A New York City writer recently spent three days in a remote corner of western South Dakota, researching that vanishing bastion of rural America --- the one-room school.

He discovered that subject matter is very similar to what is taught in city schools, but attitudes still reflect a pioneer heritage of the l800s, when Laura Ingalls Wilder taught South Dakota prairie schools.

In fact, some of the families he met can claim a distant kinship to Wilder, author of the famed Little House on the Prairie books.

Josh Getlin arrived "at a crossroads in the middle of nowhere" early one chilly December morning. After spending several days in the little white schoolhouse on the prairie, far removed from big city problems, he wrote:

Imagine a classroom where kindergarten students learn as much from eighth-graders as from their teachers. Picture a school with virtually no discipline problems---no gangs, no drugs, no disrespect. If you can, tune out all the distractions plaguing a modern urban playground and consider a small country counterpart, where parents meet with the teacher every day.

Once the foundation of American education, the one-room school has become virtually extinct, a victim of urbanization and consolidation. Fewer than 500 single-teacher schools still exist across the nation; 57 of them are in South Dakota, dotting the landscapes of remote farm and ranch areas.

One of the few survivors, the Sulpher Creek Elementary School in northeastern Meade County, is a 32x36-foot classroom built from a mobile home. Petite, red-haired Ronda Price teaches 14 students in all grades, kindergarten through eighth---ranch-reared youngsters who study more than readin' and writin' and 'rithmetic. The modern world comes into their classroom via CD-ROM and bookmobile. Traveling computer and music instructors conduct weekly classes.

Socialization skills are easily learned at a school that intermingles students aged 6 to 14. In the classroom and on the playground, cooperation, mutual consideration and respect are predominant. Minor disciplinary infractions are easily quelled with a slight frown. Positive reinforcement comes with frequent hugs and encouraging words from teacher and aide.

"It all works because we're basically one large family unit," Price says. "We've grown up together."

When the little ones first enter school they've already learned what's expected of them from older siblings and friends. There are no surprises. We get right to work when the term begins. We don't need a six-week adjustment period.

"We learn how to take care of each other," 13-year-old Marci Weiss confirms. "But that's okay because we've grown up with each other. We feel pretty close by now."

Students thrive in the family atmosphere where teacher and aide are addressed by first names. Grades are better than average; graduates rank at the top of their high school classes in a nearby town.

Parent involvement---education's latest buzz word---is inherent at a school where parents deliver and pick up their children, a daily 20 to 30-mile round trip.

Like countless Midwesterners, most of the parents themselves learned their three R's in a single-room school. They stand solidly behind ranch country values of neighbor helping neighbor. The schoolhouse is their community center.

"Here, parents call the shots and Ronda Price respects their wishes," wrote Getlin. She doesn't teach evolution or sex education. There are references to Jesus Christ in class, and foul language is nonexistent."

Price teaches six subjects every day---nine learning levels, 54 different lesson plans. "I couldn't do it without Gaylene," she says of teacher aide, Gaylene Morell, who has helped her run the school for the past six years. Getlin expected chaos and was amazed to see the "fluid grace" with which Price and Morell moved through the school day, from math class to science, social studies to spelling, kindergarten to eighth grade.

"I won't forget that 'fluid grace' phrase," Morell laughed. "I'm not often called graceful."

Named 1994 Rural Teacher of the Year, Price is married to rancher Rich Price and she's Mom to three of her students. Her sons (Aaron, 6, Tyler, 7, and Coy, 9) are the lone pupils in kindergarten, second and third grades.

The boys have easily adapted to their mother's dual roles, says Price.

Coy had just entered kindergarten when we got so busy one day we totally forgot recess. The next day Gaylene was working with him at the back of the room when he very seriously asked her to "tell the teacher my mommie doesn't like me to miss recess."

Price drives her sons to school in the l983 Pontiac she sentimentally hangs onto because it was an unexpected birthing room for her middle son. Enroute to the hospital 60 miles away, the Prices were still 20 miles from town when Tyler made his appearance.

Morell and husband, David, who live on a ranch 20 miles from the school, are parents of two grown children.

Both women are dedicated to their jobs. They have to be, in a state that consistantly ranks at the bottom of teacher pay scales. But their salaries are essential in supplementing uncertain ranch incomes hard hit by livestock price fluctuations.

Rounding out the student roster are three Kluck girls, Melanie, l4, Haley, 12, and Danelle, 9; Nathan and Meghan McGillivray, l4 and 10; the Weiss daughters, Marci, 13, and Kerri, 11; Wesley Hotchkiss, 12; Daniel Ingalls, 11; Lyle Vig and Radley Hohenberger, 6-year-old first graders.

While the youngsters occasionally wear Roper boots and Stetsons to class, they're more frequently seen in the "uniform" of American school kids---blue jeans, Nikes and sweatshirts emblazoned with sports team logos.

Sulpher Creek's three eighth graders graduate this spring. Next fall they'll be replaced by three or four new kindergarten students, including Price's only daughter, five-year-old Tara.

Since a school has to have at least five pupils to remain open, Sulpher Creek should remain safe from closure for at least the next few years.

On the last afternoon of his stay, the big-city writer invited a table-turning interview. For two hours, he openly responded to student questions about his professional and personal life, telling them about his growing up years in Los Angeles and his journalistic jaunts.

Price has since assimilated his visit into her lesson plans. Students are currently writing children's stories as an extra credit project.

"Talking with Josh inspired even kids who always complain about vocabulary lessons," Price said. "A couple of them now say they want to be writers."

Price and Morell were delighted with the way Getlin fit into the community and the school routine. Describing him as "warm" and "down-to-earth," they talk about him joining touch football games during recesses and his easy way of conversing with parents at a community potluck.

Getlin was overwhelmed by the warmth of western hospitality, Morell said. Offered the choice of a 60-mile daily commute to the nearest motel or staying with host families, Getlin was an overnight guest at the Hotchkiss and Price homes. Unaccustomed to the absolute quiet of a country night, he had trouble getting to sleep.

His description of the four-mile trip to the Price home went into his story:

A full moon rises over the plains as Price slides through a patch of gravel, and suddenly three deer race past, leaping in unison over the icy fields. It's a breathtaking sight.

"He said he wanted to bring his wife and daughter back with him for a vacation. We sure hope he does," Morell said.

"As times change, some colorful ways of life are disappearing," read the caption on Getlin's December 22 feature story for the the Los Angeles Times, the latest in his series of Endangered People.

Ranch families in rural Meade County don't like to think their way of life is endangered. They hope Sulpher Creek School will continue providing a basic values education for future generations.

Author Laura Ingalls Wilder, both pupil and teacher in one-room prairie schools of the early 1800s, described her experiences in her much-loved Little House books. In a sort of sequel to sister Laura's books, Grace Ingalls wrote in her lined exercise book:

I study Arithmetic, Reading, Spelling, Geography and Language. Our school-room is very nice. There are six windows, four of which have dark brown curtains or shades, the seates and desks are cullered a rode culler or very dark brown sutaibel for one schollar to sittin, the room is ornimated with pictures some with frames and some not.