Aunt Virginia Versus the School Board

My Aunt Virginia was no less adventurous than her sister, Neville—maybe a bit more so.

Fall, 1934. After only one year at Nebraska State Teacher’s College, Wayne, Virginia took a teaching position at a small country school in Wayne County—District 63, a school that was already embroiled in controversy.1 She was only eighteen. 

Virginia's high school graduation photo, 1933.

During the 1933-34 school year at District 63, the teacher and two board members had expelled ten-year-old boy Bobbie Johnson,2 the youngest son of Swedish immigrants Nels J. and Hilma V. Johnson.3 As young teenagers Nels Johnson and Hilma Vennerberg4 had immigrated to America with their respective parents about 1888-1890. They likely met in the U. S.; they married about 1900, probably in Nebraska.5 Their children were all born in that state starting in 1901 with Russell.6 By the time the trouble started at the school, Nels had been farming in Wayne County since before 1910.7 Most likely, all the Johnson children had attended District 63.

For many years, one-room schoolhouses were the norm for children of farm families in Nebraska. Children in grades one through eight were taught in the same room. By the 1930s teachers had at least a year of teacher training, and some more. With better roads and transportation, some families sent their children to high school in town, but the formal education of many farm children ended with eighth grade, which was typical of most of the Johnson children.8 By this time, the one-room school was being questioned, but still in 1930, Nebraska ranked number two in the nation for one-room schools.9

Bobbie was the youngest of the Johnson children. Eight years younger than the next sibling, he was born about 1923 when his mother was 47 years old. As a small child, Bobbie experienced a serious ear and gland infection (possibly measles) and ran a high fever, which left him mentally disabled.10 In those days, children with disabilities were not  welcome in public schools. They slowed down the classroom for other students, people said. Bobbie was accused of being unruly in other ways, as well, so the teacher and board members expelled him.

Bobbie’s father sued, and the issue went to court. Mr. Johnson claimed that Bobbie had been expelled without due process, that the only reason the teacher expelled him was that he had asked her about gossip he had heard about her at home. The Johnsons won the first round when the court ordered that Bobbie be allowed to attend school.11 The teacher resigned.

That’s when Virginia accepted a teaching position at District 63 with the stipulation that she accept Bobbie as a student.12

Nonetheless, the controversy continued. Some parents didn’t want Bobbie in the school. One of the board members took his four children out of District 63 and insisted they be allowed to attend at another district.  The board pressured Virginia to expel Bobbie, but she stood up to them. She apparently had more confidence in the boy’s ability to learn than did others. When she refused, they fired her and hired another teacher who agreed to expel the boy.13

The controversy continued for years. In 1943, Bobbie’s father sued the two school board members for slandering Bobbie, for causing him great distress, depression and other problems. He asked for $10,000.00 in damages. Virginia and her father, my grandpa Clint Troutman, were subpoenaed along with several others. Eventually, Mr. Johnson dropped his suit and had to pay court costs. The court record does not offer an explanation. Virginia was paid $4.90 witness fee in the case.14

Wondering about the fate of Bobbie Johnson, I contacted a family member through Ancestry.com. I learned that he had been killed when hit by a car in August of 1950 while riding his bicycle. He was 27 years old.15 I’m sure this was a sad day not only for Bobbie’s family but also for Virginia.

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1 Wayne County, Nebraska, District Court Files, Case number 4526, Bobbie Johnson, a minor by his father and next friend Nels J. Johnson vs. Iver Prince, et al., 20 Jan. 1934, County Clerk’s Office, Wayne.

2 Wayne Co., NE, District Court Files, Case no. 4526, Bobbie Johnson, a minor by his father Nels J. Johnson vs. Iver Prince, et al., 20 Jan. 1934, County Clerk’s Office, Wayne.

3 1930 U. S. census, Wayne County, Nebraska, population schedule, Chapin township, p. 598 (penned), enumeration district [ED] 90-02, sheet 5-B, dwelling 105, family 106, Nels J. Johnson family, see Bobby G. ; digital image Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 May 2017); NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1295.

4 For Hilma’s maiden name, see “U. S. Social Security and Claims Index, 1936-2007,” database Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 May 2017); citing Helen R. Johnson. This index includes mother’s maiden name. Also, U. S. Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Employment Records, 1935-1970, database Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 May 2017); citing Clarence Dale Johnson. This record also includes maiden name of mother.

5 1910 U. S. census, Chapin township, Wayne County, Nebraska, population schedule, enumeration district [ED] 209, p. 4-B, dwelling 77, family 78, Nels Johnson family; digital image Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 May 2017); NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 767.

6 1930 U. S. census, Wayne Co., NE, population schedule, Chapin tnshp, p. 598, ED 90-02, sheet 5-B, dwell. 105, fam. 106, Nels J. Johnson.

7 1910 U. S. census, Chapin twnshp, Wayne Co., Ne, pop. sched., ED 209, p. 4-B, dwell. 77, fam. 78, Nels Johnson.

8 1940 U. S. census, Chapin precinct, Wayne County, Nebraska, population schedule, enumeration district 90-2, sheet 1-B, visit no. 19, Nels J. Johnson family; digital image Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com ; accessed 11 May 2017); NARA microfilm publication T-627, roll 2268. Also, 1940 U. S. census, Allen precinct, Pierce County, Nebraska, population schedule, enumeration district 70-1, sheet 1-B, visit no. 19, Russell A. Johnson; digital image Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com ; accessed 11 May 2017); NARA microfilm publication T-627, roll 2260.

9 Jim McKee, “The One-room Schoolhouse in Nebraska,” Lincoln Journal Star, 5 May 2013 (http://preview.tinyurl.com/mazuvvh : accessed 11 May 2017).

10 “Parashont” to “ztnoble,” private message, 4 May 2017, “Johnson Family”; “Messages,” Ancestry,com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 May 2017), private use only.

11 Wayne County, Nebraska, District Court Files, Case number 4615, Bobbie Johnson, a minor by his father and next friend Nels J. Johnson vs. Iver Prince and Artie Fisher, 29 Oct. 1934, County Clerk’s Office, Wayne.

12 Ibid.

13 Ibid.

14 Ibid. Letter from Clerk of the District Court, Wayne, NE, to Clint Troutman, 23 Feb. 1943,  included in case file, asks Clint to forward the check to Virginia who is in Washington, D.C.

15 “Parashont” to “ztnoble,” private message, 4 May 2017, “Johnson Family”; “Messages,” Ancestry,com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 May 2017), private use only.

© 2017, Z. T. Noble