Mrs. Fox described her mother as a civic-minded woman. It was she who instilled in her daughters the value of work, the art of living, and the reward of fun. “We girls were taught to work. We didn’t wear silks and satins, but we had what other kids had.”
In 1902 Jessie was one of three women who were in the first graduating class of Wolbach High School at the end of tenth grade.
In November of that same year, she had her first teaching job for a term of 6 months in District #37, a rural school in Greeley County. The following year, she taught another six-month term in that same district before teaching a three-month term in rural southwest Nance County, Cottonwood School District #51. During the 1904‑05 school term, she taught again at the Cottonwood School. During the nine-month school term of 1906-1907 Jessie taught in Newport, Rock County District #18.
Jessie took her first college classes from Smith College in St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska.
She wrote, “In those years we specialized in the grades we were choosing to teach. My methods and observation work was for the primary 1st and 2nd grades. Before going to Peru Normal, she spent summer school in Greeley and
St. Paul, Nebraska, and then two summers and two full terms at Peru Normal when she received her diploma on June 2, 1907. Later she took classes from Kearney State Teachers College.
After graduating, she began teaching the primary grades in Wolbach Schools in Greeley County where she taught from the fall of 1907 until the spring of 1912. “I loved working with children. Being the oldest of a large family (16 children) is perhaps part of that,” she said. “I always helped Mom with the children in our family.”
In the school year of 1912-1913, Jessie and another teacher disappointed at not getting a requested pay raise went elsewhere to teach. Jessie went to Garfield County and taught in the Burwell schools. There was a train that ran from Aurora through Wolbach and up to Burwell that she would ride and she stayed in a boarding house. The following year, Wolbach offered the same salary and she returned to her home community of Wolbach for the 1913-1914 school year.
“Rural schools help bring the community together for programs,” she said. “Yes, I think rural schools have their place. I’m glad I had the pleasure of teaching in rural schools. It’s an education in itself,” the former teacher recited. “I enjoy the young and old. I’ve never confined myself to my own age group.” Mrs. Fox said. And that is a blessing. It would be a shame to miss the sparkling creativeness of this 92-year old educator.
Submitted by granddaughter
Kay LaVonne (Fox) Baldwin
In 1902 Jessie was one of three women who were in the first graduating class of Wolbach High School at the end of tenth grade.
In November of that same year, she had her first teaching job for a term of 6 months in District #37, a rural school in Greeley County. The following year, she taught another six-month term in that same district before teaching a three-month term in rural southwest Nance County, Cottonwood School District #51. During the 1904‑05 school term, she taught again at the Cottonwood School. During the nine-month school term of 1906-1907 Jessie taught in Newport, Rock County District #18.
Jessie took her first college classes from Smith College in St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska.
She wrote, “In those years we specialized in the grades we were choosing to teach. My methods and observation work was for the primary 1st and 2nd grades. Before going to Peru Normal, she spent summer school in Greeley and
St. Paul, Nebraska, and then two summers and two full terms at Peru Normal when she received her diploma on June 2, 1907. Later she took classes from Kearney State Teachers College.
After graduating, she began teaching the primary grades in Wolbach Schools in Greeley County where she taught from the fall of 1907 until the spring of 1912. “I loved working with children. Being the oldest of a large family (16 children) is perhaps part of that,” she said. “I always helped Mom with the children in our family.”
In the school year of 1912-1913, Jessie and another teacher disappointed at not getting a requested pay raise went elsewhere to teach. Jessie went to Garfield County and taught in the Burwell schools. There was a train that ran from Aurora through Wolbach and up to Burwell that she would ride and she stayed in a boarding house. The following year, Wolbach offered the same salary and she returned to her home community of Wolbach for the 1913-1914 school year.
“Rural schools help bring the community together for programs,” she said. “Yes, I think rural schools have their place. I’m glad I had the pleasure of teaching in rural schools. It’s an education in itself,” the former teacher recited. “I enjoy the young and old. I’ve never confined myself to my own age group.” Mrs. Fox said. And that is a blessing. It would be a shame to miss the sparkling creativeness of this 92-year old educator.
Submitted by granddaughter
Kay LaVonne (Fox) Baldwin