Historical material, and Finding aid
File — Box: 1, Folder: 1
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
The Scandia School District 22 records were discovered in the abandoned school building in Silva. Ravished by the weather and wildlife, they are often incomplete. This collection gives a good example of the increasing amount of paperwork involved with running a state and locally funded public school system and is especially interesting as a study of how a school district managed during the depression years of the 1930s, as seen in the financial records, minutes and the file on garnishments. The collection has been organized into five series: school board minutes, correspondence, financial records, clerk's records and subject files.
The School Board Minutes Series are most complete. Initially recorded in the School District Clerk's Records from 1913 to 1931, they continue as School Board Minutes through 1933. They include both regular and special meeting minutes.
The Correspondence Series is arranged chronologically, covering a period from 1922 to 1954; however, the quantity and the scope of the correspondence is limited. It consists mostly of correspondence received by the school board concerning financial matters with local banks and businesses.
The Financial Records Series, covering the period 1912 to 1955, are most complete for the 1930s. These records include both receipt and expenditure records and many examples of the paperwork undertaken by the school with regard to bond issues, insurance, equalization apportionments and other financial undertakings of the school district. Included in these papers are Assessments of Teacher’s Salaries, giving information about teacher qualifications in addition to their salaries.
The Subject Files Series contains a variety of papers on such sundry topics as the hot lunch program of the 1950s, election returns, teacher contracts and insurance policies. Most interesting are the school censuses which, although incomplete and partially undated, provide information not only about number of students, but also age, sex, residence (farm v. town) and parent’s names. These records, plus the Teacher’s Final Report, actually give the most information about the students and along with school inspection reports, about the school itself. Included in the subject files is a paper A Study of Education Differences in a German-Russian – Norwegian Community, by Walden Duchscher, who analyzed the data from the Scandia records for his statistics. Also there is a 1931 handbook on general school laws.
The School District Clerk’s Record Series includes bound volumes covering from 1913 to 1931, which contain not only the above mentioned school board minutes, but also financial records for those years.
Dates
- 1912-1956.
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.
Extent
From the Collection: 1.6 Linear Feet (1.6 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Creator
- From the Collection: Duchscher, Walden. (Person)
- From the Collection: Scandia School District 22 (Pierce County, N.D.) (Organization)
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu