*References: Information for this history section is from several sources. The school information is primarily from Cottonwood Early Days by Mary E. Faulkner, Fern H. Wingo and Doris F. Salmon. and from photographs and information compiled by Tom Nelson.

Oakwood School

Since there were only four rooms and eight grades, it required doubling up in the classrooms. There were seven to nine children in each grade, or about 70-75 total enrollment. There was no running water in the school house, but a dipper and a bucket full of water from a ditch on the north side of the building took care of their needs. All children drank from the same dipper.

For 18 years the school had no lawns, sidewalks, or other beautification. Irvin T. Nelson was motivated to combine his landscaping talents with the community's volunteer labor to create a beautiful area around the school. In 1931 plans were developed, and with donations of labor, money, and equipment, the community worked together to improve the school grounds.

Horse teams and hand labor were the equipment of the day. A request was made to the 102 families in the community for two days of donated labor. Eventually $3,000 worth of time and money were contributed during the next three year period.

Since part of the grounds had once been a creek bed, 975 tons of rocks, gravel, and dirt had to be hauled off. 105 hardwood trees, 240 shrubs and roses, 75 evergreens, and 24,000 square feet of lawns were planted.