Eight teachers join One Room, One Teacher honor program
ABOUT THIS PHOTO: Dolores May Line McFarland taught at a one room school north of Lexington, Neb., and her family has recently honored her through the One Room, One Teacher UNK Scholarship and Honor Wall.
KEARNEY – Eight rural school teachers will be honored on the One Room, One Teacher Honor Wall at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2014.
UNK’s One Room, One Teacher effort aims to help preserve the stories and history of rural education.
“We felt it was important to memorialize the efforts and pay tribute to the one-room school teachers and the part they played, because they educated generations of Nebraskans under very difficult conditions,” said Ed Scantling, dean of the College of Education. “Their students went on to be the teachers, physicians, business leaders and scientists who helped make Nebraska the great state it is today.”
Donations to the University of Nebraska Foundation in support of the program fund scholarships for future teachers.
Geraldine Stirtz of Minden honored her parents, Rev. and Mrs. Tobias H. Buehner, with a tribute gift this year to the One Room, One Teacher program. “My parents accomplished much with little,” she said. “I am proud to honor them with funds to help provide scholarships for other future teachers.”
Honorees have their name permanently displayed on the One Room, One Teacher wall of honor at UNK. Many of those honored are graduates of UNK, but the university also wants to honor non-alumni. Anyone who taught in a rural school in Nebraska is eligible for the honor, and individual schools may also be recognized.
“The College of Education and University of Nebraska at Kearney is proud to acknowledge and honor the hard work and the dedication of these outstanding educators through the One Room, One Teacher program,” Scantling added.
The induction ceremony for One Room, One Teacher will take place Sept. 19, 2014, at 4 p.m., in the UNK College of Education atrium.
The One Room, One Teacher wall was established in 2013, and 35 teachers were honored during the program’s inaugural year.
2014 One Room, One Teacher Honorees
Opal Irene Beavers Brodine, Elm Creek – Phelps County rural school, Elm Creek
Rev. Tobias H. Buehner (deceased), Lubbock, Texas – rural schools in North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska
Beulah Mauler Deines (deceased), Gering – Buffalo County School District #116, Pleasanton Rural School, Clay Center District #70, Sutton rural school
Phyllis Hefti Finkner, Minden – Lenora Country School, Pleasant Plain School, School District #66, Omaha rural school
Edith Wurst Gloystein, York – Seward County School District #7, School District #3 Beaver Crossing, School District #6 Milford
Marjorie Schutte Martin, Acton, Calif. – School District #60 Rosemont, Hansen and Hastings rural schools
Dolores Mae Line McFarland (deceased), Lexington – Reed School
Florence Arlene Sukraw, North Platte – Huebner School, Long School, Hansen School, West Osgood School, North Osgood School, Nichols School, Star School, Miller School, Platte Valley School
See photos of this year’s honorees.
To learn more about the One Room, One Teacher Scholarship Fund, contact Kristin Howard or Dusty Jura at 800-432-3216 or visit nufoundation.org/OneRoomOneTeacher.
