One-room schoolhouse reunion planned in Corsica

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CORSICA — One-room schoolhouses are mostly a thing of the past, but today in Corsica, the memories will be relived.

Students and teachers of the Van Zee, Beukelman and Anderson schoolhouses in the Corsica and Platte area are invited to reminisce about old times today in Corsica.

There will be a potluck meal starting at noon at the Legion Hall in Corsica, followed by games and fellowship. Former teachers and classmates have been invited, including one teacher who had her first teaching job in the area in 1942 and 1943 and is 87 years old. Organizers are hoping for a turnout of about 100 people.

Al DeLange, of Mitchell, was one of 12 kids in his family to attend a one-room schoolhouse in the Corsica area. His sister is helping to conduct the event. He said all of them attended the Van Zee school.

“We had just the one teacher and the one room for eight grades,” said the 70-year-old DeLange, who served on the Mitchell Board of Education in the 1980s.

All three schools were located near state Highway 44 between Corsica and Platte.

DeLange said he will likely see many of his classmates today for the first time in a long time.

“There’s a lot of those kids that I haven’t seen since I was in school,” he said. “We all got a good education.”

Tags: our towns, updates, corsica, reunion