Texsam District No. 27
by Ardath Mills
(transcribed from the Mellette County 1911-1961 book, published August 15, 1961 by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
The first session was only a spring term held in 1913 in the homestead shack of Henry Schwisow with Margaret Bramer (Mrs. Otto Hanson) as teacher. The children sat on benches made from two nail kegs and a board. There were no desks and lessons were recited around a table.
The next year a regular term was held in the Oscar Shriner homestead shack with Dr. Puhl's wife as teacher. School continued here till 1919 and teachers were Roy Raffensperger, Bessie Gapen Huey, Daisy Briggs and Milo Biddeson.
Pupils of the South Texsam School transferred to the Bechtold School which was later moved near Petraneks and called Hilltop School.
Roundup District No. 11 was organized and in 1922 three new schools were completed. The south school was known as the Texsam School. It was located about a half mile from the Texsam Post Office which was operated by Charles Shouldis.
Mrs. Maggie Findley, lIes Huey and Charles Astleford were the first school board members.
Fern Strong, now Mrs. Les Iwan, attended the school the first year it was built in 1922. She graduated from the eighth grade in 1926 and six years later she came back to teach her home school.
Teachers from 1922 until the school closed in 1940 were: A. C. Howlett, Winifred Wood, Roy Reinoehl, Dulcie Tompkins,
Mrs. May Henderson, Mrs. Fred Foster, Mrs. Lois Crain, Ruth Morgan, Casper Engelhaupt, Annette Cannon, Fern Strong, Pauline Stromer, Grace Smith, Resa Wacek and Laura Dittmer.
by Ardath Mills
(transcribed from the Mellette County 1911-1961 book, published August 15, 1961 by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
The first session was only a spring term held in 1913 in the homestead shack of Henry Schwisow with Margaret Bramer (Mrs. Otto Hanson) as teacher. The children sat on benches made from two nail kegs and a board. There were no desks and lessons were recited around a table.
The next year a regular term was held in the Oscar Shriner homestead shack with Dr. Puhl's wife as teacher. School continued here till 1919 and teachers were Roy Raffensperger, Bessie Gapen Huey, Daisy Briggs and Milo Biddeson.
Pupils of the South Texsam School transferred to the Bechtold School which was later moved near Petraneks and called Hilltop School.
Roundup District No. 11 was organized and in 1922 three new schools were completed. The south school was known as the Texsam School. It was located about a half mile from the Texsam Post Office which was operated by Charles Shouldis.
Mrs. Maggie Findley, lIes Huey and Charles Astleford were the first school board members.
Fern Strong, now Mrs. Les Iwan, attended the school the first year it was built in 1922. She graduated from the eighth grade in 1926 and six years later she came back to teach her home school.
Teachers from 1922 until the school closed in 1940 were: A. C. Howlett, Winifred Wood, Roy Reinoehl, Dulcie Tompkins,
Mrs. May Henderson, Mrs. Fred Foster, Mrs. Lois Crain, Ruth Morgan, Casper Engelhaupt, Annette Cannon, Fern Strong, Pauline Stromer, Grace Smith, Resa Wacek and Laura Dittmer.
Mellette County, South Dakota
County & Town Histories -
Texsam School District No. 27
Texsam School District No. 27
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Texsam School
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Texsam students and their teacher, Roy Raffensperger, posed for this picture in the year 1915-16. Standing in the back row (left to right) are Delton Briggs, Clara Bechtold, Esther Shouldis, Daisy Briggs, Anna Bechtold, Helen Bechtold, Jake Bechtold and Arthur Howlett. Students ill the front row are Desmer Riggs, Willie Bechtold, Lydia Bechtold, Lizzie Bechtold and Lillie Bechtold.