 CLICK PICTURE TO VIEW SLIDE SHOW Saving and Sharing Our Country Schools - Video
Across the nation there are many historical societies and civic groups who are restoring country schools as museums. Without doubt, they have to convince a lot of locals that the effort is worth while. Expensive and time consuming, the process can be daunting. For those of us who are involved in preserving our remaining one and two-room schoolhouses, the reasons for restoration are always obvious. First and foremost, these historic schools represent the beginnings of our public school system supported by taxation and a local citizenry. The schools themselves hold the story of a population dedicated to creating moral and patriotic citizens, while education, the reformers argued would help eliminate social problems, poverty, and crime. Whether the goal has been totally achieved changes with the complexities of each succeeding generation, but the dream remains for those who continue to invest in the hopes of our ancestors. Share this video slide show with your group! Hear about the reasons country schools were promoted, a bit of their history, current condition of preservation efforts, and prospects for the future. The video is on YouTube and available for viewing and forwarding below. You may wish to try it on your own group or share it with another. The video can serve to show volunteers that restoration is worthwhile for many reasons....one being that it is a rewarding experience!
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Congratulations and Admiration for a Job Well Done! When you need to hear a story of a community's "can-do" spirit, just turn your attention to Canby, Oregon and the restoration of the Mark Prairie School. When a devastating ice storm in 2021 felled a number of trees near the schoolhouse, one came crashing through the roof to cause near irreparable damage. The story of the resurrection of the 100 year-old school is so well documented by the Mark Prairie Historical Society that you need only witness the process on their fascinating and graphically beautiful website. (LINK BELOW) See scores of inspiring photos of their journey through hard work and resilience. It is a story of disappointment in the ravages of Mother Nature, hope for renewal, and determination to rebuild what was a center for community activity for a century. Volunteers worked for four years from debris clean-up, through reconstruction, to the Grand Re-opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on May 14, 2025. It is an amazing and inspiring story of countless community donors and legions of volunteers. The schoolhouse restoration features carefully recreated elements that are true to the original design and build. The results are an inspiration to behold. Here we provide the link to the whole story submitted by Erin Nelson for The Report Card readers. In the tradition of highlighting restoration stories like the Cole School in Boone, IA, and the Forest Grove Schoolhouse in Bettendorf, IA, we offer kudos to a job well done to Canby, Oregon for their preservation of one of our remaining country schools. And...in celebration of the restored Mark Prairie School a family reunion is planned for July 26th and 27th at the schoolhouse. (From their Facebook Page): Mark Family 100th Reunion July 26 & 27! We’re so excited to share the details of the Mark Family's 100th Annual Reunion on July 26 and 27. This milestone honors generations of family, friends, and the rich pioneer history rooted here at Mark Prairie. All are welcome to share in our special day and join us in celebrating the legacy that continues to bring our community together. Hope to see you there!   West Virginia 2025 Conference Wrap-up Isn't it amazing that we can look forward to so many celebrations this year (and next) as our beautiful country will celebrate 250 years as the United States of America? Coincidently, CSAA also celebrated a milestone this month with an appropriate gathering of schoolhouse preservationists at the 20th Annual Country School Conference held at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. We sincerely thank Dr. Teresa Eagle and Dr. Isaac Willis Larison of Marshall University for serving as this year's coordinators... and what a program they put together from June 8-10th, both on and off campus. This year we previewed a more compact event using our time more efficiently while maintaining the high quality we've been enjoying for the past 20 years. Enthusiasm was contagious and we made many new friends, as well as a new appreciation for the rugged individuals who settled this gorgeous state. 50 participants converged from all over the country to hear keynote speakers, schoolhouse curators, historians, educators, and schoolhouse enthusiasts in some 19 presentations over two days. The third day was dedicated to the annual coach trip to WV heritage sites and schoolhouse museums enriching us with history and spectacular scenery along the way. Interesting to note that after 20 years of conferences like this, our CSAA presenters have offered completely new topics for their presentations all relating to the world of country schools. Every presenter was refreshing and informative and our attendees left once again with a renewed vigor for ramping up their own country school involvement. We will post a video slide show soon so you can see how we fill a conference with the "sites" and sounds of early American education. Having said that, we urge you to consider attending the 2026 conference to be held in Geneva, New York on beautiful Lake Seneca, June 21st to 23rd at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. For a wonderful experience in history, preservation and schoolhouse restoration topics, this is the summer trip for you! Information will surely follow... |
