 People sure do love their schoolhouses and we can prove it! Each year the Country School Association of America invites schoolhouse enthusiasts to apply for the CSAA's Awards for Scholarship and Artistry for the best essay, book, website, video or other published work on an aspect of country schooling. The winners are invited to the June conference where they are recognized with a certificate and $300. Attendance at the conference is not required to be awarded the prize, and this year in Toledo, four winners were announced. Congratulations to our 2024 recipients! (1) "The Happy Little Schoolhouse" by Debbie Soto This illustrated children’s book tells the story of the Santa Rosa Schoolhouse in Cambria, California. The schoolhouse is the main character telling its own story from being built in 1881 through all the major events including the Santa Rosa being moved twice by a large crane. It highlights the happy years with children attending school sessions and the years of abandonment, then the moves and revitalization with children once again returning to the school. In this delightful hardcover book the illustrations are engaging and colorful, and some pages incorporate vintage photos of the school building. This is the first ever children's book recognized by CSAA since we began these awards, and we highly recommend it for your children and grandchildren! The author, Debbie Soto, invites you to request a copy through her email at: [email protected]. (2) "Resurrecting Forest Grove" (DVD) By Fourth Wall Films, Kelly and Tammy Rundle This Emmy Award winning documentary film cinematically tells the dramatic true story behind the seemingly-impossible task of restoring a vintage one-room school to its 1920s appearance. Footage and interviews gathered over a seven-year period depict the problems they faced and the solutions they employed as they attempted to bring this rural icon back to life. The surprises and successes of this challenging restoration project are intercut with a vivid historical portrait of the 'Roaring 20s' in rural America. Available for preview and/or purchase the link below:  (3) "Calloway Chalkboards: Remembering Calloway County's Rural Schoolhouses" by Kingdom Of Calloway County Historical Society -Fulton, Missouri Here is well-organized collection of schoolhouse histories of the 144 rural schools in Callaway County. It serves as the only published historical source of both black and white country schools which spanned the years until 1973. Much of the history was destroyed decades ago to make more storage room for other records. It was dedication of one local man who painstakingly made handwritten notes in the 1980’s-90’s as he combed through numerous documents that allowed for this history to be saved and re-compiled! Contact information below:  (4) History and Heritage: Iowa's Lee County Rural Schools By Diane Kruse Diane Kruse spent more than a decade researching and writing about the history of the Lee County Rural Schools. She includes information about the first public school that began operating in the Iowa territory before Iowa became a state. This is a very large volume with a vast quantity of history for the dedicated researcher. A note from Diane Kruse: Additional copies of my book have been ordered and are expected to be delivered by the second week of June. If anyone would like to purchase one I can be contacted at my email address [email protected]. Please list your name and telephone number so that you can be contacted when the books arrive. The cost of the book is $65. If you wish to have the book mailed to you an added charge of $7 will be added for media postage. 
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