In 1880 Chappell came into existence with the building of the U.P.R.R. at which time it was a mere station on the railroad. A young man, John O’Neil who was the first station agent here in 1880 was located in the improvised depot, the wreck of an old box car and he always claimed to be the first permanent resident.

Soon after the building of the railroad a few settlers came to the site of Chappell, and there were children-- Mr. O’Neil realizing the need of some kind of instruction for them, taught the first school in the depot. There were four boys. He had neither certificate—-- District, or authority to do so and no taxes to support him but the school carried on and did good work. This was 1882, Chappell, a first school 77 years ago.

Settlers were now coming in with their families. In March 1885 school district No. 7, including Chappell, Cheyenne County, Nebraska was created. During the summer of 1885 a frame school building 2L4~’ x 36’ was built on the present site of the Court House, with Miss Alice Warner (afterward becoming Mrs., O’Neil) as the first teacher in the first legally constituted public school in Chappell. Of the l~4 pupils of that first organized school, one pupil, Mr. T.M. Johnson is living.

1886 — 1887 — 1888

The next three teachers were Mrs. German, Miss Jessie Thatcher and Miss Emma Thatcher. Other settlers were fast coming into the county -- Mr. O’Neil quit the railroad job, went into the real estate business which business continued for the next thirty years.

As the need for more school privileges were increasing, in the year 1888— Chappell, now Chappell, Deuel County by the division from Cheyenne Co., that year. A new school building was erected on the site of the present grade school and the V.M. Wiest School.

The first little frame school building was used for the County clerks office until 1915—— when the present courthouse was built. The little building sold and in use on the south divide as a home.

This new school building was a lovely two story white frame building with belfry on top, two rooms on the first floor and one large room on the second floor. There were spacious halls, cloakrooms, and storage. Modern too, had buckets for water and two dippers.

The two rooms below being used for school purposes; the upstairs was used for community hail, lodge meetings, medicine shows, Church, school entertainment, and 1district court. The yard was fenced in by four strands of barbed wire, not to keep the pupils in, for there was absolutely no place to go but home, but as every family in town had a milk cow, the fence served to keep the town herd out of the play yard. Had a hitching rack-— as many people rode horseback to school———since there were no Chevies, Fords, or Chryslers.

The district court sometimes lasted from one to two weeks, and if a pupil could manage a written excuse from his parents he might attend if the teacher thought the trial respectable. Wonder what they would think of some of our T.V. programs today?

By now a grade system was used and the eight grades established with Ed Hamilton as principal and Mrs. German primary room.

The next principals to follow were — Mr. Crabtree, Mr. Parks, Mr. Wise and Mr.Briggs.

1891

In 1891 a teachers institute or summer school was organized. The county hiring the best instructors available. The first year there were fifty-four teachers in attendance showing the growth of the settlement of the county. This institute made the rural and town systems more uniform in the teaching art and held in the schoolhouse.

As the rural schools often had about three to five months of school each year, many families moved into town, the children finishing the years work, as Chappell always had nine months of school.

1899 — 1901

Ed Wolf was principal - with Miss Lucy Johnson, (sister of T.M. Johnson) and also my first teacher. Ed was a stern disciplinarian but an excellent teacher.

The next two years Mr. Cown was principal. Mr. J.0. Zook was principal the next two years, coming from the East bringing new ideas and new life into the school and community. Established the first school library — a literary society, debating team and as he was a lecturer — Chautauqua speaker etc. — many recitations were missed while he practiced his orations before the school. 1906—1907 P. Edgar Adams, principal. By now another eighth grade class finished the school.

1907 — 1908

Mr. J. A. Harrison principal, a young man not much older than some of the students. He had taught the previous year in Oshkosh, and six of the last years eighth grade class answered roll call, and out of the goodness of his heart he let us stay and had the board get 9th grade text books and thus the class received a slip of paper in May stating we had graduated from the 9th grade.

1908 — 1909

Many families came from the north river country as far as Lisco, with the division of the county in 1909 —- when Garden County was created. We welcomed the Garden Co. pupils who attended these years, with Mr. Ziegler as principal.

In Sept. two of those 9th grades showed up and Mr. Ziegler said if we would help out with the teaching he would let us stay. My lone classmate, Jessie Wiegand now Mrs. Hosford of New Mexico taught 6th grade history, and I taught 6th grade geography.

We both taught spelling and assisted with music in primary room. In May we received a slip of paper stating we had graduated from the 10th grade.

1909 — 1910

1909 was the beginning of a great change in the school history, a year of many firsts. The board voted in June to add high school. The upper floor of the building was divided into two classrooms, with the eleventh grade and eighth grade in east room and the ninth grade in the west room.

1910 — 1911

Mr. L. Gash was principal. Miss Putt assistant, Miss Maud Sudinan, now Mrs.Maud Neumann, Chappell, taught German. This was the first official High School year in Chappell. Mr. Gash built the first laboratory for Botany and Physic classes.

It was the first year for basketball. The colors, the orange and black were chosen as the school colors. School pennants were ordered. Where was the Gym?? Well it was in the south west corner of the school yard out doors. No Coach, but the Hamilton family from Kearney moved here and their son, Porter had graduated from high school and had played basketball. Someone decided Porter could take some post graduate work and play on the team. (The State rules are a little different now.) So Jessie and I obliged to stay after school that fall and study Trigonometry with Porter so he couldd play basketball. Mr. L. 0. Pfeiffer, County Attorney taught us Pep Yells and we had one pep song to the tune of Red Wing. The first game was with Sedgwick and as the players and pep girls had to pay their own expenses and anyone who could produce thirty five or fifty cents to help pay for a spring wagon and team from the livery barn could go and they sure crowded in.

Boys on the first basketball team were W.E. (Bill) Zehr, Fred Sudiaan, Harvey Davis, Earl Groves, Lyle Wiegand, Clinton McAuliffe, Paul Bergstrom, and Porter Hamilton. Well, it was the beginning.

When school closed in May there were two eleventh grade graduates, Jessie Wiegand and myself (Lottie Davis McCormick). The first from this High School That was forty-nine years ago, 1911. Jessie wrote me quote “We graduated three times from Chappell School, 1909—1910-- 1911 grades and each year they said we were thru but the next year we showed up again - when we finished the 11th grade they said “Now don’t come back.”

1911 — 1912

This year with Mr. Gash principal and. Miss Waneta Frederick (Now Waneta Jensen) of Chappell as faculty. With attendance increasing there were five graduates from the tenth grade. A public program was held and a charge of thirty-five cents admission to pay for the use of the opera house, which also included the eighth, grade graduation exercise.

1912 - 1913

Next principal Guy chambers, now an attorney in Lincoln. The attendance was increasing —— more classroom was needed. The patrons of Dist #7 knowing the best education we can give our youngsters is none too good completed the present grade all modern brick building with gymnasium. In this our first gym and for 35 cents you could attend a basketball game, by standing all thru the game on that elevated cement shelf around the room — But we like it. This room was later used for shop and finally finished up as a Band Room.

1913 — 1914

Mrs. Jensen, principal and Jessie Wiegand Hosford as assistant. This year the school was complete with twelve grades. The first graduation class was three girls, Vera Shawkey Keep, Alice Wiegand Hall and Clora Cave Stevenson.

1914 — 1915

Mr. Fulton was principal.

1915 — 1917

Mr. L. R. Eastman as principal with three additional H. S. Teachers. During this period it became necessary to build an addition to the original brick building consisting of more classrooms and a larger gymnasium. This gym was later used as a lunchroom. The construction of this addition was completed in the summer of 1917. It was at this period that the high school was organized as the Deuel County High School.

1917 — 1919

In the fall of 1917 Deuel County High School became a reality with Mr. Frank L. Smith, Superintendent and five H. S. teachers. The first edition of the high school annual, the Non Panel was published in 1918. The Alumnae association was organized & lasted for several years. Seems just the girls had been finishing school - but now we had a first again. The first boy to earn all his high school credits in Chappell and graduate from the twelfth grade was Allen Cave.

Although we know the academic studies are always primary and of first importance — something was needed to keep the boys interested and keep them in school.

At the beginning of the fall term of 1920 Supt. Smith decided there was good material for a football team. Going to Lincoln he hired Coach Roettger —- every boy in school going out for the game. There were seventeen boys suited up with three eighth graders on the team. The townspeople gave the team their wholehearted support — as most had never seen a game of football played. The field was where the city park is now located with games played in the afternoon. The first touchdown was scored against Kimball. The boys won their last game of the season, Chappell lLI~9, Bridgeport 0. When you young folks go down the street — meeting our business and professional men and prosperous farmers, you would never know they were among our first players. Today many of them are loving grandfathers teaching little grandsons how to drop kick. The first group of players were -— Rex Sutton, Chester Peterson, Ralph Brestel, Art Brestel, Walt Brestel, Bob Bartholemew, Walter Terry, Zeke Reichman, Chick Reichman, Nick Zehr, Walter Peterson, Carl (Cap) Smith, Harry Unzicker, Glen Linciley, Ceo. Ross, Ed Ness and Myron McGrale.

The basketball team was made up of the same boys that were so successful, they were the first team to go to the state tournament, winning from Sterling, Nebr. and losing to St. Edwards.

There was a real good organized Girls basketball team this year and they scheduled games -- even Scottsbluff. I shall name the team who are now loving grandmothers — Elsie Clark Sheldon, Leota Robe, Maude Cave Rush, Eva Larson Rankin, Florence Clark Cave, Alma Rhoades, Vernice Brestel Glann, Opal Robbins Perry.

They were now teaching Home Economics and normal training. The growing attendance was demanding more room and the school was enlarged by an addition of a two room frame building east of the brick building for the kindergarten and first grade. Many are here tonight who attended that Little Red Bungalow as they named it. There were now 12 High School graduates.

1921 — 1922

Supt. Copeland followed with seven H.S. teachers. It was necessary to find additional classrooms. Two rooms upstairs at the courthouse were used.

Dr. Collins was hired as band instructor with twenty-five members in the band.

Dramatics —— quartets and orchestra were added.

Coach Keester took over athletics.

Might be interesting to some to state that Jack Weldon Teagarden a noted orchestra leader attended school in Chappell that year. There were twenty-one graduates.

With fifty lively youngsters entering as freshman necessary plans were in the making to build a new high school separate from the grade school. ‘Where to build it? One half the people wanted it down town but a wise half won by selecting a suitable location out east of town in a cow pasture, the present site. Being sufficient ground for a football field adjacent to the building has proven to be a more desirable location.

1922 — 1924

In 1923 the new $90,000 D.C.H.S. was dedicated with Supt. J.H. Ray in charge and over one hundred students enrolled. The building was complete for all time — so we thought. Modern, huge gym, home Economics department, class rooms and campus landscaping started.

1924 — 1930

Supt Frank Cyr, who was here seven years, starting out at the huge salary of $1,550 for nine months. The commercial course was added and Supt. Cyr recognizing this to be an agriculture community insisted the Smith Hughes System be added, with much protest from the patrons until they fully understood its importance. Normal training has been discontinued, but agriculture and shop have been exceedingly successful.

1930 — 1946

Supt. V.M. Wiest: We deeply appreciate his fine work, as his every interest was in promoting high standards our schools are noted for.

Our trophy cases are filled with honors from each year’s classes — from every department, Football, Basketball, Track, Tennis, Band, Dramatics, Vocal and Glee Club music and Scholastic attainments. Wish I could give each participant personal thanks for your fine performance, for the joy and entertainment you have given to this community and school. Each student has been important and necessary to the success and development of our school including my own sons who could not be here tonight. So to all a

BIG THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY SUPT. V.M. WIEST, FOR YOUR SIXTEEN YEARS OF LEADERSHIP.

1946 — 1954

Following Mr. Wiest and Supt. George Miller who was in our school nineteen years and that is the record so far. A most proficient coach and principal. His untiring interest in development at every opportunity for advancement in the betterment of our schools. He accomplished splendid results.