Early days of District 8

District 8. Spring 1931 grades one through four in front of the new building.

One of the first white settlers in Red Willow County was William Sheodron Fitch. He was born in Missouri in 1838, but grew to manhood in Illinois, where he began his farming career.

When the Civil War broke out he became a part of the 89th Division of Illinois Infantry, and took part in some 20 battles with this group. He was wounded in the Battle of Stone's River, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

After the war he returned to his farming career in Illinois, but stricken with a wandering yen, he came west with an ox team expedition, in 1869, and eventually, in 1872 he decided to settle in Southwest Nebraska.

District 8 building, built in 1930-1931

Mr. Fitch could claim a number of firsts in this region. He had Timber Claim No. 2, planting more than 2,700 trees, primarily black walnut, to claim his land. He was in the group that organized Red Willow County, and served as the first commissioner. His marriage to Estella Nettleton, of Indianola was the first wedding in the county.

Mr. Fitch had a small trading post south and west of what is now McCook. He and his wife had strong feelings about the worth of education for children. Mrs. Fitch's father, Gilbert Nettleton was the first Red Willow County School Superintendent and plotted the County's first school districts. Luther Nettleton, a brother, was the first teacher of District 8. A sister, Eliza Nettleton was the second teacher at District 8, in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Fitch and later their daughter, Eurilla Adams, served District 8 for many years.

In 1873, the Fitches donated land about one mile south of their trading post for the erection of a school (the site of District 8 School).

The first school was a sod house, with a dirt floor, and walls three feet thick. Windows were hauled from the trading center at Plum Creek (Lexington).

The teacher's table and chair were homemade. The students (14 boys and 16 girls) sat on long benches (no backs).

There was a recitation bench at the front of the classroom for class work. The teacher's salary was $28 per month. There were no text books furnished. On Sundays the building was used for Sunday School.

In 1894 a white frame building, valued at $500, replaced the sod school house building. At that time there were 27 students, who attended classes for an eight month school year. W.S. Fitch was on the board, and Ellington Wilson was the school teacher.

One of the early teachers in District 8's frame building was Frank Colfer, who later became a prominent lawyer in McCook. Mr. Colfer, a good teacher, got along well with his pupils, some of whom were boys -- almost men, who sometimes considered school as a secondary pursuit.

These boys gave some of the young female teachers fits. Blaine Dutton, in school at that time, told how some of the boys in the school got spring fever one day. The weather was warm, the windows of the school were open, and the fish in the Republican were biting. On an impulse, they decided to leave school, and when their teacher left the room for a moment, they hopped out an open window, dropped to the ground and ran off to their favorite fishing hole for an afternoon of fishing. That may have been the time that the young teacher decided she had had enough. Without any notice, she picked up her coat and hat and walked out of the school, never to return.

The landowners of District 8 were a progressive group. In 1922, they voted to build a fine new one-story brick schoolhouse, valued at $6,000. By that time the school furnished books (valued at $200) and maps (valued at $300). The old frame building was sold to John Amann for $85. It was moved to his farm, and was used as a granary.

In 1931, though the brick school building was less than 10 years old, the landowners of District 8 decided to replace it with a fine new two-story, four room brick structure, which still stands today. There was a strong push for the new building, but it was not without controversy.

McCook's Helen Allen (nee Dutton) was a student at District 8 at that time. Her father, Blaine Dutton, was on the school board and she and her sisters went along to an informational meeting about the new school.

When the discussion got a bit heated the girls were instructed to go outside and wait in the car. Instead, the girls chose to wait close to one of the open windows -- to follow the action inside.

A short time later, Blaine and Mrs. Dutton bolted out of the building and hurried the girls to the car, saying it was time to go home. The girls objected. "Oh no, Daddy, that man said he was going to knock that other man's block off. Can't we wait to see?" Apparently, over some time, tempers cooled, the building was built, and voters were universally proud of their fine new school.

In January 1931 the new two-story brick building was dedicated with an impressive ceremony, featuring speeches by Frank Colfer, a former teacher, and State Superintendent Taylor. Musical numbers by all of the school's 51 students performed to much acclaim..

The new school building was described in an article in the McCook Gazette.

"District Eight's new building was designed by Percy M. Bell and was contracted by J.L. Klein. The cost of the building was approximately $12,000. It consists of two large school rooms, which, by the use of accordion doors can be thrown into one large auditorium, with seating capacity of 125. There is one recreation room, one banquet room, a large stage, two dressing rooms, two teachers' offices, a furnace room, and two full rooms.

"The school board, consisting of Mrs. Fred Adams (Eurilla), Mr. John Amann, and Mr. Charles Nelms, and the patrons of District 8 are to be complimented on this fine building. It is rumored that they are planning on superior-izing their school. This would indeed be a feather in their cap as there are but few such rural schools in Nebraska."

And so it was. For more than 100 years, District 8 continued to provide quality education, spiced with field trips, state spelling bees, and progressive educational courses, such as computer education.

Music was always heavily emphasized, both individual and group instrumental (band) and vocal (choral) instruction. Annual Christmas programs were eagerly anticipated and played to large crowds.

The many students who began their school years at District 8, and the teachers that taught there carry fond memories of the school that meant so much to the people who lived in that neighborhood.

Source: McCook Gazette May 29, 1993, Interview, records and pictures, Helen Allen