POOLE in the Past...
Schools...
The building that burned in the mid- 1920's and was replaced by a brick building. This school was located about one half mile west of town near Jorgenson's grove.
According to Tommy Mahoney and others, classes were held in the implement shed across the street from the bank until a new school was built.
(photo courtesy of Winona Snell)
Poole Primary room, 1915-16:
Willis Rhine, Murilla Rhine, Ethel McDonald, Virginia Annabell, Sophia Benisek, Nona Eldridge, Pearl Whitcomb, primary room teacher, Wilmer Edson, Mary Luce, William Klein, Vernon Pruner, Tommy Brabham, Earl Hanna
bottom row: Richard Bateman, Florence Harvey, Elsie Harvey, Nellie Rhine, Frank Benisek, Dorothy Stover. (Clifford Eldrige absent)
(photo and names courtesy of Winona Snell)
Dorothy May Stover, about age 6.
- from a letter from Allen J. Stover, November 9, 1976
...there was the old three room school house that burned down when I was in the fifth grade [Allen born 21 March, 1916] -- remember heading my school papers “September, 1922,” this must have been my second year in school -- after the school house burned they made two rooms in the old stone building down on main street, the “middle” room and high school room all in one -- the “office” in the front of the building was used as a class room for the high school.
Basketball games were played in the building -- before that time basketball games were played on outdoor courts. When I was in High school not all schools had indoor courts -- I remember playing basketball out of doors at Hartman and at Pleasanton.
When I was in the third or fourth grade we had a high school teacher by the name of Mrs. Heilman, (she died in Kearney two or three years ago) who was a dedicated basketball coach. She had six boys in high school, all of whom were over six feet in height. At that time, District tournaments were held in Kearney with classes of schools from “A” to “L,” or “M,” according to enrollment -- through some error, Poole was put in class “A” (should have been “K” or “L”) and played North Platte and beat them. As I recall in the next game (don’t know who they played), but Poole was beating them, but fouled out two players, and as they had only six, the other team refused to play them with only four players, so Poole had to forfeit.
 |
| 1927 Operetta. Glenn Stover played the role of "Patrick Murphy O'Flanigan" and was forever known as "Pat" Stover. (Photo courtesy of Kim Stover) |
| Identification of students undoubtedly by Gram May Stover: (Front Row) Eldon Lindsay, Wheeler, Wheeler, Lauren Wissbaum, 3 unrecognized students, Swartz, Tommy Mahoney (2nd Row) Ruth Clark, Mary Hughes, Rosie Goodwin, and 6 unrecognized students. Fern Simper may be the third of the six unrecognized children of the second row. (3rd Row) Unrecognized, Alma Swartz, Alta Bateman, Anna Benesek, Mary Standage, June Roberts, unrecognized, Rose Wheller, 2 unrecognized. (Back Row) Betty Wissbaum, Anna Benesek, Mrs. McCleary, Don Burton, Allen Stover, Glenn "Pat" Stover, Cordie Simper, Ed Wissbaum, Bernard Jorgensen, Mr. McCleary. |
 |
| Poole School, 21 February, 1935. Photo courtesy Joyce Drown
Brennan. Many students identified by Joyce, Charles "Chick" Tillson and others. This photo ran in the
Ravenna News early in 2002 and sparked interest in a Poole School reunion later in the year. (Enlargement in new browser window: 1600 x 1100, 315 kb) |
| Front row: (kneeling) (left to right) Roy Stover, Bob Bell,
Dale Zeller, Earl Jochem, Chick Tillson, (Johnson or Margaritz?), Jerry McInnis, Alvin Finke, Ivan Finke Second row: Mavis Jochem, Vidella Suchanek Rogers, Arvilla Suchanek Gains, Duane Zeller, Milford Merryman, Jimmy Clark, Royce Parker, Dick Whitcomb, LaJune Seifert, Johnson, Verda Gruhn, Dorothy Tillson, Phyllis Hughes, Joyce Drown Brennan Third row: Miss Hajik (intermediate teacher, grades 5-8), LaVerne Finke, Letha Seifert, Edith Johnson, Tressa Gruhn, Marjorie Parker Madsen, Ruth Johnson, Helen Merryman, Parker Witte, Wilma Stover Bohn, Margaritz, Ted Weidner, Adelaine Enivolson Bals (primary teacher, grades 1-4) Fourth and back rows: Dale Harvey, Billy Hughes, Lloyd Gruhn, Leonard Zeller, Jack Johnson, Irwin Seifert, Leonard Seifert (front), Bernard Zeller (tallest in back), Harold Jochem, Mildred Brabham, Gretchen Merryman, Elmer Schmidt (died May 6, 1935), Edith Gramley (High School teacher) Missing: Rosie Goodwin, Wilma Seifert Barton (Rosie broke her collar bone on her way to school when the pony bolted and upset the wagon - that very day ? - Chas. Tillson) |
Poole School 1945-46 ? Back row: Janice Capellen, Glenda Calvin, Shirley Gudgel, ?? (teacher), ??, Roger Standage. Front row: ??, Karen Capellen, Marilyn? Asher?, Bonnie Miller?, David Asher?, Jim Zeller. where's Harlan Hughes?
... same approximate time frame; just couldn't part with a photo of the merry-go-round...
Poole School merry-go-round, 1946-47. Front: Shirley Gudgel, ?? (teacher?), Asher?, Miller? Hoover?, Janice Cappellen. Back: Roger Standage, David? Asher?, Jim Zeller, Harlan Hughes?
Dorothea Stover taught the '46-'47 school year (and possibly a previous year?), filling in for a teacher who left.
Poole School, (one room), 1952
l. to r.: Carl Krejci (5th), Gary (?) (beginner), Eugene Krejci (2nd), Harlan Hughes (7th), Monte Standage (2nd), Larry Robinson (3rd), Rodney Stover (5th), Gene Robinson (2nd), Roger Robinson (7th), Marvin Krejci (6th), Karen Capellen (6th)
..A desk from the Poole School, bought at auction in the late 1960's.
(In the possession of Rod Stover, who may have sat in this particular desk [although there's no sign of carved initials]. Inkwell holder hidden under the upper right of the desk top.)
Poole School in 1999. Used as a residence for years.
Back to Poole in the Past index..
