This collection contains documents from the rural school system of Hardin County, Iowa dating from 1871-1980. 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, 1899-1980”, “Office of the Superintendent Records, 1871-1978”, and “District and School, 1874-1959” -- which are sub-divided by format. Series 1. “County Board of Education, 1899-1980” contains records created by or utilized by the County Board of Education. Sub-Series 1: Physical Records, 1978-1980 consists solely of Reorganization and Consolidation Records. Sub-Series 2: Records on Microfilm, 1899-1979 contains County Board of Education Records, Reorganization and Consolidation Records, and Plat Maps. Series 2. “Office of the Superintendent, 1871-1978” contains microfilmed copies of records created by or utilized by the Superintendent’s Office. This series consists of Superintendents’ Secretaries’ Annual Reports, Teachers’ Examination Record, Record of Teachers’ Certificates, Teachers’ Certificate Renewal Record, Teachers’ Record Cards, Teachers’ Permanent Cumulative Records, Teachers’ Teaching Records, Record of Schools Taught, Pupils’ Personal and Classification Reports, Pupil Awards, Eighth Grade Examination Records, and High School Grades and Graduation Records. Series 3. “District and School, 1874-1959” contains records pertaining to individual school and/or districts. Sub-Series 1: Physical Records, 1874-1936 consists of District Board of Education Secretaries’ Record, Daily Attendance Registers, and District School Censuses. Sub-Series 2: Records on Microfilm, 1878-1959 contains District Board of Education Secretaries’ Record, District Board of Education Treasurers’ Record, Room Registers, Teachers’ Reports to the Superintendent, Teachers’ Term Report to the County Superintendent Cards, Library Reports, Preliminary Classification Reports, Daily Attendance Registers, and Classification Records.