1934: Supt. Ralph Brooks resigns his position here
June 20, 1934
HARTINGTON — Ralph G. Brooks resigned Tuesday as superintendent of the Hartington Public School, asking release from his contract here to accept an offer to head the city school system at Wymore.
The Wymore position, at a slightly higher salary, was offered to Brooks about three weeks ago. He drove up from Lincoln Tuesday to notify the local board that he wishes to accept if they will cancel his contract here. He has one year remaining on his current contract.
Although no action on his successor is expected at tonight’s board meeting, C.A. Carkoski, athletic coach and mathematics teacher here for five years, arrived in Hartington Wednesday morning to make a personal application for the position. He has taken special educational work to fit him for an executive position and in his years here, has demonstrated ability to win the respect of young people.
Brooks came to Hartington in 1929 from Cedar Rapids when an outside man was sought to reorganize the school system.
Building up an almost entirely new teaching staff, he smoothed out difficulties in the school and has established a reputation for good management and has brought Hartington to a high place among schools of the state.
He is well known in educational circles around the state, in debate work and for his community activities, particularly with the Lions Club. Monday of this week he was elected District Governor of north Nebraska at the state convention in Columbus.
Brooks is a graduate of Wesleyan University in Lincoln where he was active on the campus and won attention as a debater.
In 1923, he was national intercollegiate oratory champion. He is the author of numerous professional educational articles, a report card system and a mystery stage drama.
While at Hartington, he has attracted special notice for his work with the high school debaters and declamatory speakers, regularly bringing Hartington out ahead of other schools in Northeast Nebraska in these events.
This year, his teams won the District Debate championship and placed more often than any other school in declamatory contests.
He has been in demand as a public speaker and for commencement exercises each spring. He is a popular radio speaker.
This summer, he is working under Dean Henzlick as a member of the University of Nebraska summer school staff.
The position at Wymore, in addition to paying a slightly higher salary, offers Brooks a larger opportunity in a town about 1,000 larger than Hartington. June 20, 1934
HARTINGTON — Resumption of work relief, halted throughout Cedar County Thursday when federal relief money was exhausted, awaits action of the county commissioners — either in providing county money or obtaining federal funds to continue the work.