Wightman School

Teacher and students standing infront of Wightman Rural Schoolhouse about 1909. In the top row, left to right, stands Dean Ferguson, Irma Cushman, Edith Sutton, Charlie Fist and Archie Ferguson. In the second row stands Nellie Wightman, Nellie Van Drillen, Nola Wighteman,Virginia Fort,  and Frank Fort. In the Third Row stands Cornelius Fort, Oliver Brown, Bill Fist, Pete Cushman, and Melvin Ferguson. In the Bottom Row stands Elzie Beeghly, Warren Ernst, Marie Earnst, Irene Fisk and Bernice Beeghly.

Wightman Schoolhouse in 1973. Built in 1910 and moved to be part of the Union School in 1914. 

The Wightman School District No. 3 was created before 1900. A school was built on the corner of Pasture and Cushman Roads in 1910 and moved in 1914 to be a part of the Union School which was created by the consolidation of the Wightman and Smart districts.

To Hold a School Meeting.
A meeting was held at the Wightman School house last Monday to consider the question of dividing the district or moving the school house nearer the center of population. Fred Wightman was electod chairman and C. M. Beegly, secretary. A committee composed of Messre..Beeghly,. Mead and Forte was appointed to confer with the trustees of other districts.
A meeting has been called at Vaughn's halt for June 11th to consider the above questions and a still largerone, namely, shall have four districts-Wightman, Smart, Allen and Sheckler-join in establishing a graded school. To this end the committee requests a full attendance from all the districts at the meeting on. June 11th.

Churchill County Eagle May 27, 1909

To Build School House.
The board of directors of the Wight-man school district met last Saturday and opened the following bids for the building of the mew school house:
Edgar C. Smith - $1030.00
A. L. Vitell- 1044.00
T. H. Depp - 1125.00
D. A. Wildes - 1010.75
Morgan Williams - 988 00
The latter bid being the lowest, Morgan Willams was awarded the contract.

Churchill County Eagle December 15,1910

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