LOUP COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Compiled by Kevin Brown

District No. 1 (Kent)

Organized August 14, 1883.  Original Petitioner of District: A.M. Guernsey.  First Organized District in Loup County.  District 107 Custer County was consolidated with Kent April 7, 1885.  Thus Kent was long known as Districts 1 and 107. (County Superintendent's records say Dist. 47 Custer County attached in 1885, but this is probably in error.)  A high school for ninth and tenth grades was also maintained at Kent from approximately 1921 to 1933.   School continued at Kent until the end of the 1972 term when all Loup County schools were consolidated to form District 25, Loup County School.  When Consolidated District 1 at Taylor was planned in 1920.  Kent School was scheduled to become a part of the new district, but the Kent patrons quickly withdrew by petition.  School still standing in 1984; land owned by Richard Bohy.

District No. 2 (Cail)

Organized September 25, 1883, Petitioner: R.I.Sweet (?) First listed on Loup County tax rolls in 1885.  District merged with District 24 in 1957.  Also known as Round Hill School.  Building still standing in 1984.

District No. 3 (Hillsdale)

Organized September 25,1883.  Petitioner: R.P. Stearns (?).  First listed on Loup County tax rolls in 1884.  School last located near Packard farm in Kent Precinct. Dissolved in 1962.

District No. 4 (Sioux Creek)

Organized September 27, 1883.  Petitioner: A. Branan (?)  First listed on 1884 tax rolls; district dissolved in 1962 and attached to C-1 at Taylor.  The last schoolhouse at Sioux Creek, a brick structure, still stands next to Highway 91 near the Dale Lindsey farm.  Like Kent, the district contained some Custer County land.

District No. 5 (Taylor)

Organized September 26, 1883; petitioner: Joseph Rusho.  Original Taylor School.  First board included:  Walter S. Campbell, Director; J. Rusho, Moderator; and Benjamin Johnson, Treasurer.  Dissolved about 1921 when District C-1 was formed, then C-1 included the first high school in Loup County.  One of the old District 5 buildings was located on the Randy Scott place on the south edge of Taylor but was torn down in the fall of 1983.

District No. 6 (Strohl)

Organized September 26, 1883.  Petitioner: S.D. Roblyer.  First listed on 1884 tax rolls.  Located in Strohl Precinct; named for Strohl family, pioneers to the area.  Dissolved in 1959.

District No. 7 (Liberty)

Organized September 26, 1883.  Petitioner: S.D. Roblyer.  First listed on 1884 tax records.  Last term in 1971-72.  Consolidated with all districts to form No. 25 in 1971.  Building moved to L.C. Harden ranch.  First board members: Calvin L. Copp, W.H. Forbes, and D.T. Watts.

District No. 8 (Dry Valley)

Organized September 26, 1883.  Petitioner: William Thomas.  First listed on 1884 tax records.  Isaac Ushes, David Wertz, and William Thomas made up the first school board.  The district dissolved in June 1970.  Some land that had been transferred from Blaine County was then put back into District 5 Blaine County was then put back into District 5 Blaine county.  Dry Valley contracted its students with Liberty for a time.  Building is now a garage at the A.W. Dilsaver ranch.

District No. 9 (Harvey)

Supposedly the first school located in the present bounds of the county to hold a term of instruction.  Organized in 1876 on 36-21-18 near Charles Nekuda Jr. place.  Rose Harvey taught a 3 month term here in 1877.  At this time Loup County territory was under Valley County jurisdiction.  Loup county organization: formed October 20, 1883.  Petitioner: N.E. Fay.  Attached to District 5 October 17, 1884.  Reorganized by petition March 30, 1892.  Petitioners:  J.H. Harvey, M.O. Alger Lands taken from Districts 1-107 for reorganization.  District 9 consolidated with others to form C-1 in 1920.  Building sold to J.W. Messersmith in June 1921 according to Clarion. 

District No. 10 (Croughwell)

Organized September 8, 1883.  Petitioner: Henry Hooper.  First listed on 1884 tax rolls.   District merged with others to form C-1 in 1920.  School was located just west of Taylor near the present-day Kovarik farm.

District No. 11 (Madison Square)

Organized September 20, 1884.  Petitioner: J.L. Wisely.  Spring Creek No. 25 merged with Madison Square in 1949.  District 11 merged with C-1 at Taylor in 1963.  First listed on 1885 tax rolls.

District No. 12 (West End)

Organized October 24, 1884.  Petitioner:  W.W. Henry.  First listed on 1885 tax rolls; first school board:  W.W. Henry, Fred W. Sawyer, Daniel Strohl.  District closed in 1972; was one of six rural districts still operating when county-wide consolidation was enacted in 1971 to form District 25.  School building was moved to L. C. Harden's.  Districts 14 and 21 attached to West End in 1891 and 1890 respectively.

District No. 13 (Almeria)

Organized February 24, 1885.  Petitioner: G.W. Strohl.  First listed on 1885 tax rolls. First board G.W.Johnson(?? error? Strohl perhaps?), Lewis A. Haythorne, Henry Piepgrass.  District 16 attached to Almeria in 1903;  part of District 34 added in 1931. Operated high school (ninth and tenth grades) as well as the grades for several years.  Arnold Dunbar bought the school building after the district closed in 1972.  Merged with other districts to form No. 25 in 1971.

District No.14??????

First listed in 1886 tax rolls.  organized January 18, 1886.  Located in Newton Precinct.  District 14 is merged with West End No. 12 February 10, 1891.

District No.15 ??????

First listed on 1886 tax rolls.  Organized January 18, 1886.  Attached to District 7, March 23, 1891.

District No.16 ??????

First listed on 1886 tax rolls.  Organized February 27, 1886.  Dissolved July 9, 1903 and attached to District 13, Almeria.

District No. 17 (Valleyview)

Organized July 30, 1886.  Petitioner: Robert Hesselgesser.  Originally called Little York, then Calamus School; also referred to in early days as Hesselgesser, Hartford, or DeLashmut School....originally located near hartford Grove; moved to the lone cottonwood location near Wallace Ranch in 1906.  In 1916 the school moved to the village of Valleyview and became Valleyview School.  First school officers available: Robert Hesselgesser, Director; C.C. Thompson, Moderator; John Hesselgesser, Treasurer.  Part of No. 31 added to district in 1950; all of No. 20 added July 19, 1969.  In 1963 Valleyview operated a sister school on the Grant Ranch at Gracie and paid the teacher.  Last term: 1971-72, merged with all districts remaining in county in 1971 to form No. 25 at Taylor.

District No. 18 (Ovitt) 

Organized 27 August, 1886.  Petitioner: Frank Budka (probably should be spelled "Butka").  First listed on 1887 tax rolls.  Listed as being located in Little York Precinct:  later it was located in what was called Bloody Precinct and today it would be in Madison Square Precinct.  The building was a stucco covered sod house.  Merged with C-1 August 3, 1961.

District No. 19 (Knobby Ridge)

Organized January 19, 1888.  Petitioner: W.H. Hyatt.  First listed on 1887 tax rolls.  Last term of school conducted about 1970.  Consolidated with other districts to form No. 25 in 1971.  L.D. Dunbar bought schoolhouse.  Often referred to in the early days as the Dunbar School.

District No. 20 (Nunda)

Organized September 10, 1887; other records say July or August 1887.  Petitioner: Paul Marsters (probably should be "Masters").  First officers:  William H. Lindsey, Director; R.S.Latta, Moderator; A.M. Ulery, Treasurer.  Part of No. 31 added to district in 1950.  Merged with District 17, 1969.  Building moved to Valleyview in 1970 and added onto their building.  Both schoolhouses now located at R.H. Schrup ranch.

District No. 22

Never listed.

District No. 23 (Sunnyside)

Organized December 23, 1887.  Petitioner: Robert Britton.  First listed on 1887 tax rolls.  Last located about 5 miles north of Taylor.  Ranches in the area are the Lem Britton ranch and the Cal, Lou, and Cora Ferguson estate.

District No. 24 (Pleasant View)

Also known as Pleasant Grove for a time.  Organized August 14, 1888.  Petitioner: I.R. Fox.  First listed on tax rolls 1889.  Noted for large enrollments over the years.  Last term in 1972.  Merged with other districts to form No. 25, Loup County Public School in 1971.  District 2 merged with No. 24 in 1957.

District No. 25 (Spring Creek)

Formed March 3, 1894.  Petitioner: G.A. Vanderveen.  First listed on 1893 tax rolls.  Apparently one of the later teachers was Irma Dilsaver in 1941-42.  Lands transferred to Madison Square No. 11 in 1949 (June 2).

District No. 26 (Look Out)

Organized December 28, 1895.  Petitioner: John Byerley.  First school board members were J. Byerley.  F.B. Coder and Agnes Fahey.  District dissolved in 1968 and attached to District C-1.  Located in southwest corner of Loup County.

District No. 27 (Longview)

Organized November 29, 1901.  Petitioner: A.F.W. Scherbarth (Albert).  First school organized in the Gracie territory.  First listed on the 1902 tax rolls.  Merged with No. 40 about 1948.  Often referred to in the early days as the Daddy Axford or Harris School. One of the organizers of the district was Mrs. Chris Scherbarth. 
Building sold at public auction in 1949 for $197.50.

District No. 28 (Lone Star)

Organized January 2, 1902.  Petitioner: John P. Nielson. First listed on 1902 tax roll.  Nettie Cole taught a term here in 1907.  Last term conducted about 1956.   Merged with C-1 and Pleasant View August 15, 1961.  School is still standing and owned by Frances (Mrs. Wayne) Hetfield.

District No. 29 (Long Valley)

Organized November 21, 1905.  Petitioner: George T. Cross.  First listed on 1906 tax rolls.  Long associated with the Goos family who lived in that locale.   In the Kinkaid era, Long Valley also boasted a sod church and telephone line.  District probably ran out of students some time in the 1940's.  Dissolved October 31, 1948, and attached to Districts 18,7, 32 and 38.

District No. 30 (Ballard)

Organized November 4, 1907.  Petitioner: George Galley.  Located about two miles west of Gracie, near Loup - Rock County line.  First listed on 1908 tax rolls.  Some of the homesteaders in the district included the Craven's and Martens.  The Calamus Post Office was once located in the district.  When the school ran out of children, the McDermott family kept the district organized.  District dissolved October 31, 1948, and attached to District 18 Ovitt.

District No. 31 (Happy Hollow or Dry Creek)

Formed November 8, 1907.  Petitioner: R.C. Wolf.  First listed on 1908 tax rolls.  Located in northeast Loup County.  School in later years was located across the road from the Kalman Damonkos-Joe Fodor ranch.  The district was dissolved in 1950 and attached to Districts 17, 20, and 40.  Ed and Edith Ehlers served as officers on the school board for several years. In early times, it was referred to as the Binawa or Schrup school.  Last term of school probably in 1935-36.

District No. 32 (Scrapping Ridge)

Organized January 26, 1909.  Petitioner: S.H. Merick.  Also referred to as Raniker School, and after the school merged with District 33 in 1921-22, it was known as the Lisle Holmes School.  Probably dissolved in 1940's.

District No. 33 (Original Lisle Holmes School?)

Organized April 6, 1909.  Petitioner: J.C. Lakin.  First listed on 1909 tax records.  Merged with District 32 July 3, 1920.

District No. 34 (Hill View)

Organized January 25, 1910.  Petitioner Ed Yocum.  Located about 4 1/2 miles southwest of Almeria.  In later years, it was known as the Rittenhouse school.  Opal Moon believes the Schuffell family may have donated land for the school.  The district operated in a sod structure as long as it existed.  First listed on 1910 tax rolls.  District dissolved Nov. 17, 1931, and attached to Districts 13, 19 and 11.

District No. 35 (Harrop)

Organized January 25, 1910.  Petitioner: P.J. Burks (?).  Located north of Taylor on the Calamus River near the Upstream Ranch and Horseshoe Bend.  The village of Harrop never materialized, although there were great plans for an irrigation project at Harrop that never got off the ground in the 1920's.  The Supreme Court dissolved the Calamus Irrigation Project in 1929.  A post office operated at harrop between 1912 and 1931. The schoolhouse at harrop was a cement block building.  Irene Sears (Garska) taught here in 1937-38.

District No. 36 (Dune)

Organized January 25, 1910.  Petitioner:  Jack Dunne.  First listed on 1910 tax rolls.  Located at the extreme northern boundary of the county.  District consolidated with C-1 in 1961, with a small portion temporarily attached to No. 3 Rock County to accomodate the one family with school-age children.

District No. 37 (known as the Butcher School)

Organized March 25, 1911.  Petitioner W. H. Butcher.  First mentioned on 1910 tax lists.  As nearly as I can determine, there was never a school building.  For a time, school was conducted in the Ralph and Wilfred Butcher homes.  Two of the teachers there were Anna Kremer Pearson and Emma Reinert Zalud.  District 37 dissolved Nov. 15, 1920, and attached to Districts 31 and 35.

District No. 38 (probably known as Sebesta School)

Organized March 30, 1912.  Petitioner: John A. Nedbalek.  George Robbins was another long time patron and board member.  first listed on 1911 tax lists.  Formed from portions of Districts 17, 24, and 33.  Schoolhouse was purchased by Leland Scherzberg's and used as their first home about 1950.

District 39 (Fox)

Organized March 25, 1913.  Petitioner: A.E. Fox.  In later years known as the Neel School.  First listed on 1912 tax rolls.  Formed from No. 36.  Also listed (in 1941) as Pine Ridge School.  District 39 disorganized august 1, 1946, and attached to Districts 29, 36, and 42.

District No. 40 (Gracie)

Organized October 1, 1913.  Petitioner: L.C. Banker.  Formed from Districts 27 and 30 lands.  District dissolved by mid-1950's but completely reorgainzed by petition in 1956 to serve the Bud Phillips family who lived miles away from the closest operating district.  Dissolved again in 1959 and attached to C-1 Taylor

District No. 41 (probably known as the Coleman School)

Organized March 25, 1914.  Petitioner: Elmer Coleman.  Formed from lands in Districts 18 and 36.  First listed on Loup County tax rolls of 1913.  The Chiles family lived in the district.  District 41 disorganized February 26, 1921, and was attached to Districts 18, 36, and 39.

District No. 42 (Willow Valley)

Also known as the Dye or Galbreath school.  Organized October 14, 1922.  Petitioner: L. Williams.  First school board:  George Copper, D.L. Galbreath, and Abbott Williams.  Formed from Districts 12, 32, and 39.  Merged with Blaine County No. 15 in 1950.  If I am not mistaken some of this land is still a part of the Blaine County School system (Sandhills No. 71).

District C-1 (Consolidated No. 1 at Taylor)

Organized October 30, 1920.  Petitioner: John Meyers.  Went into operation about 1921 with districts 5,9, and 10 joining to form the new district.  New school built in 1921-22.  First graduating 12 year high school class matriculated in 1923.  Several of these first year graduates still call Taylor home:  Ellis Bohy, Ruth Patterson Vinnedge, Paul Patterson.  District C-1 dissolved in 1971 to form county-wide K-12 district, No. 25, at Taylor.  Last term for C-1 in 1971-72.

District No. 25 (Loup County Public School)

Formed in 1971 from District C-1 (Taylor), Districts 1-107 (Kent), District 7 (Liberty), District 12 (West End), District 13 (Almeria), District 17 (Valleyview), District 19 (Knobby Ridge), and District 24 (Pleasant View).  All of the above districts were conducting school in 1971-72 except Knobby Ridge.  A new elementary building was constructed in 1981-82.  The district has land in Custer and Blaine Counties as well as Loup.




transcribed by: Melody Beery
source Loup County Centenial Book 1883-1983




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