Country Schools. . . Antelope County

Elgin Township

West Cedar Valley School
School District 18, the first in Elgin Township, was organized July 8, 1874.  What was later the Elgin School District, the first in Logan Township, was organized the same day as District 18. Since there could only be one District 18 in Antelope County, the Elgin Township school became No. 46.

There had been school in a home one-half mile east of the site chosen for the schoolhouse since 1873.  Ada V. Uthank was the first teacher in Mrs. Roger’s home.  The school on the present site was built or at least started in 1881.  However, the acre for the school was not purchased until July, 1883.  They had no money in the treasury so it was not paid for and deeded until July, 1893.

The building material was hauled from W. C. Gallowway and Co., Neligh.  The bill was $320.  The 12 years from 1881 to 1893 were hard years and a number of orders were endorsed “no funds.” 

The first teacher in the new school house was John Welch, who later moved to Washington state and became a lawyer.  Orders for teacher’s salaries were for $25 or less.  Some of those early teachers were:
O.H. Hanger, September 1890;
C.A. Holt, 1891;
Jennie Frost, 1892;
Marian Frost, September 1893;
Jennie Frost, November--;
Jennie Cooper, 1898;
William Nyrop, 1900;
Jean Donner, 1901—and she continued to be the teacher excepting a few terms until 1930.
The school closed from lack of pupils in the early 1940’s and was added to District 18 later. 

Source: History of Antelope County, 1883-1973, pg 34