The Little Daisy, District 41
School District “41,” better known as the “Little Daisy,” was sold to the highest bidder September 22, 1962. [**See note & photos below] The school is located west of the West Cedar Valley Cemetery in the southeast corner of the SE1/4 of Section 30 in Oakdale Township.
Many children have stepped over its threshold since it took the place of the early day sod school house, which was built a few feet east of the present building. The pupils who attended the soddy the last day were:
Katie Welsch,
Fanny Covey,
Mary Covey,
Ellen Beeley,
Ellen Cooper,
Viola Holler.
Many changes have taken place in our educational facilities down through the years. In early days our school would open in September and close in November, then open in January or February and run until May. The age of the pupils ranged from 5 years to 19 years, and there would be as many as 27 or more pupils in attendance. Often times this was all the education some of the pupils would receive.
One of our teachers was Bert Curtis, known to all as Uncle Bert. He will be remembered by his writings in our county papers. It was Uncle Bert who named our school “Little Daisy.” Mr. and Mrs. Curtis lived on their farm three miles north and one half west of the school and he would walk to school to his day’s work. The Curtis family moved here from Michigan in 1880 and it was in 1883 he taught a two month term in the Little Daisy at $30 a month.
In 1894 James McKay was teacher and had 24 pupils. Mr. Dellzell, one time state superintendent, also taught here in the early days. Mr. J. F. S. Smith, a state representative, was the director. Some of the pupils that term were:
James and Martin Welch,
Jacob Lindberg,
Rosie Jessie,
Edythe Covey,
Willa Melvin
The Henry Cooper family.
The next term was taught by Emma Welch and the six children of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Karls were added to the roll. This family lived on the Will Griffiths farm and were related to the Lute Bennett’s.
Alice and Eva Faucett (Mrs. Barker) started to school that year. Nancy McClane, Mossie Burke, Mary Griffin, Nellie Kent, Ed White and Lorena Creal were the teachers that followed.
In 1900 William Nyrop taught the last half of the term with James Covey as director. In September, 1900, our first eight months opened with 27 pupils enrolled. Jane Donner was the teacher. To the regular pupils were added five children of Lute Bennett, named Grace, Bertha, John Zetta and Willie.
I attended my first year in 1902 with Grace Warner (Blackstone) as teacher and 31 pupils enrolled. By this time John Schlenz, John Coulthard and Joseph Keil families located in the district. In 1903 the Theo. Mackel, John Penne and H. McIntyre families moved into the community.
In 1904, forty pupils enrolled with Mable Morris (Bartley) as the teacher. Mrs. Bartley has been honored at the Oakdale School where she had taught for 50 years. Many of her pupils from the “Little Daisy” attended. Other teachers that I recall are Nettie Glassburn of Ewing NE, Harriet Jeffery of Wayne NE, Ollie Field of Oakdale NE, Bertha Rasp Hoefer of Elgin NE, Ella Tavener of Oakdale NE, Bea Seabury of Peru NE, and Mae Lydon Farber of Neligh NE. Many others taught after I entered high school in Elgin.
**Note: This account was written by Leah Alderson Schuchardt (Mrs. Chester Schuchardt.) As of this publication in 1976, the “Little Daisy” still stands. When it came up for sale a former pupil, Mrs. Schuchardt, was the highest bidder.
Source: History of Antelope County 1883-1973, published 1976, pages 93 & 94
**Another Note: It is believed that the two pictures posted here are pictures of the “Little Daisy” School. These pictures were found among the estate photo collections of Mrs. Orville Cooper. Orville was one of the sons of Benjamin H. Cooper and his wife, Lucinda Alderson Cooper, who lived and farmed in the Oakdale, Nebraska, community. The 2 photos are obviously taken at 2 different times. With each photo is explanation and identification. The photos have no other explanation, except for the first picture identification “Daddies School.” The Daddy to these children standing in the photos was Orville Cooper 1900-1968.
