 20, where the Howard building now stands, and in the summer of 1884 it was moved to Lot 10, blk. 7, Evans addition, and named the Evans school. In 1912-1913 the addition to the Lincoln being completed, it was abandoned and later moved to the Piatt grounds as an annex. The main part of the old building on the Dodge site was sold to the Presbyterian people and by them moved to Front street where their church now stands. It was occupied by that society for many years and finally sold to Fred Sears and by him moved to Front street, between Walnut and Spruce, where it is used for business purposes.

It appears that the law then in force did not give to a school district of the class of Grand Island authority to vote bonds. Therefore, the erection of a first brick building was considerably delayed, until the necessary authority could be secured from the state legislature. Accordingly the passage of an act of the legislature was secured, empowering the district to vote $15,000 in 20 year 10% bonds. The proposition to issue bonds for building a school house received 141 votes. O. A. Abbott, C. E. Lykke and John Wallichs were elected trustees in April, 1878, and William Anyan, T. J. Hurford and B. C. Howard were appointed to act with the trustees as a school building committee. Thereafter these bonds were sold at 90 cents on the dollar, refunding at 6%. Immediately after the sale of the bonds the district contracted for the erection of a two-story and basement brick, eight room building on Block 81, which was completed in 1879. This building cost the district $20,000 and at that time appeared to be large enough to provide for the needs of the district for many years to come. The new school-building and the old courthouse, built in 1872, were then the only brick buildings in town. They were referred to as evidences that the people were here to stay and of the substantial faith they had in the future of the countr}'.

ing donated this Block 81 to the district, this building was given the name of "Dodge." In the chapter on railroads a more detailed explanation is given of the important part that General Grenville M. Dodge played in saving this route and permanently establishing the Union Pacific Railroad, and it was only fitting to honor in this way the man who as much as any one individual carried a big burden in the development of this western country.

Extended Facilities Necessary

As early as 1880 the capacity of this building was overtaxed and rooms in the basement and outside roomes were fitted up and occupied temporarily for school purposes. During the years 1883 and 1884 a four room addition was built to the Dodge building, costing $7,600, and a new eight-room, two-story and basement building known as the Howard school was built on Block 20, on Fifth street, between Sycamore and Kimball, costing $20,000. It was likewise appropriate that the name of this second substantial school building should be selected in honor of a man, Blake C. Howard, who devoted his spare energies and time from his railroad duties as master mechanic of the Union Pacific shops and mechanical departments, to the upbuilding of Grand Island's school districts.

In 1886 the Wasmer school was built, on West Division between Monroe and Jackson streets, at a cost of $5,125. This school was a one-story and basement brick, two-room building, and was named after the man who laid out the addition in which it was located. The Piatt building was given that name in honor of Nathan Piatt, member of the board at that time, and for some years its secretary. The main part of the Piatt building, located on a site owned by the district at the comer of Cleburn and Seventh streets, was built in 1888. Six years later a two-room addition was added, making a four-room and basement building. In 1890 additions were built to the Dodge and Howard buildings, costing respectively $11,900 and $9,874.

North Madison between Fifth and Sixth streets. The Lincoln school is a four-room and basement building on the corner of Eighth and Beal streets. The Jefferson is now the largest ward school in the city, an eight-room and basement building on West Jefferson and West Seventh street, and is soon to be enlarged by a new addition. The Evans school, as heretofore stated, was that part of the Dodge building which was moved to the Howard site and later in 1884 to Lot 10, Block 7, Evans Addition.

In 1919 an issue of $350,000 of school bonds was authorized at a special election. This is to be the foundation of an extensive program for bringing Grand Island's school facilities up to an adequate basis. The program includes the building of a two-room school in West Lawn, now under construction at the corner commonly known as "Five Points." An addition to the Jefferson school is to follow ; and new buildings are to be erected, at Charles and Cleburn for a South Side junior high school between Fifth and Sixth, and between Elm and Cleburn streets of a new high school building, and the conversion of the present high school building into a North Side junior high school building.

To the greater majority who have attended the Grand Island schools, and especially those who graduated and became alumni, the thought of "high school" will bring memories of the old "Dodge" building, which housed the high school for a quarter of a century.

The Dodge building eventually became so crowded that even after primary grades had been crowded into unsanitary' and unfit basement rooms, it became necessary to erect a special high school building. For several years the board had such a building in contemplation, but felt that the bonded indebtedness should be reduced before beginning so large an undertaking. Consequently it was not until ]\Iarch, 1904, that the initiatory step was taken towards the erection of a high school building. It was decided by the board, after an examination of other high schools of the state, to ask the taxpayers for an issue of $60,000 high school bonds. In November, 1905, the ques- tion of the isuance of $60,000, 10-20 4>< per cent bonds was submitted and authorized by the voters. The bonds were issued and sold for a premium of $314 and accured interest deliverable in installments of $10,000 at the option of the district. F. A. Henninger prepared the plans for the building, and J. H. Wagenkneckt of Wathena, Kansas, secured the contract for $47,127. The firm of Wirth & Winterbottom of Falls City, Nebraska, secured the contract for a plumbing and heating plant at $9,500. The excavating was begun on October 9, 1906, the building was completed and occupied January 20, 1908. Farewell exercises to the old high school rooms of the Dodge building were held in the old rooms in the afternoon of Friday January 17. .

The building has a frontage on North Walnut street of 140 feet and a depth of 85. Tf has two stories and a basement with an elevation of ten feet above the grade line. It is steam heated and electric lighted, and well ventilated. There are fourteen well lighted, commodious recitation rooms, chemical and physical laboratories and lecture rooms, an auditorium with a seating capacity of 240, a gymnasium 40 x 60 feet and offices and emergencies rooms in the building.

The school census, sworn to on March 17, 1872, by Fred A. Wiebe, showed the following families with children of school age then residing in District Two : H. P. Handy (Willie, Nellie, Lillie, Handy and Barbara Wolf), John S. Vorley (Emery, Lonesa, Hellen, Louisa and John), Samuel Schreckengast (William, John), Henry Stratman (Dietrich, Mary, William, Annie), John G. Stark (William, Lena), C. Cornelius (Gustav, Annie), Claus Obermueller (Mary Obermueller, Anna Eggert), Joseph Jeneman (Lizzie), Wm. Spafford (Adalbert, O. D. Day, Lylle Clark), John Hann (John, Henry, Lina), Wm. Goellner (William, Paul, Lena, Christina Smith), Henry Koebig (Richard, Lena Stoltenberg, Charlotte Wasmer), Hans Obermueller (Winnie), R. S. Buchanan (Harry, Eldridge, Edgar), John Peterson (Auris, John), Phillip Voitl (Joseph, John), C. F. Rollins (George) Nelinda Higgins (Lizzie), Joseph Hay

In 1872 the expenditures showed for male teachers, $1,052.50 and female teachers. $280; for fuel, $105.77; for building school houses $1,458.39 ; and repairing school houses $100.19, and for all other purposes $107.40.

J. Heffleraan, A. E. Hooper, E. E. Howard, A. M. Hurford, M. C. Hurford, H. Shoemaker, H. K. Van Pelt, E. L. Watson, and A. Wiseman. The teachers employed in August, 1877, were Henry Gam, Nellie Butterfieid, Belle Ferguson and Mrs. Camille Ballou Laine.

When Mr. Barr came to the schools in the fall of 1882, there was no outlined course of study, with a definite aim, for the schools. There was no high school as such, only an aggregation of pupils pursuing different branches of study, much as was done in the country schools, and one of the first tasks of the new superintendent was to write a course of study for the schools and organize the high school. The high school course has since been developed into six different lines of work or courses including a strong commercial course and work in domestic arts and science and manual training.

In June, 1883 the first commencement of the Grand Island high school was held and the class of graduates were Miss May D. Lamb, Effie M. Taylor, P. S. Heffleman, Mary C. Hurford and Mrs. George Bell, formerly Emma Howard. In 1884 a class of five were graduated ; in 1885 and in 1886 there were seven graduates.

In June of 1888 the class comprised Kate A. Hurley, Clara L. Pierce, Mary E. Brennan, Hattie M. Clendenin, Carrie L. Fraser, Nellie M. White, NelHe M. Serviss, Ada C. Laine, Jennie Oppenheimer, and John F. Mathews, the last named graduate having now served as principal of the Grand Island High Schools for twenty-two years.

On June 17, 1897, the board hired Prof. Olmstead to teach at $1,000 a year; Miss Sears, Miss Butterfieid, Miss Ferguson were employed as teachers. In July the board employed Mrs. Harrison, Miss Watts, Miss Mc- Nish and Miss Kate McCarthy for the ensuing year, and in September added Miss Peterson to the force.

April, 1880, the board organized with O. A. Abbott as moderator, W. H. Piatt, director, and H. A. Koenig, treasurer. Teachers elected in 1880 were: John Janss, Sylvia McNish, Mellie Butterfieid, Clara Petersen, Vina Watts, Kate McCarthy, Emma Sears, Prof. Olmstead as principal. In October, 1880, another teacher was found necessary and Mrs. Kelly was selected at $25 per month. The board at the beginning of 1881 consisted of Abbott, Hurford, Jordon and Koenig. Miss' McNish resigned in December, 1880, and Miss Butterfieid resigned in March, 1881. Mrs. Boehne was hired.

In 1881 the board organized under a new school law and the following members were elected at the city election : C. P. Handy, T. J. Hurford, Blake C. Howard. J. P. Kernohan, O. A. Abbott, and S. N. Wolbach, with Howard as chairman and Kernohan as secretary. Teachers elected in 1881 were John Janss, Belle Ferguson, C. A. Peterson, Vina Watts, Emma Sears, Kate McCarthy, Mrs. M. D. Boehne, Anna Milgate, Mrs. Alice Kelly. Later in the term Alice Tomlinson, Ida E. Mack, Jennie Alvord, Katie Kirkpatrick, L. E. Hamilton, G. E. Barber, Mrs. M. J. Sprague were added to the teaching force.

And Mr. Barr has been serving Grand Island's public schools ever since, for thirtyseven years. Where is a community that can match that record?

The board in 1883 were W. H. Piatt, C. P. Handy, B. C. Howard, Fetherstenaugh, H. C. Held, C. F. Bentley, and organized with Piatt as president and Bentley as secretary.

"Resolved, That we now name our school Iniildings and give them names by which they will be known hereafter, dropping those names of a sectional character.

"Resolved, That the school buildings at the east and west ends of the city be, as already, known by their names, respectively, of the 'Evans' and 'Wasmer' schools, as that will only be an evidence of our appreciation of tlie generosity of the donors.

"Resolved, That we call the high school building on the south side the Dodge School, the name commemorating the president of the board, who donated the land upon which it is located. [Referring to Gen. Grenville M. Dodge of Union Pacific railroad.] And that the north side building be known as the

In June, 1887, a committee of the Liederkranz Society was appointed to prepare and obtain signatures for a petition to the school board, asking for the teaching of German in all of the city schools. L. Veith, H. C. Held, Ad. Egge, Frederick Hedde, George Cornelius and Henry Vieregg formed this committee.

The board in 1887 consisted of Messrs. Howard, Ball, Piatt, Handy, Sanders and Murphy, all holdovers or re-elected, with Mr. N. Piatt as president and Murphy as secretary. Teachers elected were R. J. Barr, superintendent, Mrs. M. E. McLaughlin, Miss Anna L. Nichols, Mrs. C. T. Caldwell, Grace M. Edwards, Ida HefHeman, Christie Terpenning, Lucy Sanders, May D. Lamb, Kate M. Thorn, Mrs. R. C. Glanville, May C. Hurford, Anna West, Amelia F. Hodgkins, Emma Mohrenstecher, J. H. Thompson, Miss Serviss, Florence Horton, Eva, Murphy, Hattie Van Kuren, Mrs. Emma Brewster. Other teachers for that term were E. E. Cole, D. H. Van Tine, Anna L. Nuckolls, Max Eisenbeiss.

In 1892 the board consisted of G. H. Geddes, B. C. Howard, A. C. Miller, Chas. Milisen, Louis Veit, Nathan Piatt and Geo. Mohrenstecher, with E. C. Hockenberger as secretary and E. Sorenson. Chas. R-Iilisen died in February 1893, and his place was taken by C. B. Handy.

The new board organized in July, 1893, were Geo. A. Mohrenstecher, president, B. C. Howard, vice-president, E. C. Hockenberger, secretary, and Messrs. O. A. Abbott, H. C. Miller, E.Searson, E. Sorenson, G. H. Geddes, and Louis Veit.

The board organized in July, 1894, were G. H. Geddes, president, L. Veit, vice-president, Wm. Frank, secrteary, Messrs, Abbott, D. A. Finch, Ed. Sorenson, R. L. Harrison, and Henry Mayer. Mr. Frank resigned as secretary and Mr. Mayer was elected.

The board organized in July, 1895, with L. Veit as president, O. A. Abbott as vice-president, and E. Searson as secretary, and Messrs. Howard, D. A. Finch, L. F. Farnsworth, G. H. Geddes, R. L. Harrison and Wm. Frank.

On July 29, 1895, A. H. Waterhouse was elected principal of the high school. He was principal here for two years. He then resigned to become principal of Lincoln, Nebraska, high school, which position he later resigned to take the principalship of Omaha high school and after some years he was elected superintendent of schools at Fremont, Nebraska, which position he now occupies.

In 1896 members elected to the board were Thos. C. Shaw, H. S. Ferrar and G. H. Geddes. Holdover members were Howard, Farnsworth, Harrison, Frank, Veit and Finch.

A. H. Waterhouse was reelected principal of the high school and Bayard H. Paine (now district judge) and John F. Matthews (now principal of the high school) reelected and E. A. McGlasson elected principal of Howard school.

Before the close of the school year 1897-8 Assistant Principal Bayard H. Paine became court reporter for District Judge Jno. R. Thompson and left the school work.

The board as reorganized on July 5, 1898, comprised Louis Veit, president, R. L. Harrison, secretary, and members were Mc- Allister, G. H. Geddes, H. S. Ferrar, L. F. Farnsworth, D. A. Finch, B. C. Howard and a* new member, Henry Rosswick. High school teachers elected in 1898 were John F. Matthews, principal. Miss Edith Abbott, Grace Bentley, and Mrs. C. Petersen, Mrs. S. A. Clarke for music, M. M. Burnham for drawing and Ella Blunk for German in the grades.

In July, 1899, Miss Edith Abbott resigned as assistant principal of high school and Miss Grace Abbott became her successor as teacher of history. H. O. Sutton, now of the Kearney Normal stafif, became assistant principal of high school. The board for 1899-1900 were Messrs. Veit, Harrison. Finch, Mc- Allister, Farnsworth, Howard, Ferrar, Rosswick, and Geddes, being the same members as served the year before.

In July, 1900, the board reorganized. M. H. Wilkins was elected to fill a vacancy, vice B. C. Howard, deceased. H. A. Edwards came on as new member for three years, and G. H. Geddes and R. L. Harrison were reelected. L. Veit, president, and R. L. Harrison, secretary, were reelected and L. F. Farnsworth chosen as vice-president.

In 1901 Lewis S. Moore was elected for a term of three years and Bayard H. Paine for a term of two years, and Messrs. Veit and Cosh reelected.

1909 - H. A. Edwards and Chas. B. Norris were reelected for three year terms and A. J. Baumann came onto the board for a full term and Wm. Scheffel was elected for a two year term vice Alden, and Henry Vieregg for a one year term, to succeed Louis Veit, who died after serving as a member of the board for seventeen years.

two women served the full term of three years and were not candidates for reelection and were the only women who have served as members up to the date of the publication of this history'. During this period domestic science and manual training were added to the course of study.

1918 - E. H. Baker, W. A. Druliner and Herman Nelson were elected. Mr. Drulinger resigned to become janitor of high school and P. Ralph Neumeyer was appointed to fill the vacancy. Menck, Neumeyer and Dr. Chollette were elected in 1919.

In 1875 District 26 reported twenty-two children of school age residing therein, sixteen in attendance, and 160 days of school for that year. William H. Sampson received $75 for teaching the term, and $9 was reported for fuel and other purposes. McGuffey's and Sanders spellers, McGufifey's and Hilliard readers, Spencerian writing books, Ray's arithmetic and Camell's geographies were used to instruct the pioneer youth of the Doniphan community.

The report was made by Director Eli M. Burger, and showed the following families then residing in the district, and their children of school age :

In 1873 the annual report of School District No. 8 showed ten boys and eleven girls residing in the disttrict of school age, and six boys and twelve girls of school age attending the school and two under five years of age. Sixty days of school were held during the term, as reported by David Barrick, director, on April 5, 1873, and the teacher was Rebecca Hilerman, whe served for $30 per

The families living in the district, in 1873 who had children of school age were Lewis Abbott (Warren W.), David Barrick (Mary C, Ina R.), Nicholas Burkerd (Ida, Julius), John Conners (Fannie), Otto Homan (William, Mary, Andrew), Franklin Howe (John), Samientha Hunt (Fannie), Josephus H. Murphy (Alice, Nellie, Newton), Nathaniel Ramsdel (Harry, Ruben), Charles E Towne (Edwin S.), Frederick T. Welch (Etta, Al- .ford, Angeline), Benjamin Wagner (Mary). The report for 1872 showed some other families; Samuel Guy (Mary, Belle and Franklin), M. Hilerman (Servina, Anna, Willis, Adda), and William Wells (Wallace).

Schools Of Wood River

was continued until some years later it was organized into District No. 5. It was not until 1872 that the settlement was advanced sufficiently around the present site of Wood River to organize a school. In that year District N'o- 8 was organized with Hi Jones, David Barrick and Joseph Dunphy as a board of trustees and Miss Rebekah Hileman (later Mrs Hi Jones) was installed a teacher in a little school house just outside the present corporate limits of Wood River, and eleven pupils were enrolled. Following Mi5s Hileman, John Allan, so well known to Hall County people for his long faithful service as clerk of the district court and abstractor in years since then, "taught the young idea how to shoot." In 1882 Charles Thompson was elected principal and Mrs. Anna Budenburg assistant, with two additional teachers. It was in this year that the large frame school building was commenced, it having at that time four rooms. Prof. Thompson was succeeded by Prof. F. L. Morris who had charge of the schools from the fall of 1883 to the fall of 1885, when Prof. Thompson was again elected principal and served in that capacity until 1888 when he was sucseeded by Prof. W. L. Sprague, who continued at the head of the school until 1894 when he accepted a position as cashier of the Citizens' State Bank. Following Prof. Sprague came Prof. A. H. Seymour, and in 1895 he was succeeded by Prof. J. H. Ellison, who taught for one year, and his successor was Prof. J. A. Beard who stayed four years. Prof. Baker, 1902-1907; Stephenson, 1907- 1909; Hull, 1909-1912; Vance, 1912-1913; Colbert. 1913-1914, and in 1914, Prof. Julian, who is still in charge of Wood River's schools came.

The report for the year 1872, made by Thos. Mitchell, director, showed nine boys and sixteen girls of school age, with eleven boys and twelve girls actually attending school in that district. One hundred and twenty days of school were taught by John Harrison and Mrs. Jenny Sweet, each teaching one-half term. The school house cost $1,790 to build, repairs $4 and rent $15 were shown also for that year. Fuel was $24.90, and $210 was paid to the teachers.

The families then residing in the district, with children of school age were : Wallace Spirk (Cora, Mary, Florence), W. Farr (Earnest), C. L. Goodrich (Eva Goodrich), Mrs. McCarty (Catherine), D. Barnholster (George, Mary, Elizabeth), Jenny Sweet (Minie), Mr. Straub (James, William, George, Lydie, Amelia, Mary and Gorden), A. J. Lockeby (Hiram), John Watsen (Claten, Martha), J. H. Andrews (William), William ^Mitchell (Merty), E. Brown, guardian (Addie Delap), and Thomas Mitchell (H. F., John and Caudis).

DISTRICT NO. 72 (Cairo) A petition was presented on August 30, 1886, signed by the proper number of qualified resident tax-payers asking that certain sections be detached from School District 58 and joined with certain sections in District 64, and a new district formed. The petition was sworn to and presented by O. L. Brainard. After being favorably acted upon, this new district became No. 72. A partial report was made for the school year beginning in the fall of 1886 by District 72 and part of the work reported by District 58, by G. W. Tingley, director, filed on the 8th of April, 1887, a new school census, which showed the following families then residing in that new district, who had children of school age : G. W. Tingley (Belle, Edwin, Walter G.), Wm Thompson (Maybell), Geo Elfers (Birtha), Mr. Chase (Edward, John, Arthur, Chase), (Albert Wingert), Wm. Ofield (Frank, William, Hilary, Lottie, Reta, Lucy, Emma, Ida), D. T. Cline (Bessie, Lucien Cline, Carrie Hammer), Sherman Dunlap (Nellie Gillette), Joseph

During the tern ending in 1887, the teacher was Lura Maxon, and the report showed eleven boys and sixteen girls between five and twenty-one years and two below five in attendance. Sixty days of school were held for the term, and the teacher received $30 per month.

District No. 80

Upon October 12, 1901, Fred Stolley filled a petition with the county superintendent, asking that all land situated between the south channel and the north bank of the the middle channel of the Platte River, now in District Number 28 be set out and formed in a district known as District No. 80. That "if said petition should be granted that it be done upon the condition that if at any time there is no need for a school in said newly formed district, the land shall fall back to district twentyeight."

This new district was the last regularly formed district in Hall County, and at the opening of the year 1919 was running under the direction of its original board, Fred Stolley, Grand Island, Mrs. A. Schimmer, Grand Island, and Julius Peters, Grand Island.

District No. 101

Hall County's youngest school district is her share of a new consolidated district formed in the extreme southeastern comer, out of territory in Clay, Adams, Hamilton and Hall Counties.

The Hall County students attending this consolidated school for school year were: Imogene, Genevieve and Lucile, children of Wm. Hazle, Trumbull, Nebraska, Lucile. daughter of W. E. Christopher, Raymond and Elgin, children of Homer Loucks, Marjorie and Delbert, children of Truman Barrows, Thomas and Marie, children of L. Stevenson, Harold, son of John Hazle, and Elwood, son of F. E. Castle.

plies to school children in the city of Grand Island. But the school population in the rural districts, or outside Grand Island, has been growing less during the past ten years.

This astonishing fact was shown when the school census taken in each rural school district was compiled in the ofiiice of county superintendent in 1919. A comparison of the census facts of this year with 1918 discovers that there were 147 children fewer in the rural districts this year than in 1918. In fact there are fewer school children now than ten years ago in the rural districts.

Reasons for this state of afifairs are difficult to find. Some explanations have been offered, but naturally they are only guesses. One is that many farmers have been moving to Grand Island in order to take advantage of better school facilities permitted there. Another suggestion is that the birth rate has been lower, large families not being so customary as in former years.

The total number of children of school age - that is, between five and twenty-one - in the county outside of Grand Island, as shown by the 1919 census is 3,058. In 1918 there were 3,205 children of school age in the rural districts. Ten years ago, or in 1909, there were 3,188 children in the same school districts.

The following table shows changes in school population. The first column shows the year, the second column shows the total school population, the third column shows the city school population, and the last column the school children in the rural districts.

A comparison also was made by The Independent of the changes in school population in other towns in the county than Grand Island. The result showed Wood River had more school children than ten years ago. Alda had fewer school children this year than in 1909. The same is true with Doniphan. Cairo has more this year than in 1909, though fewer than in any of the five years previous to 1919. During the entire eleven years, 1909 to 1919 inclusive, the banner year according to school population was 1912 for Wood River, 1909 for Alda, 1916 for Doniphan, and 1916 for Cairo.

Grand Island Business And Normal College

Another excellent educational institution which though a private institution has been an iportant factor in the educational activities of Hall County, is the Grand Island Business and Normal College. This institution was started in 1885 by Prof. Hargis, Prof Rucker and Prof Evans. The beginning was very small with an insignificant number of pupils, and some of the citizens came to the assistance by buying certificates of scholarship, though they had no immediate use for them. During the slow progress of the first years of the school, Profs. Evans and Rucker retired, and Prof Hargis and his wife, the sister of Prof. Evans and then the teacher of shorthand in the school, took sole charge. The number of scholars grew rapidly, the faculty enlarged and more rooms added to the quarters of the school. By 1897 the institution used the whole upper floor of a building at Third and Spruce. A business course, a normal course, and a shorthand course have been the main courses offered by the school. The school has in recent years been quartered in the five-story building at South Locust street, between Second and Third streets. Prof. Hargis is now residing in Los Angeles, and Prof. A. L. Dunn, who has acquired in interest in the school, is the resident manager of the institution. This school has grown to such proportons that it has a very numerous faculty and at times in the year has an enrollment exceeding 300 students. Its importance as a contributing factor to the commercial institutions of the town through the large number of students it brings from several states, for their board, room-rent and clothing expenses are no small factor in the commercial business of the city, and its contribution to the postal receipts of the town, entitle it to be considered with the commercial as well as the educational institutions of the city and county.

As early as 1867 the Baptists of Nebraska, in the first meeting of the state convention, passed resolutions favoring a school of higher .learning. But more than a score of years passed before a college was started in Grand Island. This city donated for these purposes property including two brick buildings and twelve to fifteen acres of land, valued at about $60,000. The school opened in October, 1892, as an academy with Prof. A. M. Wilson acting as president. The enrollment of pupils was fifty during that year. The year closed in doubt and discouragement.

In 1893 Dr. George Sutherland, then of Ottawa University, Kansas, was elected president and at once took charge of the work. As president, almost founder, he has rendered a service beyond estimate during eighteen years presidency. The academy was changed to a

College, indebtedness was met, a faculty was secured, and the College opened with forty students, with a score or more entering during the year. This was an encouraging and heroic beginning. But 1894 brought another year of trial, the year of the great drouth. By patience and persistence the president with the assistance of the Baptist pastor, Dr. E. F. Jorden, brought the institution through the financial crisis and gave it permanency ; Dr. Jorden's efficient work was entirely gratuitous. The first class to graduate was in 1895 and consisted of but one person, Mrs. Grace Bentley Paine.

The administration was fortunate, about this time, in securing Dr. A. S. Merrifield as financial secretary, who during eleven years of service, raised over $100,000 for the school, securing large donations from eastern capitalists. The city of Grand Island has been most willing with generous donations, and its financial help has gone far in making the work successful.

The college at present has five buildings : the administration building, a three-story brick building with twenty-seven rooms ; Hibbs Hall, the girls dormitory, with rooms for 100 girls, the gift of John A. Hibbs of Omaha; Grand Island Hall, boys' dormitory; these buildings have hot and cold water, electric lights, and modern conveniences ; the power house ; and the gymnasium, built largely by the enterprise of the students and Alumni.

The college has an excellent library of 10,- 000 volumes, now located in the rooms of the administration building, but greatly in need of a separate building. The faculty has usually numbered from twelve to fourteen during the past twenty years. More than twenty-five hun. dred students have enrolled in its history. In the hall of the main building is hanging a service flag showing seventy-nine stars, four of which are in gold ; a mute but eloquent witness to the part that the students have had in the world war.

university in the state that successfully passed all its candidates for the examination. Many of its students have won master's and doctor's degrees in the University of Chicago. Its orators have live times taken first place in state oratorical contests. The Alumni and former students, found in almost all professions and occupations, are the greatest argument to prove the value of the institution. Scattered in all parts of the state and in many other states they forcibly testify to the contribution the college has made to public welfare.

After a year, in which the college closed for the purposes of. reorganizing its affairs generally, the plans have been laid for reopening in 1919 on a larger scale than ever. The prospects for the future can best be outlined by presenting here a review of the situation, published recently in the Independent :

Mr. York, the state secretary, reported that $165,000 has already been raised in the financial campaign which is just closing and that the total will probably go to $175,000. In view of the success of this effort the trustees voted to proceed at once with the selection of a standard faculty and with other plans which had been worked out for the standardizing of the school. Dean Arthur T. Belknap of Franklin college has been chosen president of the institution.

President Belknap was born in Framingham, Mass., February 8, 1872. He graduated from the Framingham High School and in 1893 from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, with the degree of A. D. Three years later he received his Master Degree from the same institution. He is also a graduate of Newton Theological Institution, Newton Centre, Mass., and holds the degree of S. T. B. and he has been a graduate student of history in Harvard University.

Mr. Belknap is a minister of the Baptist denomination, having been ordained at Sanford, Maine, February 26, 1897, and served on the active pastorate for a period of nine years. First at Stanford, Maine, then at Andover, Massachusetts, and last at the Jefferson Street Baptist Church, Providence Rhode Island. This experience gave him an intimate knowledge of denominational organization and work and makes it possible for him to articulate readily the work of the college with the denominational needs.

His popularity with the students was such that when the daily papers announced that he was considering the presidency of Grand Island College a petition was presented to the Board of Trustees of Franklin College requesting that they do every thing in their power to retain the services of Dean Belknap at Franklin.

When he took the train at Franklin for Grand Island students and faculty escorted him in a body to the station thus expressing their deep affection for him.

After the selection of the president the Board considered applications for various other positions on the college faculty. Under the new plan the academy will consist of the eleventh and twelfth grades of high school work and will be operated separately from, the College proper with a separate corps of instructors.

The Conservatory will be as thoroughly reorganized as the College has been. Commodious headquarters will be provided for the Conservatory at the college building. The present quarters in the Glover building will be retained as an annex for the convenience of the local constituency. The new conservatory faculty will consist of four departmental heads viz., voice, piano, violin, and expression, and several assistants.

After very lengthy and careful consideration of all the factors involved the Board of ti-ustees came unanimously to the conclusion that it is financially impracticable and educationally unwise to operate a commercial pepartment of business college and better determined that it shall not hereafter be a part of the college work or function.

On the other hand the work of the normal department will be greatly strengthened. Courses similar to and of equal rank with the State Normal schools will be thoroughly given under the best teachers.

Parochial Schools

The Catholic parochial school of St. Mary's is intended for the education of the children of the Catholic families, is conducted by the Sisters of Charity and gives instructions in all of the common branches, in the United States history and required subjects to prepare the children for entrance into the high school, or for college if they pursue its entire course of study.

The high standing of this school was attested by the fact that all its teachers hold certificates complying with the new law requiring a teacher in parochial schools to have equal qualifications with those of a public school, and they all did so before that law was passed last spring.

The parochial schools conducted by the parish of the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church, and the one conducted by the Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul church have been treated in the church chapter.