HISTORY OF WEST LINCOLN SCHOOL
630 WEST DAWES AVENUE
LINCOLN, NE 68521
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. #126 (WEST LINCOLN)
School District No. #126 was formed from a portion of old School District No. 90 on September 25, 1886. Additional territory was added to it in 1887 and 1888 from School District No. 1 (Lincoln). A final addition of territory was made in 1891 from School District No.113 (known as Garfield District). The size of the school district remained unchanged until its dissolution.
The records of the school districts in the office of the County Superintendent of Schools are meager before 1893. Information is available from the annual reports of the County Superintendent of Schools or the State Superintendent of Schools.
The following facts are some taken from the County Superintendent’s annual report:
J.M. Higgins was the director (secretary) of the school board in 1893. The total expenditures for the school year were $1,227.36. There were two teachers with an enrollment of 101 pupils. The average daily attendance for the year was 62. One of the teachers was Laura A. England and she received $55.00 per month for the nine-month school year. The other teacher, a woman,, received 45.00 per month. The only mention of the school building was that it was a frame building in good condition.
In 1900, the director of the school board was W. Mills, and the total expenses for the school year were $370.41 as compared with $1,227.36 in 1893. One teacher was paid $30.00 a month to teach 8 pupils for the nine-month term. There were 30 boys and 18 girls. The frame schoolhouse was reported in fair condition. During the entire year, only $12.50 was reported as spent for textbooks and teaching supplies. It cost $15.60 to heat the schoolhouse and $28.20 to make some needed repairs.
William Aukerman was director (secretary) in 1910. It cost $1,127.53 to operate the school for nine months. Two teachers were paid $495.00 each for the school year. $51.00 was spent on books and supplies and $58.00 for fuel. $1.75 was reported in the treasury at the years’s end. 29 boys and 39 girls made an enrollment of 68 pupils.
In 1911, a new two room school replaced the previous one room school. Both buildings were on the site of our white building which was torn down several months ago. The new 1911 school rooms were presided over by the Trott Sisters. They taught 23 pupils in grades one to eight inclusive. An 8th grade boy helped with the janitor work. New single desks were purchased to replace the double desks used before 1911.
In 1920, George McGarland was director of the school board. 42 boys and 38 girls composed the 80 pupils enrolled in the school. Two teachers were paid total of $1,439.25 for nine months of school. $309.60 was spent for supplies, $200.15 for repairs and $136.60 for fuel.
In 1930, Walter K. Danley was director and he held this position for many years. Four teachers, all women, were paid $92.50 a month for 9 months of school. The district spent $4,272.09 and $3,330.00 of this was for teachers & salaries. There were 174 pupils in the school. 91 were boys and 83 were girls, The value of the schoolhouse was listed as $9000.00 and the value of the site was $1150.00.
In the year 1932-33, there were four teachers in the West Lincoln School. The teacher taught the 3rd and 4th grades and had an enrollment of 52 children in her room. Her room was on the east side of the white building recently torn down. This teacher taught writing to all the grades, another teacher taught art, and another taught music to all the pupils. Janitor service was provided.
Walter K. Danley was still director in 1940. The school still had 4 teachers, one was a man who taught the 7th and 8th grades. 95 boys and 98 girls made up the enrollment of 193 pupils. The four teachers were paid a total of $2,655.00 for the school year. This was $675.00 less than was paid for four teachers ten years before. The schoolhouse value was given as $10,000 and the value of the site $400.00.
There are no known records in the County Superintendent of Schools office concerning how many schoolhouses were built by the district or what they cost prior to 1950.
Throughout its existence, School District No.#126 (West Lincoln) always had one of the larger elementary school enrollments among the incorporated villages in Lancaster County.
On Nov. 4, 1953, a survey of the West Lincoln School was completed by the Teachers College In-Service of Nebraska. The survey had been requested by the West Lincoln Board of Education.
The following are statements made in the survey:
1. It is possible that at some future time the West Lincoln District may become a part of the Lincoln School District.
2. In the meantime, the first need is to get more and better classroom space and more teachers. The pupil load per teacher should not be more that 30 pupils – 25 is even better.
3. The new light fixtures are about the best on the market. The Board is to be complimented for their installation.
4. New furniture of a movable type should be placed in the classrooms (new desks were purchased which we are using today).
5. Three new classrooms should be built as soon as possible. They should be for the Kindergarten and grades 1, 2, and 3. (This suggested building was carried out.)
6. All steps undertaken should have the approval of the County Superintendent and that office should be kept fully informed at all times.
On October 19, 1954, West Lincoln School District #126 held a special school election. The proposal was this:
Shall School District 126 issue negotiable bonds in the principal amount of $91,000.00 to purchase sites for and to build schoolhouse and to pay for additional classrooms and repairs to the present existing schoolhouse, and to furnish the necessary furniture and apparatus for the classrooms. Said bonds shall bear interest not to exceed 3 1/2% per annum. The annual bonds requirement amounts to $6,543.25 or a mill levy of 9.75 mills.
Bruce Hazen and Marvin Robinson were the architects chosen to plan the new addition to the school. The addition was completed and the teachers and pupils moved into the new building in January, 1956. Seven teachers had been hired.
In 1955, a 6 member Board of Education replaced the 3 member board. The Board Members were Mrs. Thelma Goodwin, Harold Hawkins, Lloyd Carter, Nola Anderson, Wayne Higgins, and Mrs. Almina White. For the school term, 1956-57 eight teachers were hired.
During the fall of 1958, the Board of Education of the West Lincoln School asked to be annexed to the Lincoln School System. School District No. #126 was dissolved on January 26, 1959 and all of its territory added to Lincoln School District No. I by order of County Superintendent, Glenn E. Turner.
On February 2, 1959, West Lincoln School officially became a part of the Lincoln School System. The 7th and 8th grades were taken by bus to Whittier Junior High.
Robert Norman was principal that semester and also for the year 1959-60.
Mrs. Helen Garner became principal the fall of 1960. She is serving her sixth year as principal of this school. (fall 1965).
