MODERN SCHOOL IN DISTRICT 34 REPLACES ONE IN USE 44 YEARS.
While District No. 34, seven miles southeast of Genoa, is not the wealthiest district in Platte county, its people can point with pride to a modern school which excels the educational facilities provided in some of the other districts that have bigger property valuations on the assessment records.
The new school house, erected during the past summer, was formally dedicated with public exercises Tuesday afternoon, attended by more than half a hundred people, in addition to the pupils. The condition of the roads resulting from the recent storm interfered somewhat with the size of the crowd, but not with its enthusiasm.
A program of songs, recitations and dialogues was given by the pupils who had been carefully drilled for the occasion by their teacher, Miss Stella Bator, and who acquitted themselves with credit.
County Superintendent Lecron informed the people of District 31 [sic] that their new school was a standard building, and explained in detail the requirements of design and equipment that it met to be so rated. Proper lighting and ventilation were not a matter of guess-work, he said, but had been established by scientific tests. The new building should be used, not only for school purposes, but as a community social center.
Miss Hanly, county nurse, outlined the health work being undertaken by the Red Cross in co-operation with the schools. The examination of men for the army during the war established the fact that a great per cent of them had physical defects, she said, which would handicap them not only in war, but also in their civil life. This led the Red Cross to adopt its school nurse plan, the purpose of which, she explained, is to discover in the children the defects which may be remedied that they may grow up strong and healthy.
County Attorney Otto F. Walter chose for his theme, "The Value of Education." Education, he said, was an absolute necessity for national wefare and an inestimable benefit to the individual. It was a bulwark of national defense. He directed attention to the fact that the use of chemistry and physics in perfecting the devices of war was simply an application of education, and that the progress of national in peace time was commensurate with their progress in education. "For instance," he said, "Why is Japan so far superior to China as a nation? Because the men in charge of the government of Japan have appreciated the value of education and have laid special stress upon educating the young men of the country." As for the benefit of education to the individual, Mr. Walter said, it broaded a persons' vision and increased his earning-power, all to the end that he might better appreciate the good things of life and get greater pleasure out of life.
History of District 34. Miss Clair Kurth read an interesting history of District 34 from the date of its organization to the present time. It was as follows:
"The old, musty records, brown with the many passing years, as found in the damp vaults of the old court house, dating as early as 1870, give ample proof that District No. 34 was originally a part of District No. 8, now known as the Gardiner district, which in its original form of the late '60s, comprised the whole territory from the Loup river to the south boundary of Platte county, or practically what is now known as Loup township.
"The early officers of District No. 8 were C.N. Abbott, J. Gardiner, P. Wheeler, Isaac Posegate and C.W. Abbott, all of whom received their mail at Cherry Hill, later known as Jackson and now Duncan. From the original District No. 8 our District No. 34 was formed, as well as neighboring districts--No. 73, the Boss district, and No. 37, the Imhof district. The order creating District No. 34 was signed by Chas. A. Speice, county superintendent, August 1, 1874. The following winter, there being no school house, a term of school of four months was taught by Miss Emma Witchey in Daniel Benson's house, located on the east eighty of his claim, now owned by Arnold Geiser. Her wages were $25 a month. The same year Mr. Benson's house burned down, consequently they had to find another place in which they could hold their second term of school. J.J. Blodgett, living on the extreme east boundary of the district, consented to let them use his house for that purpose. This term of school was taught by Thomas Hall.
"In 1876 the old settlers built a school house on the east forty of Geo. P. Shotwell's claim, now owned by Hector Kurth. Ada Bingham was the first teacher to teach in this school house. This term lasted only three months, with a raise of wages of $2.50 a month.
"For two score and four years this building has been a familiar landmark, although it has had four different sites. Time left its marks on this old school of ours and in the past few years it has been referred to as an 'old shack' and an 'old shell,' and it was remarked that it was a disgrace to the community. But in spite of all these unkind remarks, we owe this dear old school house, as well as its founders, a tribute: Long and well has it answered the purpose for which it was built, since the day of the pioneers, the unbroken prairie, the Indian, the oxen team and crude farm implements, through the era of later settlement, breaking of prairie improvement of farm implements the day of the nifty driving teams and carriage down to the present day of the automobile, the telephone, the tractors, trucks, etc. Through this evolution or unfolding of time it has been a gathering place for children seeking knowledge and also pleasure when they and their parents attended literaries which were instructive for both young and old, also when they came with well-filled boxes for the box-suppers, to listen to the interesting programs prepared by the teachers and pupils. The last gatherings were those of the war saving society which were of a social, as well as a patriotic nature.
"In the summer of 1920, the present school board--Hector Kurth, Arnold Geiser and Henry Stetz--with the aid of former director Fred Lemp and the hearty co-operative of the patrons and our county superintendent, Fred S. Lecron, brought about the erection of this, our new standard school house which we are dedicating today. This winter we have an enrollment of twenty-two bright and enthusiastic boys and girls, and with the aid of our efficient teacher, Miss Stella Bator, we have a very successful school year."
The exercises at an end, a bountiful spread, prepared by the ladies of the district, was served by Mrs. Arnold Geiser, Mrs. Hector Kurth and Mrs. Peter Rubin.
Description of the Building. The new school was erected at a cost in excess of $4,000. It is 36x28 feet in dimensions, with a 10-foot ceiling. Special features are conveniently located, built-in book-cases, two large cloak rooms so arranged that they can be used as dressing rooms when costume entertainments are given, standard lighting and ventilation, roller windows, with screens and the latest pattern of adjustable shades. Soil conditions made it impossible to have a basement beneath the building, so the furnace was placed in the school room. It is of a special design, insuring an even distribution of heat. Across the front of the building is a large porch, with cement floor and brick colonnades.
The old building was sold to Henry Stetz.[The Columbus Telegram, February 11, 1921]
The rural school house in Dist. No. 34, Platte county, in Loup township, six miles southeast of Genoa, was completely destroyed by fire together with all its contents, when it was struck by lightening during the severe electrical storm last night. The building...was erected about fifteen years ago at a cost of approximately $4,000. [The Columbus Telegram, reprinted August 6, 2012 from an August 6, 1932 article]