Country School: One Room - One Nation

"Country School" Now Available via Streaming

The Emmy nominated and award-winning documentary Country School: One Room - One Nation by Tammy & Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films is now streaming online for just $2. Be among the first to see the film in this vivid high-definition presentation: vimeo.com/ondemand/30120.

Synopsis:  Country schools took rough-hewn pioneers and multilingual immigrants and transformed them into a literate and patriotic new nation.

Whether personally, or through a parent or grandparent, the country school as an American architectural icon, is as imprinted on our perception of the nation’s early history as the log cabin and the general store. Stories told by former teachers and students are often nostalgic, but they are also dramatic, humorous, and heart-wrenching.

Kelly & Tammy Rundle's Country School: One Room - One Nation provides a never-before-seen perspective on one-room schools in the Upper Midwest. This visually stunning film features a unique country school designed by Frank Lloyd Wright along with dozens of more traditional structures of brick, stone, or wood - in all stages of restoration or decay - in picturesque rural areas of Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Shot in the midst of all four seasons, Country School features interviews with a who's who of one-room school scholars, including authors Bill Samuelson, Jerry Apps, Dorothy Schwieder, Mark Dewalt, Vera Hurst, Frank Yoder, and Bill Sherman, as well as former country school teachers and students.

From the first schools in new states to the demise of their widespread use in the 1950s and 1960s, Country School: One Room - One Nation takes viewers "back to school" for a dramatic new look at the lasting impact of America's one-room schools.

Other titles from Fourth Wall Films available to stream:

Lost Nation: The Ioway or order the DVD by clicking HERE.

Villisca: Living with a Mystery or order the DVD by clicking HERE.

Letters Home to Hero Street or order the DVD by clicking HERE.

  

First Day of Class for "Country School: One Room - One Nation"

It was a warm summer day in June 2009 when we began production work on our documentary feature film Country School: One Room - One Nation.  The first stop on the itinerary was a restored one-room school in Spragueville, Iowa.

Filmmakers Tammy & Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films--trespassing.

A group of 10-15 former students, teachers and preservationists gathered at North Bend Community Center (NBCC) to talk about the work that was done to bring their beloved schoolhouse, once near ruin, back to the symbol of pride high on the hill in their community.

Class is in session with the North Bend Community Center preservationists.

And, they succeeded.  The structure was in tip top shape, with bright yellow walls and beautiful artifacts once used to educate classes 1-8 displayed throughout the one-room school.

Jerome Thompson from the State Historical Society of Iowa chats with Richard Ganzer before presenting the NBCC with an award for their fantastic preservation work.

It was the perfect place to kick off the project and we remember our day in Spragueville fondly.  These five years later, we have made many friends as a result of our time at NBCC.

A smiling Geraldine Lambert waits her turn to be interviewed about her experiences teaching in a one-room school.

Country School: One Room - One Nation screened over 70 times in venues and theaters all over the country; was broadcast on PBS stations throughout the midwest; was released nationally on DVD; won numerous awards at film festivals; and was nominated for an Emmy.  And it is because of stories like North Bend's that made it so successful.

Former one-room school student Emil Bredekamp waits for his interview to begin. Emil is the comedian of the film.

Order your copy of the Emmy-nominated documentary Country School: One Room - One Nation on DVD by clicking HERE.

More photos from our memorable time filming at North Bend Community Center (Fairfield #2) in Spragueville, Iowa:

Caroline Bredekamp, the passionate preservationist who made sure we knew about North Bend Community Center (Fairfield #2) and invited us to film there, toured us through nearby Fairfield #4 and also pointed out delapidated schools in the area.

Vera Medinger displays her quilt-top during her interview.

Sandy Sander is ready for her close-up.

Richard Ganzer gets the old Victrola turning.

Vera Medinger watches her daughter Jan Schmidt talk on-camera.

Sandy Sander and her mother Wilma Thillmony wait for the interview session to end. Such well-behaved students!

Historian Donald Wentworth provided an in-depth history of the schoolhouse during his interview and took most of the photos featured in this post.

Our gratitude to everyone at North Bend Community Center for sharing your stories, photos, support and friendship!

Photos courtesy the North Bend Community Center, copyright 2009.