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Emmy® nominated “Country School: One Room – One Nation” airs on WQPT-PBS Sept. 3

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Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Tammy and Kelly Rundle spent two years visiting over 70 one-room schools throughout the Upper Midwest for their award-winning film Country School: One Room – One Nation.  The Emmy® nominated documentary will air on WQPT-PBS on Thursday, September 3rd at 9 p.m. Over 80 hours of interviews, vistas, and historic sites shot in all four seasons in Iowa (including the Quad Cities and Jackson County), Wisconsin, Kansas and Nebraska have been distilled down to a feature-length documentary that tells the dramatic true story of the life, death, and rebirth of one-room schools in the Upper Midwest. Courtesy Julie Lang collection. All rights reserved. “They did what they were supposed to do,” said Iowa historian Dorothy Schwieder.  “There was a time when they met the needs of society.  There was also a time when they ceased to meet the needs of society.” Film critic Linda Cook, Quad City Times , gave the film 4-out-of-4 stars and wrote: "Another documen...
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Writer Jerry Apps of "Country School: One Room - One Nation" Celebrated in Wild Rose, Wisconsin May 9th

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  Writer Susan Apps-Bodilly remembers her father, Jerry Apps. It was a beautiful celebration of a man that will be deeply missed by so many. We joined a full auditorium of family, friends, fans and associates in Wild Rose, Wisconsin on May 9th to remember Wisconsin historian and celebrated writer Jerry Apps . From the family memories shared by his children and colleagues, Jerry's favorite polka music played by the Wild Rose Community Band with a rousing rendition of "On Wisconsin" to bring the house down, to a special Wisconsin PBS Tribute video, all of us present were wrapped in the warmth of a life well-lived. We ended our time in Jerry's hometown of Wild Rose visiting the Jerry Apps Reading Room at the local library where a reception was held. Jerry Apps during his interview for Fourth Wall Films' "Country School: One Room - One Nation". We were very fortunate to have Jerry involved in two of our Fourth Wall Films ' documentary films, our Emmy-n...
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"Country School" film scholar, acclaimed author and Wisconsin historian Jerry Apps passes away at 91

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Jerry Apps during his interview for "The Barn Raisers ". Like so many, we are heartbroken to learn of the passing of aut hor, Wisconsin historian and friend Jerry Apps. We were so very fortunate to know him and to have worked with him on three documentary projects, including "Country School: One Room - One Nation". Jerry was and always will be one of those special people who had a major positive impact on our lives. We cannot imagine a world without him. Our deepest sympathy to his beloved family, and to all who loved him. He was an amazing man and he will live on and on in our hearts. We include a video link to one of Jerry Apps' iconic moments in Fourth Wall Films' award-winning "The Barn Raisers": Never Curse the Rain. We share Jerry's Obituary below: Jerold Willard Apps July 25, 1934 — December 23, 2025 Madison Jerold W. Apps Ph.D., 91, peacefully passed away at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg after a short illness. He was still actively writ...
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Bill Sherman "The Godfather of Country Schools" leaves an incredible legacy

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  Today we join the many who are mourning the loss of preservationist, historian, country school advocate and friend Bill Sherman. We have yet to meet a more passionate advocate of historic preservation, one-room school restoration and Iowa history. We lovingly called Bill "the Godfather of Country Schools." We met Bill in 2007 during the premiere of our documentary "Lost Nation: The Ioway" at the State Historical Building in Des Moines. Prior to introducing the film, Bill got in the elevator with "Ioway" filmmaker Tammy and pitched in 30 seconds a documentary film on the history of one-room schools in Iowa and the Midwest. Tammy thought he was going to follow her onto the stage to join her filmmaker husband Kelly. But Bill shook her hand and gave her a card and took his seat in the audience. Little did we know that this was the man who got the one-room school on the Iowa quarter, and he was persuasive and persistent. Two years later, we were in the field ...
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Welcome!

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Typepad, our "Country School: One Room - One Nation" website/blog host of more than 20 years is suddenly going out of business. Due to folks like us backing up two decades of blog posts, their system has collapsed prior to its September 30, 2025 termination. We will have new websites and blogs up soon, but in the meantime, you can email us directly for links to purchase our DVDs/Blu-rays. Our films are always available to stream here:  https://vimeo.com/fourthwallfilms/vod_pages Thank you for your patience! We appreciate your interest and support! Kelly & Tammy Rundle Fourth Wall Films fourthwallfilms@aol.com
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