All honor to the ambition and perseverance of the early pioneer and pathbreaker whose foundations made possible more pretentious and useful superstructures. Within the meager walls of crude buildings his children learned Well, besides book learning, many lessons of patriotism and community welfare ; of honesty, industry, and thrift; of steady self-reliance, without which virtues no nation can build success fullv.

The First District

The first school district formed in Scotts Bluff county was organized by our first County

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Superintendent, Miss Frances E. Brown, now Mrs. Dan Davis of Scottsbluff, on October 3, 1889. This district was in Kiowa precinct, southwest of Morrill and south of the Platte river.

Close upon the heels of District one came many other one-teacher schools with buildings of various sizes and materials but with similar lines and architecture.

By teaching in these buildings many a rising Scotts Bluff county farmer, lawyer or other business man secured needed funds and early training. And many a pretty eastern girl taught school while she held down a nearby homestead or until she was kidnapped by some popular young cowpuncher or granger of the neighborhood.

The school houses were community meeting houses, useful alike for church, Sunday School, singing school, spelling bee, box supper, pie supper, political caucus and the neighborhood dance. It is small wonder that those buildings still in existence have sagging sills and much carved furniture. The shed-barn was often a necessary part of the school property, in sparsely settled communities. The tough pony might be saddleless or almost bridleless, but as a carrier of children he was a part of the school equipment.