Smart School
The Smart School District was created in 1905. Their first schoolhouse was built By Vet Smart and Paris Markwell along with other district members. The first teacher in this district was Ella Black. A new schoolhouse was built in 1911 on the corner of Harrigan and Lazy Heart Lane. This building was moved to the corner of Harrigan and Union Road when the Smart District consolidated resources with the Whightman district in 1914. The consolidated schools were then called the Union School.
We are informed that a picture of the old school house in the Smart district in this county appeared in the February number of the Ladies Home Journal. That would be a good picture to save, for the building has been moved to the central point where the Union school now stands, and some of these days a handsome structure will replace the old buildings. Then the strides of progress in this valley could very aptly be illustrated by pictures of the old and the new. A Parent-Teachers' organization was formed in the Union district last Saturday to take up lines of work similar to the efforts put forth by such movements in other parts of the state. Their first public movement is to have an improvement day for the school grounds. This was to have been today, but owing to the ground being too wet from the melting snow, it had been postponed to Saturday, March 11, at which time the people of the district are to gather and have a big picnic and prepare the school grounds for the planting of trees.
Churchill County Eagle March 4, 1916
A MOVE FOR
UNION SCHOOLS.
SMART AND WIGHTMAN DISTRICTS TO HOLD MEETING THE 25th TO VOTE.
Meets With Approval of District
Supt. Abel—Government Do-
nates 40 Acres With Water
Right for 10 Acres.
The school board of Smart and Wightman districts, on the strength of petitions signed by he heads of families of both districts, asked the government to grant 40 acres of land in the southeast corner of section 18, for school purposes, giving assurance that a union district would be formed and buildings erected on the tract. It will be remembered that the interior department, acting upon the advice of Projec Engineer Cole, very readily granted the request.
Now it appears that in order to take advantage of the donation by the government, the trustees of the two districts have called a meeting I of the heads of families of Smart district No. 10 and Wightman No. 3, for Saturday evening, July 25th, at 7:30, to discuss the various phases of the subject and to take a vote upon it, in accordance with the requirements of the law.
The officers are anxious to have a full representation of the people of the respective districts, as the action at this time will be final. If a majority are in favor, then the union board, which has already duly qualified under the law, will proceed to let contracts for the moving of the buildings.
Prof. J. F. Able, district superintendent, in a formal letter to the two boards, under date of July 9, urges the people of Smart and Wightman districts to form a union school and move the buildings to a convenient point.
This paper has been a strong advocate of union, or consolidated schools, wherever the conditions justify, because we have seen the successful Working out of the plan in older states in the east, and realize that it is more economical in the long run and far more efficient, in that it tends to give the children in the country districts the benefits of a graded school, the same as provided in the larger towns.
Churchill County Eagle July 18,1914