Melvina, Paul, Darlys, Ray
Melvina (Kuhl) Vollstedt graduated from Manning High School in 1926. She graduated at age 15 and was unable to begin teaching school with her Normal Training from high school until she reached age eighteen. She lived with her parents, Henry Edmund and Lena Kuhl, until age eighteen and in 1928 she began teaching country school in Crawford County, Iowa No. 2, the same country school she and her siblings (Herbert, Marvin, Marcus, Elsie, Kathryn) had attended. Elsie, her sister, preceded Melvina as the teacher of this country school. In addition, her father received his country school education at Iowa No. 2 and then attended Manning High School for one year before entering the Denison Business School.
Melvina walked 3/4 mile from her parents' farm home to work, started the fire, performed janitorial duties, and carried drinking water for the day. She taught all grades K-8, prepared all seat work by hand, "worksheets" as we know them today, and all of the students' art work aided by a very primitive printing press. She also prepared all the parts for students to recite for Christmas and end-of-the-year programs. Her daughter, Darlys, still has many of her teaching materials, textbooks, teachers' magazines, a "rough draft" of one of her programs, as well as her "printing press." Content of the teachers' magazines, textbooks, and other materials was predominately related to homemaking, farming, health issues, and patriotism. Melvina's pay was $45 per month. Her students included Melinda, Bennie, Elmer, and Louie Otto; Harry Koester; Willys Wunder, Glenn and Lyle Rowedder; Billy Meggers; Roy Georgious, and Elverda Lamp.
Melvina married Raymond Vollstedt on May 30, 1934, when they began farming east of Irwin. Though Melvina didn't return to teaching in the public schools, she used her teaching abilities to teach Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning. Melvina died in 1974 and Raymond in 1986. Raymond graduated from eighth grade in 1923 from country school at Carroll County, Washington No. 8. Their children, Paul and Darlys, attended this same country school.
Paul started school in 1941 at age four because they needed him in order to keep the school open. At that time, he spoke primarily German because their Grandpa Vollstedt lived with them due to illness and Paul's parents likewise spoke German as well as English. Paul's teachers were Rozora (Kuhn) Schroeder (1941-42) and Selma Ross (1942-44). The students in 1941 were Dean and Lowell Stribe, Marian (Hoffman) Long, and Paul Vollstedt. The students from 1942-44 were Dean and Lowell Stribe, Ronnie Frahm, Dale Vollstedt, Rosie (Muhlbauer) Nulle, and Paul Vollstedt.
Darlys started school in 1944 at age five. Her teachers were Margaret Stangl (1944-45), Jean (Stuhr) Singsank (1945-47), and Mae (Bogatzke) Fogleman (1947-48). The students who attended school during this time period were Dean Stribe, Rosie Muhlbauer, Paul Vollstedt, Lowell Stribe, Ronnie Frahm, Dale Vollstedt, Larry Knudson, Darlys Vollstedt, Marilyn (Sonksen) Lohmeier, Roger Eischeid, Lyle Knudson, and Sylvia Vollstedt. Two of the County Superintendents during this time period were Mary L. Moore and H.H. Linton. At the end of the 1948 school year, Washington No. 8 was closed and all students began attending the Manning Public School.
Darlys has many vivid and very fond memories of Washington No. 8. The "big boys" walked to a neighbor's farm place each morning and carried water back to school and the students all had their own tin cup from which to drink. Students carried cold lunch to school and when the furnace (started by the teacher) was being used, they brought potatoes to school and laid them over the hot coals so they were baked by lunch time.
There were two outhouses that were used regardless of how deep the snow may have been. Darlys doesn't recall that they ever had "snow vacations." Most days, the children of all ages played together outside during recess. Activities included such games as tag, hide-and-seek, fox 'n goose, and "work-up" softball.
Each morning the U.S. flag was raised and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. There was a Victrola phonograph and a piano in the school house for music classes. Art, for the most part, consisted of cutting, pasting, and coloring-creativity was not a part of art.
Each family bought their children's textbooks, many of which Paul and Darlys still have. There was a platform at the front of the room where students by grade and subject went to sit on a bench in front of the teacher's desk to recite and receive instruction and then returned to their desks to silently do seat work. Desks were all connected by rows; they were of various sizes to accommodate the different ages and sizes of children. Each student had an ink well and pen on their desk. Curtains were hung in front of the platform to serve as a stage for school programs that the families attended.
A group who walked with Darlys to school most days were Ronnie Frahm (1 3/4 mi.), Paul and Darlys Vollstedt (1 1/4 mi.), and Larry and Lyle Knudson (3/4 mi.). Dean Stribe has remained a special memory for Darlys because of his kindness. He was an eighth grader who took Darlys under his wing, playing games with her and putting his cap on her head to wear during recess - she thought that was special!
Paul Vollstedt graduated from Manning High School in 1954, served in the Navy, and spent most of his adult life in the Manning area.
Darlys Vollstedt graduated from Manning High School in 1957 and graduated from Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville, Missouri, in January 1961. Her first teaching job was in Hartford, Iowa, with a beginning salary of $4000, followed by teaching in Missouri schools, and retired from Glidden-Ralston, Glidden, Iowa, in 2000 after teaching 30 years. She taught Junior High and High School math and business. Darlys continues to be a substitute teacher at Glidden-Ralston and at Southern Cal in Lake City, Iowa. Darlys' Manning High School teachers were very influential in her decisions in regard to the choice of college (Lois Kemper, NWMSU alumnus) and her major and minor teachers: John Beach, business and Sam Mast, math.
She married Gerry Bean in 1961 and has resided in Lake City since 1968. Gerry died in 1997. Their five children, Brian, Jody, Melissa, Wendy, and Jeremy graduated from Lake City/Southern Cal High School. With education being a priority, all of the children graduated from college and most have been associated with public school education in various capacities, such as serving on local school boards, classroom teachers, or the Federal Department of Education.