While I was a student in a rural school in Dodge County, little did I realize that someday I would be a teacher in a rural school setting. As a student in a rural school, I attended three such districts mainly due to the location of my parent’s farm. The first, District 44 in Dodge County, was about 1.5 miles from my home. In good weather, I usually walked to and from school. During the winter of 1949, I recall my father taking me to and from school on horseback. The drifts were so high that the horse could walk over the telephone lines.
The rural schools that I attended had one teacher for grades K-8. She taught all the subjects, including music, art, physical education, etc., plus special programs such as the Christmas program. As I recall, the teachers also handled the custodial duties.
I also remember that on the front of our report cards, there were guidelines for what would pass for moral/character education today. These included 1) Be clean in person, habits, thought and speech; 2) Be dutiful, polite and respectful to parents, teachers and all whom you may meet; 3) Be earnest in play, and equally earnest in work, 4) Cultivate promptness, energy and patient industry;
5) Please keep this report neat and clean.
After completing high school, I attended Midland College and graduated in 1961. I then taught fourth grade in the Gretna Public Schools that year. In 1969 we moved to Kearney and for some time I was a stay-at-home mother, along with some preschool teaching at our church.
In 1979 I was approached by a rural school board member about teaching a half-day kindergarten class at a rural school, Greenhill, close to Kearney. I decided that would be a good fit for me after having taught preschool for several years. I would have nine students, and there would be three teachers instead of one, with the grades being K-6.
At Greenhill, there was always lots of parental involvement such as providing food for the Thanksgiving Feasts, planning Halloween parties, etc. The close relationships with the families in the Greenhill District were greatly appreciated. As our student population increased, we were provided with special services from the Educational Service Unit, and we also had assistance in the areas of music, physical education, plus some teacher assistants. In 1990, because the Greenhill student enrollment was increasing, it was decided that the district would be assimilated with the Kearney School District. In looking back at my experience in the Greenhill District, I have always considered those years as being so rewarding in my teaching career. How fortunate I was!!!
The rural schools that I attended had one teacher for grades K-8. She taught all the subjects, including music, art, physical education, etc., plus special programs such as the Christmas program. As I recall, the teachers also handled the custodial duties.
I also remember that on the front of our report cards, there were guidelines for what would pass for moral/character education today. These included 1) Be clean in person, habits, thought and speech; 2) Be dutiful, polite and respectful to parents, teachers and all whom you may meet; 3) Be earnest in play, and equally earnest in work, 4) Cultivate promptness, energy and patient industry;
5) Please keep this report neat and clean.
After completing high school, I attended Midland College and graduated in 1961. I then taught fourth grade in the Gretna Public Schools that year. In 1969 we moved to Kearney and for some time I was a stay-at-home mother, along with some preschool teaching at our church.
In 1979 I was approached by a rural school board member about teaching a half-day kindergarten class at a rural school, Greenhill, close to Kearney. I decided that would be a good fit for me after having taught preschool for several years. I would have nine students, and there would be three teachers instead of one, with the grades being K-6.
At Greenhill, there was always lots of parental involvement such as providing food for the Thanksgiving Feasts, planning Halloween parties, etc. The close relationships with the families in the Greenhill District were greatly appreciated. As our student population increased, we were provided with special services from the Educational Service Unit, and we also had assistance in the areas of music, physical education, plus some teacher assistants. In 1990, because the Greenhill student enrollment was increasing, it was decided that the district would be assimilated with the Kearney School District. In looking back at my experience in the Greenhill District, I have always considered those years as being so rewarding in my teaching career. How fortunate I was!!!