History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. II
The vote when counted stood five hundred and sixty-three for and four hundred forty-two against the building of the school, and there was not the necessary two-thirds majority to carry. A protest was made against counting the vote of Big Springs, as it was mostly adverse as that town already had a high school. The county commissioners overruled the protest and declared the election lost. On July 28, 1919, a committee was appointed for redisricting the county according to the new law with the following people as its members : Retta F. Brown, H. R. Busse, and J. R. Holcombe.
In 1918. J. W. Sjogren was the agricultural agent, the first to hold that office in the county and since that time the county agent has taken an active part in farming industries. He has been influential in introducing new methods, to make the most of the soil and has been of great aid and benefit to the people of Deuel county. The Deuel County Farm Bureau was organized December 17, 1917, with G. B. Brown, president ; Fred E. Smith, secretary, and Sam Robb, treasurer. These men with William Mack, of Big Springs, Emil Olson, of Swan precinct, and O. C. Brestel, of Chappell, constituted the board. The meeting of January, 1921, indicates that added interest is being taken in the agricultural development of the county which is of general benefit to all. The bureau is doing excellent work throughout the county and the farmers are cooperating with it in an effort to increase production and raise the standard of farm life.