Published on March 26, 2025
In recognition of Women’s History Month, we’d like to introduce you to Miss Edith Oerman, Superior’s highly revered teacher from the past. Miss Oerman was born in LeClaire Township, Iowa, and moved to Boulder with her parents in 1909 at the age of seven. She loved learning and followed that to the teaching profession in the 1920s. Hired to teach in the Superior School District in 1930, she came to be respected by her students and their families.
Many former students expressed their admiration for Miss Oerman. Bob Morgan described her as “a teacher, principal, counselor and nurse.” Veronica Urban Prather consider her as “the most beloved of all,” and Denzil Acklin summed it up by saying she was “just a good person.” An example of her benevolence is that she gave each eighth grader a personally crafted watercolor landscape that she painted for them upon their graduation.
Miss Oerman's watercolor gift to graduating 8th grade students.
One particularly poignant story involves two of her students, Herbert Morrison and Mary Bell Brundage. Herbert was one of nine children whose father died in an accident in the Industrial coal mine. With five children still at home, the Morrison family was left impoverished, subsisting on Social Security Death Benefits. Young Mary Bell Brundage was new to the school, and it was love at first sight for her and Herb. Despite their young age, both 18, Miss Oerman helped Herb and Mary Bell in many ways including driving them to Boulder to get a marriage license and buying Herb a new pair of shoes to wear at their wedding in 1944.
Miss Oerman drove to Superior from Boulder until 1956. She taught for a few more years at a country school closer to Boulder, then passed in 1964 at the age of 62. This noteworthy educator made a huge impact on the youngsters in the Superior community and was recognized when the Town named a trailhead for her and Josephine Roche, another impactful woman in local history.
Spring is officially here, and the Superior Historical Commission extends a welcoming invitation to visit the Town’s two museums on Saturday, April 5.
Both the Asti Park Historical Museum (110 E. Maple St.) and the Grasso Park Historical Museum (122 E. William St.) are stocked with a bountiful array of recently donated artifacts post Marshall Fire. Docents will be on hand to relate the history of our town and surrounding area with the Asti Museum focusing on mining life and the Grasso Museum oriented towards agricultural history.
Museums’ hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Saturday of each month.
The content of this issue was adapted by Larry Dorsey from an exhibit created by Commission volunteer Allyn Jarrett and on display in the Asti Park Historical Museum. Thanks to Susan Standish and Jennifer Garner for their editing efforts.
For more information about the Historical Commission and its activities, contact Commission Liaison Jennifer “JG” Garner at 303-499-3675, ext. 167, Commission Chair Larry Dorsey at 303-499-1969, or just click on the “Historical Commission Info” button below.