Bergton (Dovesville) School

The Bergton (Dovesville) school was located at Dovesville in northwestern Rockingham County. The earliest one-room school was located at Wittig's Store and is identified as School #30 in Lake's 1885 Atlas of Rockingham County. The exact date of construction of this school is unknown. The earliest teachers at Dovesville are unknown although John Holsinger is noted as the teacher at the school in 1886-87. In 1911, the Plains District school trustees decided to consolidate the Dovesville school and the neighboring Souder school into a two-room school. On June 23, 1911, the Plains District school trustees sent a letter to S. Loy Moyers, the teacher at the Dovesville school and asked if he could secure free land for a new two-room schoolhouse. The land was obtained from George W. Whetzel and Charles Souder and the school was constructed and ready for occupancy by the fall of 1913. In 1928, the growth of student population made it necessary to add a third room to the Dovesville school. An agreement was made between that Rockingham County School Board that the patrons would pay $500 of the cost and the school board would pay the remaining $725. The room was constructed by Arthur Wilkins. Starting in 1935, the name of the Dovesville school was changed to the Bergton school to reflect the post office name change. Apparently there had been confusion with another post office named Covesville and the new name was chosen for the post office and community. The Bergton school continued to operate until 1958 when it was replaced by a new seven-room brick school. Until 1952, the Bergton school offered a two-year high school program. The eighth grade remained at Bergton for the 1952-1953 school session and then Bergton became a 1-7 school. Teachers known to have taught at the Bergton school are:

 

1886-87 John Holsinger

1908-09 N. Delia Moyers

1909-10 John H. Souder

1910-11 S. Loy Moyers

1911-12 Ada E. May

1912-13 Ada Wittig

 

new school constructed

 

1913-14 S. Loy Moyers, Ada Wittig

1914-15 M. B. Jarman, Blaine Wisman

1915-16 C. E. Barglebaugh, Nena Hollingsworth

1916-17 C. E. Barglebaugh, Edith Daniel

1917-18 C. E. Barglebaugh, Olivia Biller

1918-19 S. Loy Moyers, Nena Whetzel

1919-20 C. E. Barglebaugh, Edith Roadcap

1920-21 C. E. Barglebaugh, Laura Cline

1921-23 (two sessions) Jennie B. Nelms, Laura Cline

1923-24 Florence Dawson, Elizabeth Biller

1924-25 John Wagner, Jr., Elizabeth Biller

1925-26 Kate L. Turner, Anabel Rice

1926-27 Kenneth Blair, (unknown)

1927-28 Jennie V. Duvall, Marie Kittel

 

third room added

 

1928-29 Leonard Hollen, Esther Duger, Lena E. Will

1929-30 Leonard Hollen, Naomi Miller, Margie Neff

1930-31 Elsie Hollen, Naomi Miller, Grace M. Wright

1931-33 (two sessions) Evelyn Ballentine, Loraine Wise, Louise E. Shoemaker

1933-35 (two sessions) John H. Will, Minnie May, Louise E. Shoemaker

 

 

Name changed to Bergton

 

1935-36 Cecil Hartman, J. Galen Wampler, Minnie May, Catherine May

1936-38 (two sessions) Cecil Hartman, J. Galen Wampler, Hope Landis, Catherine May

1938-39 Cecil Hartman, Lawrence Bowers, Hope Landis, Martha B. Simmers

1939-40 Cecil Hartman, Mrs. Cecil Hartman, Hope Landis, Martha B. Simmers

1940-41 Cecil Hartman, Mrs. Cecil Hartman, Hope Landis, Effie S. Wampler

1941-42 Blanche Souder, Evelynne Whitmore, Effie S. Wampler

1942-43 Blanche Souder, Mrs. Aaron Anderson, Evelynne Whitmore, Effie S. Wampler

1943-44 D. H. Dofflemyer, Ethel C. Sperau, Vade P. Heatwole, Effie S. Wampler

1944-46 (two sessions) D. H. Dofflemyer, Ethel C. Sperau, Virginia E. Riddle, Effie S. Wampler

1946-47 Brown Shipe, Erma Dove, Madeline E. Dispanet, Velda Keller

1947-49 (two sessions) Brown Shipe, Ray A. Emswiler, Madeline E. Dispanet, Velda Keller

1949-51 (two sessions) Ray A. Emswiler, James V. Rohrer, Madeline Dispanet, Velda Keller

1951-52 Ray A. Emswiler, James V. Rohrer, Madeline Dispanet Cullers, Velda Keller

1952-54 (two sessions) Ray A. Emswiler, Madeline Cullers, Velda Keller

1954-56 (two sessions) Ray A. Emswiler, Ethel C. Sperau, Velda Keller

1956-58 (two sessions) Ray A. Emswiler, Ethel C. Sperau, Velda Keller, Emma Emswiler

 

New building constructed in 1958 (Principals listed after 1958)

 

1958-68 Ray A. Emswiler

1968-72 O. Franklin Showalter, Jr.

1972-74 Joanne C. Wenger

1974-78 Fred Kennon

1978-85 Carroll Dickenson

1985-87 Ed Powell

 

The Bergton school was closed in 1987

 


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