LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL NO. 1

1944-45 From left back.....Conrad Hein, Beth Gerber, Nadine Hein, ? , ? , Kenneth German, ?, Marvin Pomrenke, Gerald Hein Next row..Lu Verne Lawrence, Daisy Pomrenke, LaDonna Gerber, Lameul (Sam) Lawrence, Geraldine Hein, Gail Trower Next row...Gary Lawrence, Delton Gerber, Doris Gerber. Teacher...Audrey (Behrns) Elrite Picture from Audrey Elrite

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM THE BOOK..HISTORY OF SISSETON, SOUTH DAKOTA Lawrence Township had only one rural school because it was a small township and Peever Independent School extended on to include several sections. Lawrence School No. 1 was located in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 20, three miles south and 3/4 miles west of Peever. The County Superintendent sent about five of us five year olds home when we tried to start school as the teacher had 41 pupils in eight grades without us. When the original schoolhouse burned down in the fall of 31 or 32, school was conducted at the home of Melvin Lawrence, where Eldon Lawrence, a great grandson of Lorenzo Lawrence, now lives. Melvin and his family moved upstairs and classes were held in two rooms on the ground floor. During the next summer Pete Nickstad (and Andrew Tuff) of Peever constructed a new school on the original site. Some of the teachers I can remember were: Margaret McAdaragh, (who was there when the superintendent sent us home), Bride Kelly, ( who was the teacher when the schoolhouse burned), Helen Radke, Cora Christiansen, Francis Stapleton, Robert Stapleton, his wife Edna,(now Mrs. Manguel Nelson finished out the term),Mildred (Kelly) Gardner, Audrey (Behrns) Elrite,Jeanne (Chilson) Leiseth,Gayle (Gunderson) Hanson, Shirley (Hove) Bassett, and Gladys (Theile) Christiansen. These are some of the families who attended the school: Silas Greely, James Horne, Aaron Theile, Joe Flute, John Wren, Jorgen Jorgenson, Andrew Drovdahl,Louie German, Bill Egan, Henry German, Hugo Schloe, Melvin Odden, Hans Bonrud, Olaf Aspelund, George Nerison, Funston, Dwight Gerber, Earl Owen, Abel Greely, Phyllis Lewis, Ed Greely, Melvin Lawrence, Harris Thompson, Harry Hein, George Elrite, Theodore Tostenson, Herman Pomrenke, Fred Lawrence, and Melvin Behrns. The school was closed in 1964. The building was then sold to Ephriam Redearth, who moved it three miles west and a half mile south of Peever and converted it to a family dwelling. Long live the memory of the rural schools that accomplished their tasks so well. SCHOOLS