Mellette County, South Dakota
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Riverforks School District No. 5
Riverforks School District No. 5
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All the data on this web site is © Copyright 2008 by Genealogy Trails' Host with full rights reserved for original submitters.
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Riverforks School District No. 5
by Irma Pigg
(transcribed from the Mellette County 1911-1961 book, published August 15, 1961 by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
According to the available ledger the earliest date of school activity was February 27, 1917. From 1917 to 1928 it was called Riverview No.5, which included the Prosperity Flats School District No. 21 and Riverview School District No. 22. Because of the river, the poor roads, and the long distances, those three districts engaged in many royal feuds so finally in 1928 they all broke into separate districts. Since the other districts were no longer together It was called Riverforks District No.5.
The first school was held in the E. L. Pigg's homestead Shack while the family lived back in Missouri. When the Pigg family came again to South Dakota, the district used the old Heath house for a school. It was located two miles south of the A. M. Harn and A. C. Grace places. It was called Ash Hollow then. The house was propped up and located on a south hillside. It was deemed unsafe to hold school in so E. L. Pigg and Ed Olson were authorized to move the building to an acreage donated by Wesley Walden as a more centrally located position for the district. School was held there until 1932 when there were not enough children in the district to hold school. On July 31, 1940 the building was in a very run-down condition, so it was sold to D. C. Bryan and is now built into part of their ranch home. Later school was held for five years in the Charles Pigg home. Since then all pupils have been transported to other districts.
The first board members in 1917 were: C. H. Kendall as board chairman, W. E. Hollenback as clerk and John Zickrick as treasurer. Others that served later as board members were: Arnold Hanson, A.N. Harn, F. D. Fitch, A. C. Grace, Dulcie Atkinson, Hazel E. Fitch, Charles Henrickson, Ed Olson, E. L. Pigg, Robert H. Jones, Art Rassmussen, Louie Krogman, Wesley S. Walden, Raymond Heath, Kate O'Brien, Harold Paulson, Maudie Pigg, Louie Krogman, Marie Krogman, Clara Adams, Mrs. Lawrence Krogman, Irma V. Pigg, Fannie Pigg, Elmer Pigg, Ted Frederick and Charles Pigg. Ruth Hight, John Stromer and John Staat also served as board members.
The salary received by the first school board members was $2.50 each. The first teacher was Mrs. Fred Rucker who received $45 per month. It appears that school was held five months that year.
Some of the other teachers were: Elmer Zickrick, Audrey Wileman, Dora Burke, F. D. Fitch, Anna Malone, Hazel Fitch, Dulcie Atkinson (Tompkins), C. W. Hamilton, Carrie Smith (Kendall), Mrs. John Dougherty, Emma R. Allard, Ruth Rhoades (Hight), Mercedes Kendall, Ida King, Ethel Jackson (Osburn), Ewell G. Pigg, Mary A. Keever, Irma V. Sehestedt (Pigg), Violet Decker (Chapin), and Gladys McPherson. Mrs. Ruth M. Hight recalls a very bad winter storm in 1924 when she waded in over knee-deep snow going from the school to the A. C. Grace home where she roomed and boarded.
by Irma Pigg
(transcribed from the Mellette County 1911-1961 book, published August 15, 1961 by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
According to the available ledger the earliest date of school activity was February 27, 1917. From 1917 to 1928 it was called Riverview No.5, which included the Prosperity Flats School District No. 21 and Riverview School District No. 22. Because of the river, the poor roads, and the long distances, those three districts engaged in many royal feuds so finally in 1928 they all broke into separate districts. Since the other districts were no longer together It was called Riverforks District No.5.
The first school was held in the E. L. Pigg's homestead Shack while the family lived back in Missouri. When the Pigg family came again to South Dakota, the district used the old Heath house for a school. It was located two miles south of the A. M. Harn and A. C. Grace places. It was called Ash Hollow then. The house was propped up and located on a south hillside. It was deemed unsafe to hold school in so E. L. Pigg and Ed Olson were authorized to move the building to an acreage donated by Wesley Walden as a more centrally located position for the district. School was held there until 1932 when there were not enough children in the district to hold school. On July 31, 1940 the building was in a very run-down condition, so it was sold to D. C. Bryan and is now built into part of their ranch home. Later school was held for five years in the Charles Pigg home. Since then all pupils have been transported to other districts.
The first board members in 1917 were: C. H. Kendall as board chairman, W. E. Hollenback as clerk and John Zickrick as treasurer. Others that served later as board members were: Arnold Hanson, A.N. Harn, F. D. Fitch, A. C. Grace, Dulcie Atkinson, Hazel E. Fitch, Charles Henrickson, Ed Olson, E. L. Pigg, Robert H. Jones, Art Rassmussen, Louie Krogman, Wesley S. Walden, Raymond Heath, Kate O'Brien, Harold Paulson, Maudie Pigg, Louie Krogman, Marie Krogman, Clara Adams, Mrs. Lawrence Krogman, Irma V. Pigg, Fannie Pigg, Elmer Pigg, Ted Frederick and Charles Pigg. Ruth Hight, John Stromer and John Staat also served as board members.
The salary received by the first school board members was $2.50 each. The first teacher was Mrs. Fred Rucker who received $45 per month. It appears that school was held five months that year.
Some of the other teachers were: Elmer Zickrick, Audrey Wileman, Dora Burke, F. D. Fitch, Anna Malone, Hazel Fitch, Dulcie Atkinson (Tompkins), C. W. Hamilton, Carrie Smith (Kendall), Mrs. John Dougherty, Emma R. Allard, Ruth Rhoades (Hight), Mercedes Kendall, Ida King, Ethel Jackson (Osburn), Ewell G. Pigg, Mary A. Keever, Irma V. Sehestedt (Pigg), Violet Decker (Chapin), and Gladys McPherson. Mrs. Ruth M. Hight recalls a very bad winter storm in 1924 when she waded in over knee-deep snow going from the school to the A. C. Grace home where she roomed and boarded.
All the data on this web site is © Copyright 2008 by Genealogy Trails' Host with full rights reserved for original submitters.
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