SHSND Home > North Dakota History > Unit 7: Pretty Good Times on the Prairie, 1945 > Set 4: Rural & Town Schools > Data Tables

Unit 7: Set 4: Rural & Town Schools - Data Tables

Intro | Elementary | High School | Data Tables | Inspector Reports | Consolidation Maps |
Stanford Test | Architect's Plan | Photographs | Activities

Tables 1 through 5 have been compiled from data recorded in the Report of the Director of Secondary Education for the years 1932 and 1962. Tables 1 through 3 offer some basic information on Divide County High Schools. Tables 4 and 5 provide data on schools statewide and in North Dakota’s biggest city, Fargo, for 1932 and 1962 for comparison with Divide County schools.

Table 1. General Population and Student Population of Divide County

Date

County Population

School Age Population *

1910

6,000

1,358 (1911)

1920

9,637

3,001 (1919)

1930

9,636

3,450

1935

- - - -

2,932

1940

7,086

1,932 (1941)

1950

5,967

1,502 (1951)

1960

5,566

1,533 (1961)

1970

4,564

1,151 (1971)

* Actual year of count is given in parentheses.

Table 2. Divide County High Schools, 1931-1932

School

# Male Pupils

# Female Pupils

% Grads going to College

# Teachers

Pupil / Teacher Ratio

# Volumes in Library

With Degrees

Without Degrees

Ambrose*

21

37

24%

3

0

20 / 1

850

Crosby *

98

149

18%

10

0

35.5 / 1

1300

Noonan *

30

49

27%

3

0

27 / 1

450

* Crosby was fully accredited since 1918. Noonan became an approved high school in 1919. Ambrose was a Class 2 consolidated school until 1931 when it was reduced to Class 3.

Table 3. Divide County High Schools, 1961-1962

School

# Male Pupils

# Female Pupils

% Grads going to College

# Teachers

Pupil / Teacher Ratio

# Volumes in Library

With Degreees

Without Degrees

Ambrose*

7

9

- - - -

2

0

- - - -

- - - -

Crosby

110

93

53%

11

0

20 / 1

3,268

Noonan *

22

38

66%

4

0

25 / 1

1,399

* Ambrose closed its high school in 1962 at the end of the school year. Noonan also closed its school in 1962.

Table 4. North Dakota and Fargo [1] high school data, 1933.

School

# Male Pupils

# Female Pupils

% Grads going to College

% Freshmen Continuing to HS Graduation 1931

Pupil / Teacher Ratio

# Volumes in Library

Fargo

524

601

60%

- - - -

22.3 / 1

11,000

[2] State Class 1

7,178

8,824

50.9%

- - - -

22.6 / 1

- - - -

State Class 2

1,654

2,177

33.5%

- - - -

21.3 / 1

- - - -

State Class 3

1,193

1,403

34.2%

- - - -

19.7 / 1

- - - -

Total

10,026

12,404

35.4%

44.6% [3]

- - - -

- - - -

[1] Fargo High School is used as a comparison because it was the largest city high school in the state.

[2] State schools were ranked in a numerical system of Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. There were also some schools identified as Consolidated and Ungraded. The highest ranking schools were Class 1 such as Fargo and Crosby. Though Ambrose was a Class 2 high school in 1931, most state records list it among the third class high schools. Noonan was a Class 3 high school in most records dating from the 1930s. Fortuna High School does not appear in state high school records for 1933 or 1962.

[3] In 1931, fewer students entering high school graduated than any other year in the twentieth century. This low rate was somewhat related to the Great Depression. However, soon parents understood that high school education offered an advantage in times of economic hardship, and the graduation rate began to rise again. High school graduation increased in 1932 by 259 students over 1931, and college attendance increased by one percent.

Table 5. North Dakota and Fargo high school data, 1962. *

School

# Male Pupils

# Female Pupils

% Grads going to College

% Freshmen Continuing to HS Graduation 1961

Pupil / Teacher Ratio

# Volumes in Library

Fargo

1,089

1,080

63%

- - - -

22 / 1

12,162

State

19,025

19,275

59%

77.18%

15.2 / 1

- - - -

* Fargo high school data is for all public school students. State figures are for both accredited and non-accredited schools.

Address:
612 East Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Get Directions

Hours:
State Museum and Store: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F; Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We are closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. We are closed at noon Christmas Eve if it falls on Mon.-Thurs. and are closed all day if it falls on Fri.-Sun.
State Archives: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F, except state holidays; 2nd Sat. of each month, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 701.328.2091 or archives@nd.gov.
State Historical Society offices: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F, except state holidays.

Contact Us:
phone: 701.328.2666
email: history@nd.gov

Social Media:
See all social media accounts