Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-24
COMMUNITY CENTER
FAR FROM ANY TOWN
Four Districts in Southeast
Nebraska Unite and Build
Fine School House.
ALSO HOME FOR TEACHERS

Stella, Neb., Dec. 23.-(Special.) y
"Bratton Union is to be the name
of the new community center that is
being established ten miles north
west of Stella, eleven miles from Au-
burn, nine miles from Howe and
eight from Humboldt.
The new school building that is
being erected will be ready for oc-
cupancy Just after New Years.
Thoughtful people in the neighbor-
hood had been thinking of school
consolidation for some time and last
April meeting was held, and i'll July
bonds were voted.
Four school districts are included
-Shroyer and Oak Grove in Rich
ardson county and Sunnyside and
Bratton in Nemaha county.
The school building is in the
Shroyer district in Richardson
county. Five acres of land, at $1l2.50
an acre, were bought from John
Holman, and the north side of this
plot borders Nemaha county.
Named for Pioneer.
For twenty-five years there was a
postoffice in the neighborhood.
known as Bratton. The location of
the postoffice fluctuated, as it was
kept at various times in different
farmhouses. 1t took its name from
a Mr.. Bratton, who was a merchant
at Brownville, on the Missouri river
in Nemaha county, in the pioneer
days. The mail for a while in the
early days was carried from Brown
Vile, and the residents of the neigh
borhood traded at the Bratton store
in Brownville. s'r
The new school building is 55x55
feet and two stories. 1t will cost
SC, 800. At the time the bonds were
voted $4,000 seemed ample, but al
ready the shortage of funds is
manifest.
Home for Teachers.
Buying the land and erecting the
building is only part of the expense.
A well 140 feet deep,at 81 foot, has
been dug; and to the well is added
the expense of pump and the gaso-
line engine for pumping. Then there
is the teacherage, costing 81 900,
barns and garages. The school
building is being erected by contract,
but the teacherage, a six-room bun
galow, is being built with help hired
by the day. The teacherage is being
made of two district schoolhouses.
Two of the district schoolhouses were
sold to, farmers at $500 and $225, re-
spectively. q
Large Assembly Room.
The school building in the base
ment has rooms for domestic sci
ence, manual training and gymna
SUM Upstairs are two class rooms.
and the auditorium is arranged so it
can be converted into two separate
class rooms. The auditorium has a
stage, with dressing rooms, and the
purpose OF the stage is for use of
teacher, preacher, lecturer, enter
tainer, or by whomsoever or whatso
ever is needed to make the building
real community center for the
gathering of large circle of coun
try people. -
Bert Taylor, HldH OI SClOOl en-
perience, assisted by Mrs. Taylor,
will be at the head of the school.
They have been boarding in the dis
trict for several months and doing
whatever they can to further the
work.
The experimenting of the COM
pletion of the school building and
of the erection of the teacherage
was. turned over to Mr.. Taylor some
time ago; also to him was turned
over the wrecking of the two district
schoolhouses that are to be used in
the teacherage, and he and Mrs,
Taylor have gathered UP the books
in the four rural districts.
Transportation of Pupils.
Three or four farmers in the con-
solidated district have been engaged
to transport the children to school.
One farmer has converted small
automobile into truck with a big
body, and in fair weather he will use
this motor bus. In cold weather oil
stoves will be used to heat the rigs in
which the children are transported.
The rate is 20 cents pupil day,
and the farmers who transport the
children will each draw a pay check
of about $50 a month.
~ NJ