Country Schools. . . Antelope County

Neligh News Thurs. Sep 22, 1955 -- page 4 

District 35 Has Its Share of Smiths
by Mabel Guild 

There are about as many Smiths in the history of school district 35 as there are bees in a hive. Information for this story of the Smiths and their connection with Sunnyside school was provided by Mrs. Ruth Smith-Young.

Building these lines around the life of Charles W. Smith, we will tell you something about one of Willow’s most prominent pioneers, who is now deceased. He was born and orphaned at Stockholm, Sweden and at eight years of age befriended by a sea captain who brought him to the United States where he grew to manhood and married, establishing a home in Harrison County, Mondamin, Ia.

It’s a far cry back to the summer of 1879 when Charley Smith and his family homesteaded in Antelope county, settling in Crawford Township. It was very evident that there would soon be a railroad to Neligh with communication to the rest of the world, so the county was filled up with people fast. The Smith claim was located 15 miles northeast of Neligh and 8 miles southeast of Brunswick.

Mr. Smith and a number of other enterprising men were instrumental in organizing a school in 1881. The three older Smith children, Len, Dean and Ralph went to school in the first school house of sod. Later on a frame school was made on what is now Art Allen’s farm in Willow township. There Clair and Ruth Smith started to school. In 1903 this building was moved across the road and District 35 has since been located on the Claude Allen’s farm, just 3/4 of a mile from the Smith farmstead. The present commodious two-room school was erected there in 1914.

There has been some of the children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smith attending District 35 ever since it was established, with the exception of two years, when Wayne Smith moved out and before Lyle Young moved into the district. All of Len and Dean’s children and three of Ralph’s attended there. Great grandchildren of Charles Smith whose names have been on the school register are the children of Zella Smith-Marsh, Clayton Smith, Walter Smith and Wayne Smith. Now Karen and Dennis Young, children of Lyle Young, attend school and can boast of the Smith blood in their veins.

Charles Smith served on the school board for 17 years, Dean Smith served in that capacity for 15 years.

Marjory Smith-Snodgrass taught there in the years of 1915-1916.

Mrs. Alice Smith, the wife of Clair, taught at Sunnyside in 1918-19. Now this is the reason that the school carried the name of “Smith” school for so long. We believe it is better known today as the “Allen” school, the building being located near the Claude Allen house yard.

As a pioneer school District 35 was no better nor any poorer than other schools in the county. It stood as a type, and was representative. The hardships of one locality was the lot of pupils, teachers and parents in other communities. Len, Dean and Ralph were in school the day of the January 12th blizzard in 1888. Adeline Rehberg was the teacher. Len went home by himself, soon after the storm struck. Mr. Smith and the two younger boys were lost twice in their own yard, but finally made it safely home. In the early day District 35 was used as a place of Sunday School and worship.

The school board for 1954-55 was listed as Marion Rasmussen, Ralph Snodgrass and Arthur Huwaldt. Twenty eight pupils attended school there last year.

It is an eighth grade school at present taught by Lois Kruse and Elberta Honeywell. For a time the 9th and 10th grades were taught there.

In discussing the Smith’s with an old Willow resident, he said, “Mrs. Smith joined many quilting bees and I remember Mrs. Smith driving a shiny black team hitched to a carriage, bringing the family to a settlers home. While the ladies quilted and chatted, their youngsters played with the other children and the men visited together, one another’s interests their own.”

Of Charley Smith’s children still living there are: Ralph Smith of Meadow Grove, Clair of Pender, and Ruth Young of Plainview. This is a large family group, most of them living near enough so they make it back for the Smith family picnic in August.

Many beautiful cottonwood trees remain on the old Smith placer that are monuments to the early owner.

**A Smith-later generation family member, Sarah Hubel (Smith) notified this Antelope County Coordinator in 2025 about this Sep 1955 Neligh News story. This District 35 news was transcribed and posted on the Antelope County NEGenWeb school history pages by Linda Ziemann, site-coordinator.***