This collection contains documents from the rural school system of Osceola County, Iowa dating from 1876-1975. The records cover a majority of the rural schools’ histories, but they are not comprehensive: some records were lost before their transfer to the Center for the History of Rural Iowa Education and Culture. The collection material is arranged into four series -- “County Board of Education, 1896-1975”, “Office of the Superintendent, 1876-1975”, “Township, 1911-1966”, and “District and School, 1877-1975” -- which are sub-divided by format. Series 1. “County Board of Education, 1896-1975” contains records that were created by or utilized by the County Board of Education. Sub-Series 1: Physical Records, 1899-1975 consists of County Board of Education Meeting Minutes, County Board of Education Financial Records, County Library Records, Reorganization and Consolidation Records, and Atlases. Sub-Series 2: Records on Microfilm, 1896-1975 contains County Board of Education Meeting Minutes, County Board of Education Secretaries’ Record, and County Board of Education Financial Records. Series 2. “Office of the Superintendent, 1876-1975” contains records that were created by or utilized by the Superintendent’s Office. Sub-Series 1: Physical Records, 1876-1975 consists of Superintendents’ Secretaries’ and Treasurers’ Annual Reports, Superintendents’ Annual Reports, Joint District Reports, Superintendents’ File, Supplemental Annual Reports, Treasurers’ Reports, High School Normal Training Records, Teachers’ Examination Record, Record of Teachers’ Certificates, Teachers’ Record Cards, School Officer and Teacher Record, School Officer Record, School Officer and Teacher Record, Record of Teachers in Rural Schools, County Teachers’ Organization Constitution, County Student Activities Association Minutes, County School Censuses, Record of Schools Taught, Pupils’ Permanent Records, Superintendents’ Report on Handicapped Persons, Pupils’ Record of Schools Attended, Eighth Grade Examination Records, and Eighth Grade Graduation Records. Sub-Series 2: Records on Microfilm, 1876-1975 contains Superintendents’ Annual Reports, Joint District Reports, Supplemental Annual Reports, High School Normal Training Records, Teacher Examination Records, Record of Teachers’ Certificates, School Personnel Contracts, Teacher Record Cards, School Officer and Teacher Records, Superintendents’ Record of Teachers’ Service, Superintendents’ Report on Handicapped Persons, Enrollment Records, Pupils’ Permanent Records, Eighth Grade Examination Records, and Eighth Grade Graduation Records. Series 3. “Township, 1911-1966” contains records created by or utilized by the Township Board of Education. Sub-Series 1: Physical Records, 1911-1965 consists of Township Board of Education Financial Records and Township School Censuses. Sub-Series 2: Records on Microfilm, 1940-1966 contains Township Board of Education Secretaries’ Record and Township School Censuses. Series 4. “District and School, 1877-1975” contains records pertaining to individual school and/or districts. Sub-Series 1: Physical Records, 1877-1966 consists of District Board of Education Financial Records, Room Registers, Teachers’ Reports to the Superintendent, Monthly Teachers’ Reports to the Superintendent, Library Reports, Preliminary Classification Reports, Daily Attendance Registers, and Standard Curriculum Reading Exercises. Sub-Series 2: Records on Microfilm, 1877-1975 contains District Board of Education Secretaries’ Records, District Board of Education Treasurers’ Records, District Board of Education Financial Records, Private School Reports, Teachers’ Reports to the Superintendent, District School Censuses, Preliminary Classification Reports, Daily Attendance Registers, and an Osceola School History Book.