Page 41 - Sansarc Country School Museum, Orton School Bell booklet 2.3.2020

Upon the renovation of the Sansarc County School Museum in 2015, Peggy
Tibbs, Phyllis & Lynn Fravel and Deb Schiefelbein began the discussion of
relocating the Orton School bell to Fort Pierre to be part of the display of
the country school museum revitalization project prompted by author Betsey
DeLoache. Phyllis Fravel and her family attended and taught at the Orton
School, thereby, it was important to take steps to prominently display the bell
for everyone to enjoy. Discussions began with the request to purchase the
bell from Stanley County Schools when the Orton School was officially
closed. Verendrye Museum Board of Directors Zay Norman and Deb
Schiefelbein attended the School Board Meeting and closed the deal in 2016.
During the fall of 2017, Brandon Vevig (Phyllis
Fravel’s grandson) was repairing many of the
homes on Orton Flat in the Mission Ridge
area and with the heavy equipment there, they
decided to remove the bell and deliver it to
handy man Brian Scott on the Bad River for
preparation of the structure that would support
the bell. Brian and friends formed a concrete
base and iron structure from the White River
1907 Bridge Beam (pictured to left, donated
by Bob & Elsie Bak, Bak Construction) which
was perfectly detailed for placement by the
Sansarc Country School Museum.

Country schools have been an important part of the culture of South Dakota
throughout the previous century until they began to be closed after 2000.
According to South Dakota Department of Education records, during the
2009-2010 school year there were 24 one- and two-teacher schools in the state,
excluding Hutterite colony schools. There are 152 school districts in the state.
South Dakota reached its peak with oneroom schoolhouses in 1916, with 5,011
in operation, said Charles Woodard, of Brookings, co-author of
the book “One-Room Country School.” In the early 1930s, that number
decreased to 4,731. In the mid-1940s, 3,599 were open. By the turn of the
century, there were only 50 rural schoolhouses operating in South Dakota.
The following paragraphs are quoted from “Country Schools: Past and
Present” by Betsey DeLoache: “What is fascinating to me is to hear about
students walking or riding horseback several miles to school in all types of
weather. They also told me about gathering desks around the stove to keep
warm in the winter, baking potatoes on the stove for lunch, playing at recess
with found objects like sticks and tumbleweeds, and having a Christmas
program in the school with sheets hung on a wire to form the stage area.
39