A Big Thank-You to the Carlocks and others

I want to express a great big THANK YOU to Stan and LaNeta Carlock for all the hard work they put in every day in preparation for a future opening of the "Cornerstone Museum", part of which is the nearly finished schoolhouse.  LaNeta told me there are a lot of other people who have helped them, but I know they spend every day working on this huge project and are the "power" behind the dream.

We chatted with LaNeta on Sunday afternoon while she gave us a tour of the schoolhouse and other areas of the property located on the block where Charlie and Lottie Roach used to have their businesses .

Many local people have donated items you can see around the school and the Crabtree Building.  Outside are tractors and antique farm machinery and playground equipment.  Some of the donations include things that will furnish the schoolhouse.

Some of the things being stored until "the time comes" to open, are the old Long Distance phone booth that used to be in the Central Office; buggies and horse drawn plows; upright piano; church pews; horse harnesses; the safe from the Drover's & Trader's Bank; potbellied stoves; many other items that will make a very interesting collection of local memorabilia and history.

The stove in the schoolhouse came from the old light and powerhouse and shows the many hours spent cleaning it up so it looks OLD, but NEW...  Like it probably looked the day it was delivered back in the 1800s.  The wainscoting came from the old Laird school and is being installed piece by piece.  There is a real "blackboard" on the wall and the teacher's desk and chair are sitting in the corner.

Their goal is to have the school complete in time for the Tumbleweed Festival in October.

-- Editor

Work is progressing on Dist. 67 South Schoolhouse

Pictures of work progressing inside on country schoolhouse 67 south museum.  

Stan Webster & Stan Carlock finish the drywalling; painting and window trim is now completed, as well as the final wood flooring. 

Next step is to install the wainscoating on walls--donated from the Laird, CO school. - hope to have some of it on, and a few pieces of furniture in by the open house on Memorial weekend. --

This is the 3rd year of work --the project will be completed before year end.

District 67 South

Its been awhile since I mentioned District 67 South and the Cornerstone Museum here on The Haigler Blog.  I was searching for "Haigler Stuff" this morning and again ran across an article in the McCook Gazette telling about the way this project began.  I thought you might like to go read it again.

When you are visiting the Haigler area or if you live nearby, be sure to stop by and visit the block south of the highway to see the progress of this project.

I want to say again, THANK YOU to Stan and LaNeta Carlock and the others involved.  Those of us who do not live there appreciate what people do to keep Haigler Memories alive.  

Old Haigler School becoming museum

Country Schoolhouse 67 South Museum

Work has just been completed on running underground electrical wiring to schoolhouse - so there can be heat and electricity for future events.

New windows installations continue and hope to be completed soon.

2nd annual Tumbleweed Festival will be the last of October (date soon)

The Hansen Charitable Foundation has just awarded a small grant request to help with the inside renovations.

--LaNeta Carlock

Happy First Birthday to the CornerStone Museum

August 8 will be the first birthday of the Cornerstone Museum in Haigler. It was moved a year ago from the country cornfield to its new stage in life as a museum in Haigler, Nebraska, the town that calls itself "The Cornerstone of Nebraska."

I stopped this morning to see the progress on the old District 67 schoolhouse which is blooming into The CornerStone Museum. LeNeta Carlock stopped to visit with me and point out the most recent addition, a new sidewalk which has a wheelchair ramp built up to the front door and was completed two weeks ago.

Stan Carlock was at work replacing the plastic covering on the front window to protect the new subfloor from any chance of getting wet in a lucky rainstorm before they have a chance to install the windows. There are three new windows on the east side of the building with plans to have the others done within the next few weeks. The new wiring inside will provide ambient lighting in the completed building.

Be sure to stop by and see the schoolhouse if you have a chance. Sign the guestbook and put a donation in the basket provided to help with this worthwile and interesting project.

Link to Story about the Move

The Birth of the Idea

Donations can be mailed to: Save 67 South School, P.O. Box 144, Haigler, NE 69030-0144.

Playground at District 67 South

Country Schoolhouse 67 South now has all the playground equipment installed. The 100+ year old carousel merry-go-round came from a country school near Malcom, Nebraska. Bidding was done on-line to acquire this item.
The swings and slide sets came from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Wray, Colorado. Floy Fisher Ruggles and her family donated this equipment to the church many years ago --and now helped donate it to district 67 South. Plans to add a teeter totter are still in progress. The equipment was installed with the help of volunteers-- Steven Crouse, Marlin Crouse, Marv Carlock, Stan Carlock and Jerry Olsen. Concrete was poured at the bases by the Bob Krutsinger crew of Benkelman.
Everyone is welcome to come see the continuing progress at the school site during the open house over Memorial/Alumni weekend.

Progress on Schoolhouse

Thought you would like to have update pictures on 67 South.

As you can see, the one shows the building with the art designs of all the cracks in stucco after they were filled. The other shows the white paint that was just done this week.

Also the original flagpole was donated by Laura Pearl Wall and after lots of work on it, was reinstalled yesterday.

The guys have been tirelessly working on restoring roof joints, rafters, etc.etc. and will complete the base covering today. Shingling will begin next week--so no more tarps to worry about blowing off. -

Progress is definitely being made - and next spring there will be an open house and old time box supper and ice cream social at the school.

We have reached $25,000 goal now. The Hansen Foundation Grant helped lots. We did not get the Peter Kiewit Foundation one -too bad- but we tried! There are others we might try later.

Yes, donations of $ and school items from 1897-1945 donated would be most appreciated-still. Thanks to Floy Ruggles, we have some playground equipment donated from a church in Wray and this week I got the bid for a merry-go-round from an old country school near Lincoln. ---More later-- LaNeta

Roofing on Schoolhouse

I just took these pictures. Marv and Stan Carlock caught in the act of getting the roof ready for shingling. They have done such a good job on everything. You will notice the stucco has been patched and painted and the flagpole is up. Stan says he cannot remember how long it has been since it was there.
--Submitted by Floy Ruggles

A New Roof

Old South 67 schoolhouse is continuing to receive TLC (tender loving care.) The roof is being prepared for the new shingles. Trucks are in place to collect the old shingles as they are being removed.

ITS HERE!

Wednesday, August 8, 2007, was a significant day for Haigler. Actually, the day before was a big event at the site of 67 South when the movers arrived and began the preparations for loading the building on the trailer.

By Wednesday morning the school building, complete with the United States flag displayed, had been loaded on the trailer and moved as far as the entrance onto the highway. Because of the muddy road from the rains of the previous 2 nights a tractor was needed to help it over the hill just before the intersection to the highway. Over a dozen people, former students, children of former teachers and others interested emotionally and curiously in the project had gathered around the intersection to escort or follow the procession into town, which began around 8:30.

Two Southwest Public Power employees preceded the procession to lift the power lines in several places. Others had gathered at the prepared site to observe the building being unloaded from the trailer and set down on the foundation. Backing the building between two large trees onto the lot was skillfully executed. Congratulations are due to the movers and all the helpers for a job well done.

By shortly after noon the movers were on their way back to Hastings to prepare for a big moving job the next day. But for the Carlocks the project has barely begun. New roofing is the next step. It will take months – possibly even years to restore the inside and outside as much as possible like the original.
--Floy Ruggles

SISTERS SPEND NIGHT IN HAIGLER JAIL

for SAVE SCHOOL 67 SOUTH PROJECT---------
RELEASED FROM SENTENCE AFTER MAKING $3,000 BAIL

Well, they did it! What some people won't do to raise money for the Save School 67 South Project. As was noted in last week's news, the three Collicott sisters (LaNeta Carlock, Myrna Mulligan and Galena Webster) almost made their bail after the alumni weekend. However, some pledges were withheld until they returned to jail for a full night. So, Sunday, June 3, Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon, a lawman with Haigler roots, returned to his hometown to re-arrest the 3 ladies. As a crowd gathered to watch, the ladies were delivered to the scene. Sheriff Mahon handed out jail uniforms, and handcuffed the three. Laura Pearl Wall frisked the ladies before they were escorted into the jail. This was for real, and the gals spent the entire night inside the jail. The jail had not been used since 1940. There was barely enough room for 3 cots and bedrolls; a candle burned; food was delivered so they wouldn't go hungry; and visitors came and went throughout the night( including several cats and a snake).

But, the gals survived the night (without any sleep), and they did make their bail of $3,000. In fact, they made $3,160. So, they were treated to breakfast by the Haigler Cafe the next morning. When asked, how was the night in jail? -they all said, "One night was enough!"

The money raised is a good start for the project. But your help is still needed. The cost estimate for preservation and restoration is $25,000 plus the moving cost of the school from country to Haigler. All donations are tax deductible and are going through the Dundy County Community Foundation.

If you have not yet contributed and wish to be included in the donors listing, which will be posted inside the schoolhouse, please make your donation payable to and send to: Save School 67 South Project, PO Box 144, Haigler, NE 69030.

Future Home of District 67 South

Fund drives & tours are being planned for Haigler alumni weekend, grants are being written, and initial work is being done on the school --getting it ready for the move in early August. The one room country school house was in a cornfield owned by Steven and Jody Crouse. They have donated the building, Stan and I are paying for the move to Haigler, the Carlock brothers (Stan and Marv) have been doing all the cleanup work inside the school and will lay a new subflooring for the move. We have already received some donations of dollars, materials, and labor. Stay tuned for more news as the project continues to develop.
-- LeNeta Carlock

(The continuing story of District 67 South)

Country School District 67 Moves to Town!

I was so excited when I saw this picture and insert in the "Haigler Happenings" today!

It says:

"Have you seen the big sign with red bows on Porter Avenue? It says "Future Home of Country School District 67 South." Plans are under way to save the one-room country schoolhouse, move the school from the country to town and do a complete restoration. Stay tuned for more information as the project develops. One-room schoolhouses were important in the development of our country and local citizens are happy that South 67 is to be moved from its lonely corner in Steve's cornfield to a place of prominence in the village. Stan and LaNeta Carlock are spearheading the project." -- The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle - April 25, 2007

The saving of this building is something I wish we would see more of. Every time one of the old buildings are demolished, I feel sad that they are gone. The fact that Steve, Stan & LaNeta are willing to go to the expense and effort to move this building is an awsome thing! Many of the old country schools have been moved to other property or destroyed because the land needs to be folded into the field where it sits. And this is as it should be. There is no reason to leave the buildings there to decay because they will never be used again as a school.

I'm not sure what the plans are for this building, but a restored country school will be a great place to set up a museum and/or gift shop to store "memories" for us old folks who like to remember what it was like in "the old days." (I know I'm not the only one who feels this way)

-- Editor