Population trends for McCook Public Schools in the 1880s

Susan Doak

In 1926, the McCook Public Schools had an enrollment of 1,750 students: 1,182 in grade school, 318 in junior high and 250 in high school. Based on those numbers, Mr. True, county superintendent of schools, predicted that in 1940 there would be 681 students in high school and 2,560 students overall. He also had predictions concerning the level of education needed to survive: "The McCook Junior College will grow to be the best college in Nebraska outside of the University. In 1940, a two year college education will be considered as essential for every boy and girl in McCook as an eighth grade education of today." (MJC was in its' infancy, under the McCook school system and located in the original Y.M.C.A building downtown.)

The 1926 MHS Annual was published free of advertising due to the fact that the Chamber of Commerce "bought" the annual, thus journalism students were able to produce a publication dedicated to the history and progress of McCook. A portion of the history of District 17 schools was in my last article and the following was also taken from the 1926 annual. My comments appear in brackets.

From the writings of C. H. Boyle: "The school census reflects the growth of the community from 34 (students) in 1882 to 178 in 1884; increasing gradually to 752 in 1889, with a decrease to 600 in 1890. As to this decrease the then county superintendent, Eliza G. Nettleton, recorded the following: 'The school population is diminished this year by the removal of many families, caused largely by the complete failure of crops. Still the interest in the schools and the effort to keep them up and improve them is most commendable.'"

"The report for the year 1874 shows the total value of the school property in the county, $104.82, which included one sod (16' x 20') school house. The total receipts for the year, $212.87, total expenditures for the year $359.07, average cost per child, $3.79."

"The average cost of tuition for each child for 1890 is recorded as $18.00."

"No serious attempt was made to establish grades until the erection of the frame school building upon the present high school site, later moved to the site of the west ward school, and recently torn down, where school opened with L. C. Stephenson, now district judge at Fort Morgan, superintendent, and with three other teachers in the fall of 1884."

"From that time on there was an almost constant over-crowding of the school rooms, and lack of school facilities, owing to the rapid growth of the town, and grades were housed in available rooms and buildings in different parts of the town until the erection of the present east ward building in 1888." (This building still stands and was known as the Valentine School, named after a very popular Red Willow County School Superintendent, William Valentine.)

One final note about the 1926 MHS Annual; although it doesn't list alumni, it does have pictures and names of the classes from seniors through seventh grade. Additionally, it has a picture of the first high school pep club which was organized in the fall of 1925. The name of this young women's group - The Moos! Today's students probably wouldn't even know what a pep club is, and I'm pretty sure that name wouldn't fly!

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