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Prairie View, District No. 22 School was probably the first school built in the settlement. This was a frame school built by Christian Dobler who was a carpenter by trade. The size of the school was about 20 X 30 ft. It was built just east of Hope Church 11 north and 1 east of Bethune, across the road. This being a frame building, it was moved several times to be closer to the pupils. The first move was in the 1920's, one and one fourth miles west on the hill east of the Frank Kramer farm. In 1929 or 1930 it was moved one fourth mile east and one mile north where it stayed until it was torn down and replaced by a cement block building in 1949 and is still there, but the district was dissolved in 1955 and cut into the Bethune District In 1907 an adobe school house was built in the eastern part of the district. It was called the German school at Yale and later the Schaal school as Sam Schaal bought the old Yale place which was across the road from the school 11 north and 3 east of Bethune. In 1910 the school board members were Jacob Weidmann, President; Sherman Yale, Secretary, and Sam Schaal, Treasurer. This school was closed in 1942 or 1943 but -before it closed the Prairie View closed for one year and all pupils attended the Schaal school. Also for 2 years the first grades of high school were taught. When it closed the pupils were bused by car to Prairie View School until it was dissolved and taken into the Bethune district in 1955. For heating there was a big belly heater in the middle of the school, heating the side close by, and the other side froze on cold mornings. Two seated desks were lined up on both sides of the building, some times from the front to the back, the lower ones in front, the larger to the back. There was a recitation bench in front of the teacher's desk, where each class took turns to recite their lessons out loud, while the rest studied their assignments. This went on all day long: reading, writing, arithmetic, language, physics, geography, history were some of the studies we had. To start the school we would read from the Bible or a story. Friday afternoon after recess often was spell down or ciphering. Some afternoons our school would go to another school for spell down or ciphering. Prairie View also played basketball with Bethune several years. Some games we played were shinny, baseball, Greg Wolf, drop the handkerchief, and more. Most of the teachers would play along or at least go out and watch. Everyone brought their own lunch and water was brought to the school and put in a cooler. Children would have programs at least for Christmas and usually another one or two for their families and friends, giving plays, recitations, singing. If there was a need for something for the school, there would be a pie or box supper which would have all kinds of goodies in it. Girls bring the eats and boys buy their box or pie, then eat it together. Should a certain boy and girl be sweet on each other, that boy might have to pay a big price for it, if he wanted to eat with the girl. |