CSC graduate continues family tradition

On May 10, Andrew Wendland graduated from CSC, becoming the fourth generation of the family to enter teaching. He has signed a contract to teach and coach at the Sioux County Schools in Harrison, where he was a student teacher earlier this spring.

Andrew’s great-great grandmother, Augusta Kurth, who married Alfred Betson, began the family tradition. In 1911, she enrolled at what was Nebraska State Normal School at Chadron, the year it opened, and earned a teaching certificate to become a “school marm” in Dawes County rural schools.

In 1923, the Betsons had twin sons, Collis and Hollis. After they had graduated from Crawford High School, Collis was farming with his father when Ava Diffendaffer became the teacher at the nearby District 1 School. They became acquainted and married in 1944.

Ava was a graduate of Scottsbluff High School, enrolled at Chadron Normal and received a teaching certificate. Collis and Ava had four children, and all of them: Diana, Kerry, Rhonda, and Mark, graduated from Chadron State.

Mark earned his bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in industrial education, math, and science in 1974. He taught and coached in Montana and Nebraska for several years before he and his wife, Myrna, and their two children, Ron and Becky, moved back to operate the home place in the Bethel Community south of Whitney in 1987.

Neither Ron nor Becky attended Chadron State, but Becky’s husband, Jeff Wendland, was a CSC student. They’re pleased that Andrew, their oldest child, is reviving the family tradition and becoming a teacher and coach. They say he has a profound love of kids and sports and believe he will have great career.

At Sioux County, Andrew will teach health and physical education for all grades and be the head boys’ basketball coach and the assistant football and track coach.