The Gunderson School, with its belfry and school bell still atop the roof, educated children in the community of Gunderson for 70 years starting in 1900. Today this historic school building is part of an outdoor exhibit of historical buildings at the Dakota Territorial Museum, Westside Park, Yankton SD USA.
A plaque over the schoolhouse door reads as follows:
"GUNDERSON SCHOOL -- DISTRICT 15
1900-1970"
From the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan, more on the Gunderson School: (
visit link)
"Museum Pieces
School Days And Yankton’s Old Days
BY CRYSTAL NELSON
Dakota Territorial Museum Aug 16, 2018 and
With school starting upon us, what better museum piece to talk about than our Gunderson School No. 15 and education in the early days.
The first school to be called No. 15, saw its first students in October 1875 after the board approved hiring Mary Foster as teacher. Her term was for four months. The next school term (3 months long) was held again in April 1877 with Miss Ida Hinman as teacher. A permanent structure was built in the early part of the 20th century. The No. 15 was located northwest of the former state hospital campus.
The Gunderson schoolhouse that is part of the Dakota Territorial Museum’s collection was first used in 1906 and served the area until 1969. Not much of the building has changed over the years — or so we have been told by former students. At some point the front entry way was added and this was used to hold the kids’ coats and provided access to water.
More than 80 schools served this region over the span of 100 years. The first officially recognized school in Dakota Territory was located in Vermillion. The earthen floor cabin began serving students in 1865. Nothing of this structure remains.
The first permanent school structure in Yankton was built in 1866, costing $482.45, and was located on the west end of Walnut between Third and Fourth streets. Women like Mrs. Newton Edmunds, Mrs. G.W. Kingsbury, Mrs. M.C. Hoyt and Mrs. H.C. Ash were among those that raised the money for the school. They formed The Ladies Educational Aid Society in order to get the funds and project completed.
For just over 20 years, it served not only as a school but also a town hall for elections and meetings, and social gatherings.
According to an Ellen Tobin column in our archives, school in Yankton was held much earlier. And it didn’t truly follow school board rules since there was no formalized education program in the area. But, from Dec. 1, 1862-Feb. 24, 1863, students were taught by A.E. VanOsdel.
Phyllis Christianson taught in a one-room rural school. In writings she shared with the museum, she said she has many fond memories of teaching in rural schools. It was rewarding to see the older students helping the younger students learn to read, play games and about sharing. One thing she may never forget is the blue racer snakes in the basement by the furnace. “I learned not to scream when they flew across the floor,” she wrote.
For many years the Gunderson School has been a must see for the hundreds of school kids that visit the museum each year. For many it is hard to imagine everyone sitting in one classroom, having to patiently wait for their grade’s turn with the teacher.
Put yourself in their seats for a moment — sitting in the school with your brothers/sisters, cousins, and neighbors, all ages together; sometimes there would be just a few of you and sometimes there would be quite a few.
The norm for education was to begin young, and by the time students reached eighth grade they were done with their education. Some went on to higher education and some went to work.
Now mind you school was generally held in the winter because kids were responsible for helping on the family farm. That meant they could not attend school during planting and harvesting seasons. That was a lot of learning to cram into a day at school.
Could you imagine being asked questions like this to graduate eighth grade:
• “Name and Define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.”
• “If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 pounds, what is it worth at 50ct/bushel, deducting 1,050 lbs for tare?”
• “Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?”
These are just some of the questions we found on a sample test administered in 1895 in Kansas. And it was a timed test none the less.
If you wanted to become a teacher, it was fairly easy, yet daunting at the same time. As long as you were 16 years of age and could pass an exam, you could be a teacher. The exam included reading, writing, orthography (spelling), history, English, grammar, arithmetic, geography, mental arithmetic and theory and practice.
Now it was preferred that if you were a female teacher you would not marry, and you could not live alone. And here is where it would get interesting — if you were married you would be too focused on your family and not as a teacher. Makes sense — back then it did. Teachers would try to find lodging near the school, but when that was not possible they would stay with their students — often times staying for a week with one family and then moving in with another, and so forth.
Just think of all the homework that got done when the teacher was living with you. When the idea of this is brought up to the school kids, that have toured in the past, some are excited and some are not thrilled to have their teacher living with them.
According to an article in our archives, every morning the teacher was required to arrive early and get the stove started so that it was warm inside when students arrived. Water was generally brought to the school from a nearby homestead.
It wasn’t the best of times and it wasn’t the worst of times. Many great minds were educated in a one-room schoolhouse like our very own Gunderson School No. 15.
We look forward to opening the schoolhouse once again to visitors and share the history with eager minds."