Title: Country School Legacy Project Records, 1980-1997

ID: OGLMC740

Primary Creator: Mountain Plains Library Association

Extent: 20.5 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 01/26/1982. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Education, North Dakota

Languages: English

The County School Legacy Project Records consist mainly of those records produced by the Country School Legacy Project. The collection is divided into ten series:

Series 1: Remembrances

Series 2: Correspondence

Series 3: Rural School Histories

Series 4: Teacher Contracts

Series 5: Historic Site Forms and Photographs

Series 6: Photographs

Series 7: Scrapbooks and Memorabilia

Series 8: Supporting Books and Documents from Rural School Teachers

Series 9: Accounting Records

Series 10: Miscellaneous

The Country School Legacy Project surveyed education in one-room schoolhouses in eight states comprising the Mountain Plains Library Association: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. In 1980, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded a two year, $275,000 grant to the Mountain Plains Library Association, for a project entitled: “Country School Legacy: Humanities on the Frontier.” Andrew Gulliford wrote the grant proposal and became the project director.

The project gathered oral history interviews, textbooks, curricula and photographs of teachers, students and one-room schoolhouses. A variety of original school records were collected as well. A repository archive in each state was designated to house that state’s documentary records. The University of North Dakota was selected to house materials from North Dakota. The project also produced two traveling community programs which included an exhibit, booklet and 26 minute color film shown at public seminars in each of the eight states.

The project was a success and was granted an award of merit by the American Association of State and Local History in 1982. The project was also featured in many newspaper and magazine articles, and in presentations by the National Endowment for the Humanities to Congress, and both President Jimmy Carter and President Ronald Reagan. In 1984, Andrew Gulliford published America’s Country Schools, which covered not only the findings of the project, but examined the history and influence of country schools throughout the United States. This title is available in the Department’s collection as well.

Information gathered during the course of this project was used to publish The Legacy of North Dakota's Country Schools, edited by Warren Henke and Everett Albers and published in 1998.

Education
North Dakota

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals:

There have been six additions to this collection:

1. Acquisition records are unavailable

2. Deposited on September 8, 1986 (86-1471)

3. Donated by Mrs. Lillian Dinwoodie, Minot, ND (teacher in McKenzie County, ND), on June 6, 1986 (86-1451)

4. Acquisition records are unavailable

5. Deposited by Warren Henke, Bismarck, ND, on May 9, 2001 (2001-2499)

6. Transferred from UA 57, Center for Teaching and Learning - Dean Vito Perrone, in December 2004 (2004-2718)

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Country School Legacy Project

Acquisition Method: The University of North Dakota was designated as the official repository for all North Dakota records created by the Country School Legacy Project. (82-955)

Separated Materials:

52 photographs were separated and placed in the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection:

OGL 740-1          Saratoga Schoolhouse, 1981

OGL 740-2          Saratoga Schoolhouse, 1981

OGL 740-3          Rye Schoolhouse

OGL 740-4          Manvel Schoolhouse

OGL 740-5          Northwood Schoolhouse

OGL 740-6          Larimore Elementary School

OGL 740-7          Larimore High School

OGL 740-8          Charbonnea Creek, McKenzie County 1923

OGL 740-9          Charbonnea Creek, McKenzie County 1923

OGL 740-10        Garborg School, Richland County 1938

OGL 740-11        Freeman Twp. 1929

OGL 740-12        Garborg Twp. No. 2 1937

OGL 740-13        Sharlow District School No 2, Montpelier, ND

OGL 740-14        Sand Prairie School, Kathryn, N.D.

OGL 740-15        Unidentified Students 1929

OGL 740-16        Freeman No.1, Richland Co. N.D.

OGL 740-17        Unidentified Students 1948-1949

OGL 740-18        Moen, Ingeborg Teacher 1957

OGL 740-19        Arnegard School, McKenzie Co.

OGL 740-20        Bremen School No. 3

OGL 740-21        Bremen School No. 1

OGL 740-22        Rocky Mountain School No. 2

OGL 740-23        Albert School No. 3

OGL 740-24        Albert School No. 2

OGL 740-25        Aurora School No. 1

OGL 740-26        Eldon School No. 4

OGL 740-27        Hathaway School No. 5, Harlow

OGL 740-28        Eldon School No. 4

OGL 740-29        Albert School No. 2

OGL 740-30        Albert School No. 3

OGL 740-31        Rocky Mt. School No. 2

OGL 740-32        Bremen School No. 1

OGL 740-33        Bremen School No. 3

OGL 740-34        Hathaway School No. 5, Harlow

OGL 740-35        Aurora School No. 1

OGL 740-36        Dakem School No. 3

OGL 740-37        Hoerasef School

OGL 740-38        Unidentified School near Meadow, S.D

OGL 740-39        Unidentified School near Forbes, N.D.

OGL 740-40        Rowe School Picnic 1949

OGL 740-41        Crystal Springs School House 1981

OGL 740-42        Alpha School No. 2, Gladstone, N.D. 1981

OGL  740-43        Johanna (Knudsen) Miller at her high school graduation in June 1903

OGL  740-44        Nels and Meta Knudsen, Johanna's parents

OGL  740-45        Johanna Knudsen and her husband, Joe C. Miller

OGL  740-46        Johanna and Joe Miller with their children, Margaret, Paul, Perry, and Eugene

OGL  740-47        Joe C. Miller as a North Dakota House of Representatives

OGL  740-48        Johanna with her class at the Thrumbs-Starbuck School near Kramer in the Fall of 1920.

OGL  740-49        A family portrait; Eugene, Perry, Margaret, Joe and Johanna.

OGL  740-50        Johanna K. Miller at age 60

OGL  740-51        Johanna K. Miller at age 89

OGL  740-52        Johanna Knudsen Miller

Related Publications:

America’s Country Schools by Andrew Gulliford

The Legacy of North Dakota's Country Schools, edited by Warren Henke and Everett Albers

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Country School Legacy Project Records. OGLMC 740, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid added to Archon in October 2015.