NEVC anniversary and county schools of yore

Friday, December 30, 2016

While the actual month and day have passed, before 2016 bows out, there is still time to mark an anniversary.

The Northeast Vernon County R-1 School District is twenty years-old. It was created when the Schell City R-1 School District -- the blue and white Bears -- annexed the Walker R-4 School District -- the blue and gold Pirates -- and together formed a new district, the NEVC gray and black Knights.

The need for the annexation came when the Walker district lost its accreditation, partly due to low scores on the Missouri Mastery Achievement Tests. Schell City residents then voted down a tax levy which would have increased district funding to state required levels.

On June 5, 1996, by a vote of 286 to 178 -- with a 69 percent turnout -- Schell City approved the annexation.

It was decided ahead of time that Schell City Superintendent James Lewis would serve as the first head of the new district.

The school mascot and colors were decided by a joint meeting of the student councils of the two schools.

Said Charles Naas, current and long time NEVC district leader, "For NEVC, I am actually superintendent number four."

To date, those heading up the district were, in order: James Lewis, Mabel Davis, Nancy Henke and Naas.

"I'm just a long-termer," said Naas. "I began teaching math in grades seven through 12 at what was then Schell City High School."

Then came the 1996 annexation and the new district.

"At NEVC, I taught and started taking on some administrative duties," said Naas. "Before Nancy Henke left as superintendent, she urged me to apply for the job."

He got the job on condition he pursue a Specialist degree in educational administration, which he obtained in 2003.

"That period in my life is a bit of a blur," related Naas. "In a period of less than two years, I married Gina, we built a house, had a child and my father died.

"Gina was the high school science teacher at Schell and I was the math teacher. She calls our getting together chemistry, while I think it just added up."

Asked to compare teaching with administration, Naas said, "I liken the rewards in teaching and administration to the difference between a microwave oven and a slow cooker."

Naas mentioned teachable moments, when the light goes on and students understand.

He spoke of elementary students seeing their teacher outside of school and giving hugs. He described high school teachers with high standards whose students return to thank them for forcing them to do hard work and master a subject.

"Administrators have long-term rewards," Naas concluded.

"Seeing former students succeed in life gives me a great deal of satisfaction. And you'd be surprised at the number of invitations to weddings and funerals I get because I was involvednot only with the student but with the whole family."

Naas added, "There aren't too many of us left at either school who were original Schell City Pirates or Walker Bears personnel."

One of those originals is current elementary principal, Kendall Ogburn. He too had been a teacher at Schell City prior to the merger.

"I mean it when I say we've got really good teachers at Schell City," said Ogburn, "and I am amazed at the variety of teaching styles they use. But then again, kids learn in a variety of ways and our teachers work hard at trying to reach all of them."

In order to keep up with his teachers, the principal has obtained a masters degree and more recently a specialist degree in education.

When the Executive Director of the Bushwhacker Museum in Nevada, Will Tollerton, was asked about county schools, he first pulled out a small display containing nails from the Montevallo Academy.

Chartered in 1855, its building was erected two years later but was burned by Union troops in 1862.

Then Tollerton pulled out a 1932 survey of Vernon County schools, conducted by the Missouri Department of Public Schools.

At one time there were 131 rural schools in Vernon County with additional schools in the incorporated areas. With the sole exception of one in Nevada, schools established before to the Civil War were private, while after 1865 nearly all were public.

According to the 1932 survey, during the previous school year, there were 12 high schools operating in Vernon County, "an unusually large number for a county of its size, added Tollerton."

Those 12 included Bronaugh, Harwood, Metz, Milo, Montevallo, Moundville, Nevada, Richards, Schell City, Sheldon, Stotesbury and Walker.

All were considered Senior or First Class high schools with the exception of two. Montevallo was Second-class, meaning it provided three years while Milo was considered a Job or Third class school.

In an effort to boost education in rural areas beyond grade eight, the Missouri legislature established so-called "Job" schools. These were meant to provide one to two additional years of practical education to rural students, primarily in agriculture, mechanics and home economics.

While the state had encouraged rural districts to consolidate throughout the first half of the 20th century, such efforts were voluntary and failed to significantly reduce the high number of small rural schools.

In Vernon County, consolidation did produce districts called Bronaugh C-1, Metz C-3, Walker C-4, Moundville C-5, Stotesbury C-6 and Deerfield C-7.

Following the second World War, the State of Missouri passed legislation mandating the reorganization of rural schools into larger districts. A county wide board of education drew up and presented to the appropriate voters, each plan of reorganization.

The 1932 survey of Vernon County schools outlined a proposed reorganization plan which largely mirrors what was done by voter approval in the 1950s.

The new entities were given a reorganized district number by the county board of education.

Voters approved the creation of the Schell City R-1 Bears, the Metz R-2 Cardinals, the Richards R-3 Eagles, the Walker R-4 Pirates, the Nevada R-5 Tigers, the Bronaugh R-7 Wildcats, and the Sheldon R-8 Panthers.

While original plans called for eight districts, continued population decreases necessitated a change in plans as did what voters actually approved, and so the R-6 designation was eliminated without a renumbering of the other seven.

Moundville closed in 1931, Harwood in 1938, Milo in 1942, Montevallo in 1957, Richards in 1966, while the Metz board of education voted to close its high school in 1984.

And while Schell City and Walker high schools ceased to exist in 1996, they are an integral part of something which preserves the best of both districts.

A belated, happy 20th anniversary NEVC!

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