COUNTRY SCHOOLS

Country schools were located every two miles so that no student would have to walk over a mile to school. They were
usually built on one acre of ground. In all, there were 122 one-room schools in Fremont County although they were
not all open at the same time. The last two schools closed in 1959. They were both located in Monroe Township
Honey Creek & Sunny Slope.

Centennial
NW corner of 110
th
street & 390
th
Avenue-The members of the German Reformed Church moved their meetings from
the Spring Valley School to Centennial School because the location was closer to where they all lived.
Teachers
1901-Agnes Maher taught the spring term from March 25
th
to June 21
st
. Her students in the Advanced division
included Mamie Laughlin (16), Joseph Laughlin (14) and Nellie Laughlin (14). The Intermediate Division included
Raymond Haley (11), John Berrigan (11), Eddie Laughlin (12), John Laughlin (12), Pet Maher (11), Grace Thomas (12)
Willie Thomas (10) and Dollie Garrity (10). The Fourth Grade members were Leo Laughlin (11), Katie Laughlin (7),
Martha Laughlin (7), James Berrigan (10), and Joseph Maher (9). Third Graders were Willie Laughlin (9), Mary
Berrigan (8), Roy Thomas (8), Annie Laughlin (7), Mildred Berrigan (7), Mary Laughlin (7), and Clement Maher (5).
Blaine Haley was a Second Grader. First Graders were Johnie Laughlin (4), Stella Laughlin (4), Lucille Berrigan (5)
and Irene Thomas (5).
1902 Genevieve Roach taught the Fall Term from September 1
st
to October 25
th
. Edward Laughlin taught the winter
term from December 9
th
to March of 1903.
1903-Genevieve Roach taught the Spring Term from March 23
rd
to June 12, 1903. Lewis Maher and Francis Laughin
were enrolled in Year 1 studies. Estella Laughlin, Johnnie Laughlin and Hazel Nye were Year 2 students. Mattie
Mills, Willie Laughlin, Annie Laughlin, Eddie Laughlin and Pet Maher were Year 7 students. Agnes Laughlin (5)
joined the Primary Grades 1-2 for the Fall Term from August 31-October 23
rd
.
1905-Nellie Maher
1918 (closed)

Honey Creek
NW corner 130
th
Street & 370
th
Avenue
Teachers
1905 Lottie Printy
1916 Edna Skahill
1918 Mary OConnor
1931 Cecilia Doyle
1940-41 Leo Hughes was school director.
1959- closed

Monroe Center (first of the country schools in Monroe Township; it was built in 1862.)
NW corner 130
th
Street & 390
th
Avenue
Teachers
1893 Mattie King Students included Andy, Annie, Jimmie, Johnnie and Tom Clark, Ellen, Katie and Mary
Dempsey, Art Gilmore, Eddie Honn, Hattie Huelle, Frank Kent and Rose Rogers.
1905-Agnes Maher
1916 Irene Leahy
1918 Ellen Leahy
1931 Dorothy Head

Morning Star School
SW corner of 110th Street & 370
th
Avenue -In 1877, a team and wagon brought lumber from Council Bluffs for the
building of the school. The school closed in 1958 and then was used for hay storage.
Teachers
1902 students included: Bernice Bartlett, Leo Bartlett, Morton Bartlett, Orran Bartlett, Frank Foutch, John Foutch,
Arthur Gee, Elmer Gee, Henry Gee, Jessie Gee, Walter Gee, Augusta Gohlinghorst., Bertha Gohlinghorst, Harry
Gohlinghorst, Percy Kearney, Wallace Kearney, John McGinnis, Mayme McGinnis, Thomas McGinnis, Alice Prange,
Arthur Trively, Leona Trively, Willie Trively, John Weihler, Myrtle Weihler, and Stella Weihler
1902-1904-Edward P. Laughlin
1905-Ellen Dempsey
1916-Bernice Halbert
1918-Stella Buzzard
1925-27-Thelma Tabler
1928-29-Alice McGinnis
1930-Lucille Hoxie
1931-Lois Smithen, Martha Doyle
1932-Martha Doyle
1934-Norma Robeds
1935-Mildred Shepard
1936-William Young
1941-Mary Margaret Torpy
1949-1951-Geraldine Laughlin
Until closing in 1958-Mae Maher
1940-41 Walter Doyle was school director.
1958 - closed

Rice
SW corner 150
th
Street & 410
th
Avenue
Teachers
1905 Anna Ryan
1918 Irene Peterson
1931 & 1932 -Mary Dempsey
1940-41 Frank Bradley was school director.

Shady Dell
NW corner 130
th
Street & 410
th
Avenue
Teachers
1905 Ellie Saner
1916 Ida Delehant
1918 Ida Delehant
1940-41 Gilbert ODowd was school director.

Spring Valley
Se corner 110
th
Street & 410
th
Avenue-This was originally known as the Pangborn School. When members of the
German Reformed Church moved to the area from Zwingle in 1875, they held their meetings in the school.
Teacher
1905 Emabel Saner
1918 (closed)

Sunny Slope
NW corner 150
th
Street & 390
th
Avenue
Teacher
1905 Edna Harmon
1916 Beulah Wiley
1918 Dorothy Strait
1931 - Marie Bateman
1940-41 LeRoy Tompkins was school director.
1959 - closed

White Lily
NW corner 150
th
Street &370
th
Avenue
1918 Jennie Slater
1931 Mable Porter
1940-41 Alvin Tyner was school director.