Avis Sandberg was born on June 11, 1917, in a dugout in Banner County, one of the most western counties of Nebraska. She was the daughter of Morris and Myrtle (Schindler) Sandberg and the eldest of seven children. Her parents moved from one Banner County community to another, so she attended primary schools in Gary, Epworth, and Flowerfield. Flowerfield only offered classes through the 10th grade so she lived in Harrisburg with the William Lee family for her Junior year. Kathryn Lee had been her teacher at Epworth and was now the district superintendent of schools. The next year her parents bought a house in Harrisburg since her siblings would be following Avis in the coming years. Her senior year, she was in charge of the family for most of the week. Her mother came in periodically to bring food and check up on them. Avis graduated from Harrisburg High School as valedictorian in 1934. She then attended Chadron State College for three months to obtain the necessary course work to apply for a teaching position. She took the qualifying exam in Harrisburg and obtained a three-year certificate. Kathryn Lee offered her a teaching position at her former school at Epworth. She taught there from 1935 to 1937. In June 1937, she married Dwight Brodhead. They moved to Scottsbluff where they raised four children.
Walking two miles to Epworth School carrying drinking water, her lunch, and teaching supplies was a daily event for Avis. As a beginning teacher, Avis lived with the Elmer and Doris Kryger family, the home of two of her students. Their daughter, Jean Branigan still corresponds with her. She was teacher for 13 students, grades 1-8. She faced students that she knew and some of the boys were taller than she. The school building was a one-room structure with desks, a stove, and a chalkboard. Outside there was a shed for coal and wood for the stove and one for the students horses – no pump for running water, hence the need to carry water. With very few books, paper and writing utensils, Avis used what she had to teach all subjects. Like any creative teacher, she turned to board games to excite her students. She asked them to learn their letters by using corn to form them.
She kept their interest by playing a ladder game on the chalkboard. Each correct answer took the student up a rung on the ladder – questions were grade level appropriate, of course. In education, she would become the model not only for her students but also for her siblings and children.
Walking two miles to Epworth School carrying drinking water, her lunch, and teaching supplies was a daily event for Avis. As a beginning teacher, Avis lived with the Elmer and Doris Kryger family, the home of two of her students. Their daughter, Jean Branigan still corresponds with her. She was teacher for 13 students, grades 1-8. She faced students that she knew and some of the boys were taller than she. The school building was a one-room structure with desks, a stove, and a chalkboard. Outside there was a shed for coal and wood for the stove and one for the students horses – no pump for running water, hence the need to carry water. With very few books, paper and writing utensils, Avis used what she had to teach all subjects. Like any creative teacher, she turned to board games to excite her students. She asked them to learn their letters by using corn to form them.
She kept their interest by playing a ladder game on the chalkboard. Each correct answer took the student up a rung on the ladder – questions were grade level appropriate, of course. In education, she would become the model not only for her students but also for her siblings and children.