Neighborhood birthday party.
These kids attended various country schools in the same area.

Back: Marvin Vennink, Russell Witt, Robert Barten, Annette Ehlers
Front: Marilyn Vennink, Freddie Gruhn, Allen Ehlers, ??


Page 121 of the Manning Schools History book

After country school fire

Earl Pfannkuch, Louis & Selma Vennink, Liz Witt, Lorene Pfannkuch

1938

Back: Jean Blum, Phyllis Pfoltner, Patricia Surridge
Middle: Ardith Witt, Madonna Steen
Front: Gaillard Frank, Wesley Nulle

1942
Standing: Madonna Steen, Charlene Witt, Gaillard Frank, Charles Frank, Dorothy Blum
Swings: Ardith Witt, Loyce Frank


Back: Wayne Vennink, Allen "Goose" Vennink, Ardith Witt, Lois Vennink
Front: Larry Witt, AnnaBelle Vennink, Marvin Vennink


Picture of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address that hung in this school.
Scanned from the Jerry Callender collection.


1936

Back: Phyllis Pfoltner, Velma Steen, Betty Steen, Lorene Pfoltner
Front: Wesley Nulle, Dorothy Moore, Edward Moore, Madonna Steen, Gaillard Frank

Memories by Gaillard Frank June 27, 2007
Iowa No. 7

That schoolhouse sat in two different locations. The first one was on the Steen property.
That one picture you had sent of the group taken in 1936 was taken on the Steen land.
When Jim Surridge became the school director he moved it across the road to the Witt property, had a basement dug and set the building on top of the basement which was quite an improvement over what was there when it sat on the Steen land. Only sad part was that after it was there a few years I guess the water table rose and filled the basement with water and as far as I know continued that way up until the time it closed. So then to heat the building they had to bring in a heating stove and set it in on the upper floor. Also according to my sister who attended there later that a fire developed and did damage and I understand it was closed after that.