Dunham Historical Society in Wessington Springs recently accepted a $1000 Operation Round-Up grant from Central Electric Cooperative for improvements to the Fagerhaug school house.
Dunham Historical Society Treasurer Jean Ferguson said, “The one room school house was given to the Dunham Historical Society several years ago. We maintain the school house and try to keep it as close to its original condition as possible.”
The school house is staged just like it was when in use, with original role call books, desks, pull-down maps, and many books of that era.
“It’s a great way to invest back into the community,” said Amber Kolousek, Jerauld County representative on the Operation Round-Up Board of Trustees. “This was a good project and was an easy decision for the board.”
The Dunham Historical Society is staffed with volunteers and relies on grants and donations to operate. Donations can be mailed to 236 Main Street East, Wessington Springs, S.D. 57382.
Operation Round-Up is a grant program funded by Central Electric members who round up their monthly electric bill to the next dollar. Mark Reindl of Wessington Springs serves on the Central Electric board of directors for Jerauld County and Amber Kolousek of Wessington Springs serves on the Operation Round-Up volunteer board of trustees.
For more information about the Operation Round-Up grant program, call 605-996-7516 or visit www. centralec.coop and click on member programs.
“Every week we get new historical items in. It’s wonderful we have the room to be able to display so much more now that we’ve had the building swap with True Value,” said Ferguson. “Keeping these historical buildings in good shape is part of what we do overall at the Dunham Historical Society, really keeping Jerauld County area history alive for generations to come.”