Happy Hollow School District No. 20
by Helen Turner and Edith Piper
(transcribed from the Mellette County 1911-1961 book, published August 15, 1961 by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
The first school in Happy Hollow District was opened in 1913 in the homestead shack of Gus Nylen. This was located
a mile west of the Arthur Turner place, later purchased by Frank Burke.
The desks and seats were homemade. There were ten pupils, namely: Naomi and Clark Gallagher; Mathilda and Elizabeth Sorenson; Edward and Orville Anderson; Winifred Turner, and Nelly, Ruth, and Ward Houseman.
The teacher was Miss Anna Bramer, an Iowa girl. She boarded at the Turners' until Christmas vacation, during which she was married to John Falk, clerk in a White River Bank. For the rest of the school year they rented the house on the Lawrence Rasmussen place, west of the school.
The next year the school was moved to a larger house on land homesteaded by Mr. Palmer. Ella Bramer, a sister of Anna, taught until Christmas time when she left to marry a Mr. Sumner. Mr. Clair Moyer finished the term and boarded at the Charles Sjholme home. The pupils were: Naomi and Clark Gallagher; Ruth Houseman, Mathilda, Elizabeth and William Sorenson; Vivienne Tisdell, Winifred and Bud Turner.
During the summer of 1915 Sorena school house was built. For years there were over thirty pupils attending this school.
It was known as the North Happy Hollow School. When it became necessary in 1925 to open a second one, it was known as the South Happy Hollow School. It was located on the Kate Lydon homestead. The Herman Nohrenburg and Will Rawding children attended there. It was closed in 1935.
There were not enough pupils to maintain the North School, so it was discontinued in 1945.
In 1956 this school was moved two miles south on Highway 40. It has been repaired, insulated and painted. It has electricity, a phone, record player, projector, oil burner and many new books.
Some other teachers teaching in this district were: Helen Durham, Rena Sterner, Nathalie Burke, Winifred Turner, Mayme Miller, George Keller, Hazel Fitch, Guenevere Weed, Florence Branson, Ethel Phillips, Mary Magirl, Alice Lent, Violet Bucholz, Mrs. Carmichael, Ernest Hamilton, Violette Bechover, Mrs. E. Graham, Sylvia Draine, Shirley Lolley and Edith Piper, present teacher.
by Helen Turner and Edith Piper
(transcribed from the Mellette County 1911-1961 book, published August 15, 1961 by the Mellette County Centennial Committee)
The first school in Happy Hollow District was opened in 1913 in the homestead shack of Gus Nylen. This was located
a mile west of the Arthur Turner place, later purchased by Frank Burke.
The desks and seats were homemade. There were ten pupils, namely: Naomi and Clark Gallagher; Mathilda and Elizabeth Sorenson; Edward and Orville Anderson; Winifred Turner, and Nelly, Ruth, and Ward Houseman.
The teacher was Miss Anna Bramer, an Iowa girl. She boarded at the Turners' until Christmas vacation, during which she was married to John Falk, clerk in a White River Bank. For the rest of the school year they rented the house on the Lawrence Rasmussen place, west of the school.
The next year the school was moved to a larger house on land homesteaded by Mr. Palmer. Ella Bramer, a sister of Anna, taught until Christmas time when she left to marry a Mr. Sumner. Mr. Clair Moyer finished the term and boarded at the Charles Sjholme home. The pupils were: Naomi and Clark Gallagher; Ruth Houseman, Mathilda, Elizabeth and William Sorenson; Vivienne Tisdell, Winifred and Bud Turner.
During the summer of 1915 Sorena school house was built. For years there were over thirty pupils attending this school.
It was known as the North Happy Hollow School. When it became necessary in 1925 to open a second one, it was known as the South Happy Hollow School. It was located on the Kate Lydon homestead. The Herman Nohrenburg and Will Rawding children attended there. It was closed in 1935.
There were not enough pupils to maintain the North School, so it was discontinued in 1945.
In 1956 this school was moved two miles south on Highway 40. It has been repaired, insulated and painted. It has electricity, a phone, record player, projector, oil burner and many new books.
Some other teachers teaching in this district were: Helen Durham, Rena Sterner, Nathalie Burke, Winifred Turner, Mayme Miller, George Keller, Hazel Fitch, Guenevere Weed, Florence Branson, Ethel Phillips, Mary Magirl, Alice Lent, Violet Bucholz, Mrs. Carmichael, Ernest Hamilton, Violette Bechover, Mrs. E. Graham, Sylvia Draine, Shirley Lolley and Edith Piper, present teacher.
Mellette County, South Dakota
County & Town Histories -
Happy Hollow School District No. 20
Happy Hollow School District No. 20
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Do you have a class picture you can contribute?
Seen here are pupils of the first Happy Hollow School. In the back row (left to right) are Anna Bramer, teacher; Mathilda Sorenson, Naomi Gallagher, Ruth Houseman, Nelly and Ward Houseman. Front row, Elillabeth Sorenson, Winifred Turner, Clark Gallagher, Orville and Edward Anderson.
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In this picture we see Happy Hollow students in 1914. Shown (left to right) back row are Elizabeth Sorenson, Mathilda Soren son, Clark Gallagher, Naomi Gallagher and Ruth Hoseman. In the front row are William Sorenson, Garnet Turner, Winifred Turner and Vivienne Tisdell. Standing in doorway is teacher, Clair Moyer.