One Room, One Teacher honors Nebraska’s education pioneers

District 24 school: Nora Van Pelt Lindner, a One Room, One Teacher honoree, taught in District 24, a K-8 country school near Archer in Merrick County. At just 20 years old, she was the school’s sole employee. (Courtesy/Nora Van Pelt Lindner)

KEARNEY – The One Room, One Teacher scholarship program pays tribute to pioneering Nebraska educators like Nora Van Pelt Lindner, who attended a one-room school as a young girl and spent nearly 40 years as a teacher.

“I credit my love of teaching and my success as a teacher to many of my experiences in one-room, one-teacher schools,” said Lindner of Central City, who is among the educators to be honored through the One Room, One Teacher program. “I learned so many attributes necessary to succeed as an educator.”

The program recognizes Nebraska educators who served in one-room schools or other rural schools while raising scholarship funds for College of Education students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Honorees’ names are placed on a plaque on the One Room, One Teacher Wall of Honor in the UNK College of Education Atrium. The deadline for submissions for the 2025 honorees is May 15.

“The One Room, One Teacher Wall of Honor is a testament to the dedication, resilience and impact of those who shaped young minds in rural schools across Nebraska,” UNK interim Chancellor Charlie Bicak said. “This program holds deep personal significance for me, as my mother, Iris, was one of these remarkable educators. At just 18, she embraced the challenge of teaching in a one-room schoolhouse, fostering not only academic growth but also a love for learning and community. Her story, like so many honored on this wall, is a reminder of the profound influence teachers have, often in the humblest of settings. UNK is proud to celebrate and preserve their legacy.”

Family, friends and former students may make a gift to recognize a teacher through the One Room, One Teacher program. There are three giving levels: $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000. The honored educators do not need to be UNK graduates; honorees may be living or recognized posthumously.

“The program honors the legacy of rural schoolteachers in Nebraska,” UNK College of Education Dean Mark Reid said. “The rural school spirit lives on through the many scholarships awarded each year.”

To submit a nomination for the One Room, One Teacher Wall of Honor, go to nufoundation.org/OneRoomOneTeacher. For more information, email Kristin Howard at kristin.howard@nufoundation.org or call the University of Nebraska Foundation at 308-698-5276 or 800-432-3216 (toll free).

A Love of Education

Lindner’s love for education began in the one-room school she attended with her eight siblings. After graduating from high school, she received a 40-hour teaching certificate from the then-Nebraska State Teachers College at Kearney. She then taught in District 24, a K-8 country school near Archer in Merrick County. At just 20 years old, she was the school’s sole employee. She arrived at school by 7 a.m. and came home after dark. She taught and graded papers for a dozen students in different grades, and, because there wasn’t a janitor, Lindner also cleaned the schoolhouse. She credits the students and parents for the school’s success.

“One thing about farm kids, they’re pretty creative and catch on pretty fast,” she said. “They knew how to work, and they had discipline. Their parents supported me 100%. There’s a great camaraderie among the people in a country school.”

Lindner went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kearney State College and dedicated herself to a teaching career that also included serving in schools in Loveland, Colorado, and Grand Island and Palmer, Nebraska. The retired teacher said the most rewarding part of her career has been watching her former students succeed. She still encounters former students who share her impact on their lives.

“I loved my job,” she said. “There was never a day that I got up and said, ‘I don’t want to go to school.’”

Homecoming Week Ceremony

The 2025 One Room, One Teacher honorees will be recognized during a Homecoming Week ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 10 in the College of Education Atrium. Honorees do not need to be present to be recognized.

Through the One Room, One Teacher Fund, more than 70 scholarships have been awarded since the program started in 2012. Abigail Bauerle, who graduated from UNK in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, is one of the scholarship recipients. She said the scholarship helped pay her tuition when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from going to her tutoring job. Today, Bauerle is a fifth grade English language arts teacher in the Chase County elementary school she once attended.

“My heart bursts with pride and happiness when I see the lightbulb turn on after a student has been working so hard on a concept,” she said. “Donors’ support helps teachers like me who have a love and passion for teaching.”

Gifts to the One Room, One Teacher scholarship program support Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future. Student scholarships are the campaign’s top priority.