Marjorie Bertha Bishop Burchell (1918-2011) graduated from Kearney High School in 1935, earning her Teaching Certificate from Kearney Normal school, and taught school in both Buffalo and Kearney Counties.
Marjorie came from a long line of teachers and often said she didn’t choose her profession, she inherited it and bequeathed it to her children. Her four daughters pursued careers as Early Childhood Education Professor, Secondary Art Teacher, Elementary Teacher, and Nurse Educator.
During the hard times of the 30s, money was tight for the Bishop family. Marjorie was just 20 years old, barely older than some of her students, when she accepted her first teaching position in 1938. She taught at District 36 or Silver Star, a one-room schoolhouse in Kearney County.
She was paid $50 a month and had to drive around the neighborhood to ask each of the school board members to sign a voucher each month so she could get paid. Marjorie remained lifelong friends with many of her first students.
The next year for a small increase in pay and for a school closer to her parent’s home, Marjorie taught in Alfalfa Center in Buffalo County. In 1940, she was offered even a better salary at District 64 in a four classroom school in Norman. She stayed there for two years.
In January of 1942 she married Alvin Lynn Burchell. Since married women were not allowed to teach in this district, she was not offered a contract for a third year. Another Kearney County one-room school, District 25 or Hoosier Valley offered her a position. This progressive district tried to encourage her to continue her contract even though she was expecting a baby during the summer.
Instead Marjorie left teaching and stayed home on the family farm northwest of Minden to raise their six children. She didn’t return to teaching until 1959 and taught at Heartwell, Boys Training School, and Wilcox. She loved teaching and her own children found that if they really needed her attention, calling out for
“Mrs. B” got a quick response. With Alvin’s help she balanced her active family life with her teaching responsibilities. The children at home and the children at school grew up together and shared many activities, all profiting from the experience.
Always a learner as well as a teacher, Marjorie earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney). Over the years, Marjorie enjoyed traveling, quilting, writing, reading, and painting.
She is honored by her children, Dennis and wife Carole Burchell, Robert and wife Ellen Burchell, Linda and husband Bob Ard, Bonnie and husband Monte Anderson, Kellee and husband John Krick, and Colleen and husband Steve Quadhamer.
Marjorie came from a long line of teachers and often said she didn’t choose her profession, she inherited it and bequeathed it to her children. Her four daughters pursued careers as Early Childhood Education Professor, Secondary Art Teacher, Elementary Teacher, and Nurse Educator.
During the hard times of the 30s, money was tight for the Bishop family. Marjorie was just 20 years old, barely older than some of her students, when she accepted her first teaching position in 1938. She taught at District 36 or Silver Star, a one-room schoolhouse in Kearney County.
She was paid $50 a month and had to drive around the neighborhood to ask each of the school board members to sign a voucher each month so she could get paid. Marjorie remained lifelong friends with many of her first students.
The next year for a small increase in pay and for a school closer to her parent’s home, Marjorie taught in Alfalfa Center in Buffalo County. In 1940, she was offered even a better salary at District 64 in a four classroom school in Norman. She stayed there for two years.
In January of 1942 she married Alvin Lynn Burchell. Since married women were not allowed to teach in this district, she was not offered a contract for a third year. Another Kearney County one-room school, District 25 or Hoosier Valley offered her a position. This progressive district tried to encourage her to continue her contract even though she was expecting a baby during the summer.
Instead Marjorie left teaching and stayed home on the family farm northwest of Minden to raise their six children. She didn’t return to teaching until 1959 and taught at Heartwell, Boys Training School, and Wilcox. She loved teaching and her own children found that if they really needed her attention, calling out for
“Mrs. B” got a quick response. With Alvin’s help she balanced her active family life with her teaching responsibilities. The children at home and the children at school grew up together and shared many activities, all profiting from the experience.
Always a learner as well as a teacher, Marjorie earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney). Over the years, Marjorie enjoyed traveling, quilting, writing, reading, and painting.
She is honored by her children, Dennis and wife Carole Burchell, Robert and wife Ellen Burchell, Linda and husband Bob Ard, Bonnie and husband Monte Anderson, Kellee and husband John Krick, and Colleen and husband Steve Quadhamer.