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Grant No. 3 Craig School Newspaper Articles in chronological date order
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LeMars Sentinel, Tuesday, January 1, 1912 CRAIG: (Special Correspondence) Pupils neither absent nor tardy for the month ending December 22, 1911: LeMars Sentinel CRAIG: (From the Independent) LeMars Globe-Post, May 7, 1934 CRAIG: (By Special Correspondent) LeMars Globe-Post, Dec. 19, 1938 EAST CRAIG: (By Special Correspondent) Miss Vogelsang (sic Vogelzang,) our lower grade teacher, has the sympathy of [Transcriber Note: Miss Grace Vogelzang taught at Craig school from 1936-1941.] LeMars Globe-Post SCHOOL CHILDREN VISIT GLOBE-POST Pupils of the Craig Public School and their teachers, Mrs. W. F. Nicholson and Mrs. Esther Oloff visited various business places in LeMars Thursday. Included in their tour was a visit at the Globe-Post office. The group consisted of: Janet Harms, Priscilla Eilers, Virginia VanWyhe, George Morey, Harley Small, Dean Oloff, Dennis McHale, Wayne Lee Schuette, Patricia Eilers, Ronald Halweg, Keith Assein, Gail Jean Johnson, Lawrence VanWyhe, and Jimmie Grasz, Sandra Small, Linda Sorgdrager, Joyce Schmidt, Pamela Halweg, Janice Tammen, Carol VandeWater, Charles VandeWater, Karen Oltmanns, Ardis Tammen, Lou Dell Schuette, Rodney Tammen, Carol Assein, and Roberta Hutton. The following mothers were also with the group: Mrs. Lester Johnson, Mrs. Chris Johnson, Mrs. John Tammen, Mrs. Ray Harms, Mrs. Lloyd VandeWater, Mrs. Elmer Assein and Mrs. Marvin Eilers. LeMars Globe-Post, May 30, 1957 PUPILS VISIT CITY LIBRARY The LeMars Public Library had many visitors the past few weeks. Springtime is tour time for many school groups and teachers, and the library is always a favorite stop. Teachers and their pupils from the rural school who recently visited at the library included: Mrs. Carl Schlein, Mrs. W. F. Nicholson and Mrs. Esther Oloff from Craig. Regular visitors last week were Miss Nelson, Mrs. Casler and Miss Zobel and their groups from Clark school. Mrs. Smith, librarian, explained the use of the library and showed the children some of the new and interesting books for children and where to find them. Parents should encourage their children to visit the library often during the summer months. Beginning with Monday, June 3rd, the library will go on summer schedule. Mornings from 9 a.m. until 12. LeMars Globe-Post, April 1, 1963 SOME SCHOOLS CLOSE; ALSO TEACHERS RETIRE AND EXCHANGE “Craig school will operate next year as a 2-teacher school, just the same as it has this year,” said the Superintendent. “Mrs. Nicholson and Mrs. Oloff will teach at Craig again next year.” LeMars Sentinel, Wednesday, March 13, 1974 Craig Parents Plead for Their School Well over 50 concerned parents from the Craig area spent two hours with the LeMars Community school board members Tuesday night pleading for the future of their school. The special board meeting was held at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church basement in Craig. Supt. Vance Stead and school board president John Conley opened the meeting by outlining the reasons for the meeting to discuss the future of the Craig school. One of the two teachers at the Craig school, Mrs. Nicholson, recently submitted her resignation due to retirement. This has caused the board to face the decisions as to whether or not to fill the position at Craig, according to Dr. Conley. In the light of the situation, the board of education decided to look at several alternatives in conjunction with the Craig school. Dr. Conley pointed out the board is faced with an overall declining elementary enrollment and the resignation allows the board to cut staff without having to let a teacher go. “The board of education must take a look at the future and project ahead,” Supt. Stead said. President Conley told the group the board does not presently have a solution for the Craig school and that was the reason for the meeting. “To hear from the people,” he said. The board must look at the entire school district and spend the money as wisely as possible, he added. He estimated cost of keeping the Craig school open stands at just over $24,000 a year. Norman Barker, a former county and LeMars Community school board member and Craig area resident, opened the public portion of the special meeting by outlining the history of the Craig school from the time of consolidation. He said the Craig school presents a unique situation because of its distance from LeMars and and its proximity to Sioux County and the Akron school district. Mr. Barker then made a statement which would dominate the discussion throughout the evening. “The Craig school has worked for 14 years because of the two teachers, Mrs. Ida Nicholson and Mrs. Esther Oloff,” he said as the audience applauded.
Long bus rides for elementary students and the quality of the individual instruction offered to the 42 students at the Craig school were the main arguments used throughout the evening by the parents attempting to save their school. “The education of Craig is superior and I am proud my child goes to this school,” said Ralph Klemme, one of the spokesman for the group. Colin Collman, another of the group’s spokesman, said his children that go to school in LeMars spend close to 55 minutes on a school bus each morning and afternoon and if weather is bad that time may be even longer. The board was asked time and time again to consider the children rather than the dollar sign. “There is no way we can change the fact we are out here,” Mr. Collman said, adding, “We hate to be the forgotten people.” Several times laughter broke out and between the group and board when references were made to planned parenthood and a declining enrollment at the elementary level in LeMars, but no decline at Craig. Throughout the evening it was apparent the parents of Craig area maintain a great pride in their school and a tremendous respect for the two teachers. It should be pointed out that at no point has the LeMars Community school board expressed a desire to close the school down. Their entire purpose since the resignation of Mrs. Nicholson has been to re-evaluate the future of the Craig school. Several alternatives are available to the board, including the placement of another teacher in the school, sending grades three through five into LeMars and maintaining the school for K-2nd grade, or closing the school entirely. At this point it is unclear in which direction the school board will move. By Jim Hughes
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