Max Rural High School
1925 – 1966
1925 – 1966
In the spring of 1881 a new United States post office was established in eastern Dundy County by Max Monvoisin. As farming and ranching developed in southwestern Nebraska, population increased in the Republican Valley. That increase, in turn, led eventually to the founding of Max High School in 1925 – at first only through the 10th grade in a newly constructed two-room frame building.
A subscription school was operated out of a soddy on the Groesbeck place. School district 27 was organized March 8, 1887 with the first meeting held at the home of Max Monvoisin. The first teacher in the Max district was Bertha Gring, who taught for three months (the length of the original school term) and was paid $25 per month. The next two school terms in 1888 were taught by Maggie Sheaver and Anne Martin, who each taught for three months at the same wages as Miss Gring. In 1889 Miss Gring returned for both terms, and in 1890, the term was lengthened to 177 days with Mrs. Mary Keeran teaching, and again, at the same wage level of $25 per month.
The year 1925 saw the Max Rural High School established, operating a four year program and constructing a new two-level brick building under the leadership of school board members Orlie Powell, Bob Lewis and Everett Sutton. Superintendent John Litherland not only sparked the start of a competent curriculum, but also led an effort toward providing athletic extracurricular activities for both boys and girls. His efforts were rewarded when he coached the early boys basketball team of Aubrey Shillington, Glenn Crow, Wayne Crow, Ross Sampson, Vern Updike and Walter Lawrence to a 1926 Class I championship at the state tournament in Lincoln.
Max Rural High’s first graduates were the class of 1925: Clarence Foster, Clyde Foster and Ethel (Maranville) Boles. From their day onward, Max students continued to be heard from. Scores of graduates, such as Duane Gardner of the Class of 1945, an educator of national repute, can trace their success back to lessons learned at Max. One special athletic triumph for the black and white-uniformed Max Pirates was the result of a great performance at the state track and field meet in 1932 by one athlete, Lee Todd. Described in newspapers as a one-man track team, Todd scored all of the points accumulated by Max in winning the Group IV (small schools) state championship. He took first place in four events and second in another. Todd continued his career as a Hastings College student and as a decathlon competitor while coaching and teaching in New Mexico and Nebraska (Elm Creek and Grant); He was Perkins County High School superintendent at Grant 1946-82.
In 1953 a final construction project added a gymnasium to the Max High Campus. The school’s largest senior class was that of 1934, when 13 students graduated. There were only two seniors in 1966. Delores Johnson and Dick Guernsey, when the school population loss forced closing of Max Rural High School by consolidation with Benkelman High. The Max school building was sold and has been dismantled with the brick recycled in the exterior of a house; the gym has been converted to a garage and workshop.
Former Max Rural School teacher Anna (Gorthy) Benge recalled that during the 1930/31 school year, “the teachers were required to attend the Methodist Church in Max on Sunday evening and contribute money to the church. Also, they were asked to do as much buying from the local stores as possible. We did not object to this, because this community paid our salaries. My salary was $100 per month.
“I remember Mr. Liss Lawrence, the janitor, as being a jolly, helpful person around the school. I recall a pet saying he had, and he had one for each occasion.
“Whenever a pupil in my room had a birthday, the mother would always send a treat for the room. Most generally it was cupcakes and a drink. We always sent cupcakes to Mr. Lawrence. He would come to the room to thank us, then would say, ‘That was a good sample. When do we have the rest of the food?’ This always made the children laugh.
“Mr. Mulac taught the science class in high school. One morning, something happened and the experiment exploded. It sent out a white smoke which filled the room. It leaked out into the hall.
“One high school student became alarmed and he ran to the three grade school rooms, opened the doors and cried out, ‘Fire, everyone out, quick!’
“You can imagine all the pupils in the school trying to get out of the building at the same time. High school students, little folks and older ones trying to get down the steps and through the front door as quickly as they could. Some children ran on home. Not long in coming were some of the Max folks.
“The result was a harmless chemical explosion sending white smoke into the air. There was no fire, nothing was damaged and no one hurt, but there were a lot of frightened pupils, teachers and parents. You better believe we had fire drills from then on.
“During this year, we had several tragic incidents. Little Jessie Brunt, a first-grade pupil, died very suddenly as a [surprise snow storm struck, and caught the little fellow unaware as he walked home. He never made it home. Several men were out Thursday] and Friday looking for him. On Sunday, he was found. On this day there were about 700 – 1,000 men searching for him. Mr. G.F. Mills’ and T.C. Cordwell’s shovels touched the little frozen boy. Mr. Mills used the signal and shot into the air that ended the search. The little lad had walked about halfway home. He was buried in the Pleasant Valley Friends cemetery. For several years, a staff with a cloth stood above the place where he was found.”
[Note: Mrs. Benge’s recollections appeared in the Benkelman Post, and are reprinted here. The brief section enclosed in brackets ([]) above was obscured in the original copy of the newspaper used to transcribe this recollection, and so was added by the webmaster in order to maintain the flow of Mrs. Benge’s original recollection.]
A subscription school was operated out of a soddy on the Groesbeck place. School district 27 was organized March 8, 1887 with the first meeting held at the home of Max Monvoisin. The first teacher in the Max district was Bertha Gring, who taught for three months (the length of the original school term) and was paid $25 per month. The next two school terms in 1888 were taught by Maggie Sheaver and Anne Martin, who each taught for three months at the same wages as Miss Gring. In 1889 Miss Gring returned for both terms, and in 1890, the term was lengthened to 177 days with Mrs. Mary Keeran teaching, and again, at the same wage level of $25 per month.
The year 1925 saw the Max Rural High School established, operating a four year program and constructing a new two-level brick building under the leadership of school board members Orlie Powell, Bob Lewis and Everett Sutton. Superintendent John Litherland not only sparked the start of a competent curriculum, but also led an effort toward providing athletic extracurricular activities for both boys and girls. His efforts were rewarded when he coached the early boys basketball team of Aubrey Shillington, Glenn Crow, Wayne Crow, Ross Sampson, Vern Updike and Walter Lawrence to a 1926 Class I championship at the state tournament in Lincoln.
Max Rural High’s first graduates were the class of 1925: Clarence Foster, Clyde Foster and Ethel (Maranville) Boles. From their day onward, Max students continued to be heard from. Scores of graduates, such as Duane Gardner of the Class of 1945, an educator of national repute, can trace their success back to lessons learned at Max. One special athletic triumph for the black and white-uniformed Max Pirates was the result of a great performance at the state track and field meet in 1932 by one athlete, Lee Todd. Described in newspapers as a one-man track team, Todd scored all of the points accumulated by Max in winning the Group IV (small schools) state championship. He took first place in four events and second in another. Todd continued his career as a Hastings College student and as a decathlon competitor while coaching and teaching in New Mexico and Nebraska (Elm Creek and Grant); He was Perkins County High School superintendent at Grant 1946-82.
In 1953 a final construction project added a gymnasium to the Max High Campus. The school’s largest senior class was that of 1934, when 13 students graduated. There were only two seniors in 1966. Delores Johnson and Dick Guernsey, when the school population loss forced closing of Max Rural High School by consolidation with Benkelman High. The Max school building was sold and has been dismantled with the brick recycled in the exterior of a house; the gym has been converted to a garage and workshop.
Former Max Rural School teacher Anna (Gorthy) Benge recalled that during the 1930/31 school year, “the teachers were required to attend the Methodist Church in Max on Sunday evening and contribute money to the church. Also, they were asked to do as much buying from the local stores as possible. We did not object to this, because this community paid our salaries. My salary was $100 per month.
“I remember Mr. Liss Lawrence, the janitor, as being a jolly, helpful person around the school. I recall a pet saying he had, and he had one for each occasion.
“Whenever a pupil in my room had a birthday, the mother would always send a treat for the room. Most generally it was cupcakes and a drink. We always sent cupcakes to Mr. Lawrence. He would come to the room to thank us, then would say, ‘That was a good sample. When do we have the rest of the food?’ This always made the children laugh.
“Mr. Mulac taught the science class in high school. One morning, something happened and the experiment exploded. It sent out a white smoke which filled the room. It leaked out into the hall.
“One high school student became alarmed and he ran to the three grade school rooms, opened the doors and cried out, ‘Fire, everyone out, quick!’
“You can imagine all the pupils in the school trying to get out of the building at the same time. High school students, little folks and older ones trying to get down the steps and through the front door as quickly as they could. Some children ran on home. Not long in coming were some of the Max folks.
“The result was a harmless chemical explosion sending white smoke into the air. There was no fire, nothing was damaged and no one hurt, but there were a lot of frightened pupils, teachers and parents. You better believe we had fire drills from then on.
“During this year, we had several tragic incidents. Little Jessie Brunt, a first-grade pupil, died very suddenly as a [surprise snow storm struck, and caught the little fellow unaware as he walked home. He never made it home. Several men were out Thursday] and Friday looking for him. On Sunday, he was found. On this day there were about 700 – 1,000 men searching for him. Mr. G.F. Mills’ and T.C. Cordwell’s shovels touched the little frozen boy. Mr. Mills used the signal and shot into the air that ended the search. The little lad had walked about halfway home. He was buried in the Pleasant Valley Friends cemetery. For several years, a staff with a cloth stood above the place where he was found.”
[Note: Mrs. Benge’s recollections appeared in the Benkelman Post, and are reprinted here. The brief section enclosed in brackets ([]) above was obscured in the original copy of the newspaper used to transcribe this recollection, and so was added by the webmaster in order to maintain the flow of Mrs. Benge’s original recollection.]
The Evolution of the Max School
The image above is the only known photograph of the original sod school house, located on the Groesbeck farm.
A frame school house was built in 1887 (known locally as the Eagy building or the “Little White School”), and it was also used to hold religious services by the Methodist church until 1890 when the Methodists and Episcopalians began using what has since become known as “The Little Church.” The “Little White School” was the first actual school building built in Max (the old soddy being located on Hoxie Groesbeck’s farm). After the Methodists and Episcopalians began using “The Little Church,” the school house was also used as a lodge hall, until it was sold to “Grandpa Wickizer in 1925, and moved away from Max. Show below are some photos of the “Little White School.” (Note: Click on any image to enlarge it.)
A frame school house was built in 1887 (known locally as the Eagy building or the “Little White School”), and it was also used to hold religious services by the Methodist church until 1890 when the Methodists and Episcopalians began using what has since become known as “The Little Church.” The “Little White School” was the first actual school building built in Max (the old soddy being located on Hoxie Groesbeck’s farm). After the Methodists and Episcopalians began using “The Little Church,” the school house was also used as a lodge hall, until it was sold to “Grandpa Wickizer in 1925, and moved away from Max. Show below are some photos of the “Little White School.” (Note: Click on any image to enlarge it.)
The Max Rural School building (the first brick school building) was built in 1925. School board members at that time were Orlie Powell, Bob Lewis and E.S. Sutton. (Click on any image to enlarge it)
It wasn't long before the school was enlarged and additions were made, including a new gymnasium in the 1950's. The
original watercolor painting of this school (as shown below) is hanging in the Max Community
Center, and was painted by Mrs. Henry (Pauline) Jensen in 1946. Henry Jensen
was Superintendent of Schools in 1945-46 and 1946-47. (Click on any image to enlarge)
All good things must eventually come to an end, however, and the Max Rural School closed its doors in 1966. In 1979, the school was torn down, with the exception of the new gym. The materials from the school (bricks, etc) were used to build the Kirkman home. The gym became Mr. Kirkman's garage and shop (he was a master carpenter). To date, the gym is still standing. Below are some photos taken by Mr. Kirkman during the school's demolition
Students and Faculty
A walk down memory lane. Recognize anyone? Click on any image to enlarge it.
School Sports
As with many rural schools, the school athletic program played a huge role in the community at large. Here are some of the Max sports teams over the years. Click on any image to enlarge it.
The Max School Band
As with the school athletic program, the arts also played an important part in the rural educational system. Here are some of Max's budding musicians from years past. Click on any image to enlarge it.