Lone Tree School

1887

The Lone Tree District was organized in 1885, covering an area of about eight square miles, including two schools in Box Elder Valley and two in Rapid Valley.
During the next two winters, school was held in an unused "claim shack" which was moved to the northeast corner of the McCain place for that purpose.  The first teacher was Miss Ella Ellerman of  Piedmont.  The first school included two boys and a girl from the A.B. McCain family, three boys from the A.J. McCain family and four children from the Lee Gould Family.  The next year the school was increased by four from another McCain family.
In 1887, the district as it exists today was divided into four districts.  One district was named the Lone Tree District No. 25 and one in Rapid Valley District was named Lone Tree No. 27.  It later was named Heavlin No. 27.  The other two districts were Douglas and Engdahl.  Engdahl was later dissolved and attached to other existing districts.
It was in 1887 that Adam and Edward French built the Lone Tree No. 25 and the Box Elder school houses.  Except for remodeling in 1929 to eliminate crosslight, it remained much like it was originally built.  Lone Tree was sold after consolidation in 1965.  The largest attendance was 25 pupils and the smallest, two or three pupils.  The school served students through the eighth grade.
The school board attempted to sink a well in June 1912, but by June of 1915 there was still no well and plans were made to install a cistern and haul water from the W.E.C. McCain place.
  Teachers earned approximately $40 per month.  In 1898 school lasted about 6 months and started the first day of October.
On July 1, 1965, the Lone Tree District was consolidated into the Douglas district. 
Laura Johnson Hackens, a Lone Tree student from first through eighth grade, recalls the children all had their duties.  Each week the duties were changed.  Wood and coal had to be brought in for the next morning, floor swept, erasers dusted, blackboard cleaned, outdoor bathrooms had to be swept once a week and the wash basin cleaned.  These were Young Citizen League duties.
Ralph Kopp, who graduated from Douglas in 1970, recalls some of the highlights of the school year were the Christmas play put on for families and an all county track meet that provided the only opportunity for outside competition and recess.  When Lone Tree was consolidated into Douglas, students were thrust into much larger classes and had to cope with new social and academic adjustments.  Perhaps the biggest adjustment was the loss of the "family" like atmosphere that existed at Lone Tree.
Mrs. Gran, mother of former Douglas Superintendent Eldon Gran, taught at Lone Tree in 1951 and 1952.
The school building was sold to J.E. Forest, who was the highest bidder of those seeking surplus property of the dissolved Lone Tree district.  He paid $167 for the package which consisted of the school house,  the horse shed, the outhouses and a piano.
Some Board Members:  Minnie  Anderson, Members of the McCain families, Pete Laustrup, Pella Maltson, Ek Johnson, Walter Johnson, Morna Moden and Antonia Kopp.
Some other Teachers: Lucy Rinehart, Josephine Turner, Mrs. Franz, Mr. Case, Mrs. Barkley, Beverly Fitzgerald, Mrs. Gran (mother of Eldon).