Valley Grove School Records
Scope and Contents
The Valley Grove School Collection contains original materials from the Valley Grove School, District No. 9, in Dodge County, Nebraska, covering the period from 1867 until 1951. The majority of materials are handwritten. The collection includes student homework assignments (individual assignments and composition books), school finances (itemized bills, treasurer's ledgers, invoices, receipts, and cash books), legal documents (1867 contract for building the schoolhouse, 1963 land sale documentation, teacher contracts, district and valuation information, correspondence, forms, reports, school censuses, etc.), district and school board meeting records (minutes, correspondence, and financial records), information about the school building (specifications, photographs, insurance receipts, etc.), information about school history (essay, programs, correspondence, etc.), and school documents (attendance records, grade books, records of textbooks used). Artifacts in the collection include a scrap of wallpaper from inside the school, three nails from the schoolhouse roof, and a ribbon with the school's name printed on it.
This collection is the only known record of Valley Grove School District No. 9.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1867-1963
Creator
- Dodge County (Neb.). School District No. 9 (Organization)
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the Nebraska Public Records Statutes (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-712 through 84-712.09), and other relevant regulations. Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of Nebraska Omaha assumes no responsibility.
Conditions Governing Use
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, Archives & Special Collections will provide information about copyright owners and related information. Securing permission to publish or use material is the responsibility of the researcher. Note that unless specifically transferred to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, any applicable copyrights may be held by another individual or entity. Further information about copyright policy is available at http://libguides.unomaha.edu/library_policies.
Extent
1.2 Cubic Feet (3 boxes)
Arrangement
Arranged into loose series: Series: Student Work; Series: School Finances; Series: Legal Documents; Series: District and School Board Meeting Records; Series: School Building; Series: School Documents.
As of February 2019, material was physically rehoused into fewer boxes, so box and folder numbers in finding aid do not match new arrangement at this time.
Custodial History
In 2004, Jill K. Bruckner purchased the land upon which the Valley Grove School stood. An older man approached Bruckner's hired workers on the property and left with them a suitcase filled with papers, saying "since the schoolhouse now had an owner, the owner should have the suitcase." The suitcase contained the records of the Valley Grove School, District No. 9. The man was unknown to local residents, and left no name or contact information. Buckner later sold the land, with the unrestored school building still on it. In 2012, she donated the collection of records from the suitcase to the Criss Library. Bruckner's account of the collection coming into her possession is available in Criss Library Archives & Special Collections in the collection donor file.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Jill K. Bruckner, landowner of the Valley Grove site.
Processing Information
Processed by Colina Matthews, Archives and Special Collections student assistant, in March-April 2012.
- Title
- Valley Grove School Records
- Status
- Under Revision
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Edition statement
- Arranged prior to 2014.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Archives & Special Collections Repository
Archives & Special Collections
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
6001 Dodge St.
Omaha Nebraska 68182-0237 United States
402-554-6046
unoasc@unomaha.edu
