August 4, Rosebank School

This picture was taken later than when it was built. As you can see, it has a 'storm porch' on the front which isn't part of the original structure. If you look very close, you can see the oil barrel at the back and also a part of the out house.

Rosebank School — District #41 in Section 35 —

The first building was of logs built in 1902 on the west side of the ridge road leading to Strip.

The first teacher had just turned seventeen and had forty-one pupils enrolled. She had two months in the fall term and three months in the spring term — March, April and May.

She received $33 a month in wages for the first term and received a two dollar raise or $35 a month for spring term. She paid $8 dollars a month for board and room.

Later the "new" Rosebank school building was built on the east side of the road of cement blocks by the Opseth brothers. This building still stands there and is used as a 4-H clubhouse. In 1956 this was the last rural school in New Solum township closed and consolidated.

The part of the district on the south side of the County Road 2 joined the Thief River Falls school district, and the area on the north side con­solidated with Viking which is part of the Newfolden system.

We know know Harry and Stanley Ranum attended this school as did the oldest four Anderson children. Never was a trip to Rosewood with my dad that he didn't point out where he went to school.

Our ancestors insisted their children be educated. Five months of school doesn't seem like much but think about what we learned about Thief River Falls where school lasted only two months! Until this information was found, I always wondered how Harry and Stanley braved the brutal winters to get to school. They didn't have school! We know from previous posts that school was not in session during potato picking season nor was it in session at harvest time. We know that children as young as preteen picked potatoes and worked the harvest.

But what about the Anderson children? Certainly they went to school regardless of the month or the weather. OR did they? Did their parents keep them home when it was too cold to walk or did they take them to school?

I have heard stories about bringing potatoes to school and putting them on the pot bellied stove to cook. Does this jar anything in your memory about your families attending rural school? If you did not attend 'country school' can you think of any advantages? Disadvantages?

Could your community supply you with outlets to explore your hidden talents?

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