Anna Kamm Hergert
Anna Kamm graduated from Platte Center High School and then attended York College for one year. This qualified her to receive the State Teachers Certificate. She returned home and was hired by Platte County School District #11 for the school year of 1942-1943 at a salary of $65 per month.
The schoolhouse was unusual because it not only had one room where all instruction took place, but it also had a basement which was the same size as the classroom above. In one corner of this room there was a furnace and a coatroom. It was also used as a lunch room. On bad weather days, it was a game room!
The school day began with the pledge to the flag, followed by a short music period. After the classes for the day started and daily chores were pre-arranged, at the front of the room the teaching took place for the class sessions. Papers were checked, questions were answered, and new assignments were explained and given. There was a morning and afternoon recess and a one hour lunch and recreation break. Afternoon classes followed the same pattern as the morning classes. In May, county exams were taken by 7th and 8th grade students. If they did not pass after a second try, the 8th grade had to be repeated. School was dismissed at 4:00 p.m. Children did not stay after school very often as their walk home needed to be completed before dark.
At the completion of three years at District #11, Anna was offered a position at District #22. At the end of that year she decided that it was time to return to York College from which she graduated in 1949.
On December, 27, 1949, Anna was married to Forrest Hergert. She continued to teach until Forrest completed his education and was appointed as pastor to the United Methodist Church of Dalton, Illinois. While living in Dalton they adopted two children. What a blessing! After son Paul went to school, Anna continued to teach four years at Forrest Park and 14 years at Wheaton, IL teaching Jr. High Math.
She often looked back on her experience as a teacher in the country school, for it was not only where the students learned to read and write, but she also learned how to help those students who were in need of “help”, whether it was in the classroom or on the playground.
Submitted by Frank Kamm
Anna Kamm graduated from Platte Center High School and then attended York College for one year. This qualified her to receive the State Teachers Certificate. She returned home and was hired by Platte County School District #11 for the school year of 1942-1943 at a salary of $65 per month.
The schoolhouse was unusual because it not only had one room where all instruction took place, but it also had a basement which was the same size as the classroom above. In one corner of this room there was a furnace and a coatroom. It was also used as a lunch room. On bad weather days, it was a game room!
The school day began with the pledge to the flag, followed by a short music period. After the classes for the day started and daily chores were pre-arranged, at the front of the room the teaching took place for the class sessions. Papers were checked, questions were answered, and new assignments were explained and given. There was a morning and afternoon recess and a one hour lunch and recreation break. Afternoon classes followed the same pattern as the morning classes. In May, county exams were taken by 7th and 8th grade students. If they did not pass after a second try, the 8th grade had to be repeated. School was dismissed at 4:00 p.m. Children did not stay after school very often as their walk home needed to be completed before dark.
At the completion of three years at District #11, Anna was offered a position at District #22. At the end of that year she decided that it was time to return to York College from which she graduated in 1949.
On December, 27, 1949, Anna was married to Forrest Hergert. She continued to teach until Forrest completed his education and was appointed as pastor to the United Methodist Church of Dalton, Illinois. While living in Dalton they adopted two children. What a blessing! After son Paul went to school, Anna continued to teach four years at Forrest Park and 14 years at Wheaton, IL teaching Jr. High Math.
She often looked back on her experience as a teacher in the country school, for it was not only where the students learned to read and write, but she also learned how to help those students who were in need of “help”, whether it was in the classroom or on the playground.
Submitted by Frank Kamm