County Country Schools --

District No. 83

District Links --- if you can supply history detail or identification of the subjects in the photos, please notify this County Coordinator.

Custer Township:

Custer Township was named in honor of General George H. Custer, who died in 1876. One of the first schools here was built in 1875. It was moved three different times. It was known as Crinklaw School. There was a school well but the water was not very appetizing. The building fell into need of repair and was sold in 1967 to Steve Whitwer for a house.

District 83 was one of the first schools. The school was held in a tar paper shack in 1880. Water was carried from the neighbors and coal was the fuel used. Thirty-three pupils attended in 1916. Attendance was poor as older children were absent when crops or harvesting was to be done.

In 1975 Custer Township as well as part of Ellsworth buses pupils to District 4, a large district with a modern school house. There are two teachers, one for grades 1-4 and a second teacher for grades 5-8. Sixteen children attended in 1975.

Source: History of Antelope County, 1883-1973, Pg 31