12/26/2024
ELMA SCHOOLS
By Elizabeth Brown
Thanks to considerable research efforts by school authorities, historical notes on the schools in the area are available.
The first school house for Elma was built about 1860 on the present school campus on West Main between 8th and 9th, just east of the three story high school building recently replaced with new construction. Other maps show the location at either the southeast or southwest corner of Waldrip and Division, just east of the present small gymnasium. The school served the earliest families; Waldrips, Youngs, Taylors, Byles, Andersons, and Combes, all of whom arrived in the Chehalis valley in the 1850's. The building was a crude log cabin with only one room. The furniture consisted of home-made desks and seats, plus a stove.
The school served less than 50 students with one teacher and one blackboard. It was noted at the time by the county superintendent that the facilities were marginal and that the teacher struggled to do a good job with "too many grades for such a large group of pupils".
The need for a new, graded school was promoted in an editorial by the Chronicle in 1889. Subsequently a meeting was reported between the school board and citizens to start planning for a new school. Bids were opened on August 2, 1890. Although the new school was scheduled to open for 1890-91 school year, the building was delayed due to problems in installing the heating system. Flag raising was held February 28, 1891 at the new school at 205 W. Anderson, with 36 high school students, 31 intermediate and 56 primary, under the direction of James B. Finch, Principal. The students held a fund raiser to buy furniture and supplies for the new school, earning $31.00.
By 1895, the school had grown to 206 pupils, and employed three teachers. Members of the first graduating class included Pearl Combes Gordon, and Guy Jolley. The records are not clear, but Etta Porter and/or Etta Jolly may also have been in that class. Graduating in 1897 were Dale Craft, Mildred Jolley Beason, Edith Burkeman, Joseph Koch, George Metzger and Wilkins Watson. 1898 graduates were Maude Carry, Mamie Eaton, Gussie Martin Paine and Ray Smith. The last students of the century to graduate from Elma, Class of '99 were: Ray Blair, Maude Clay Lovell, Bertha Misch Hedrick, Etta Fleming, Gertrude Gillies Spence, Mable Jolley Avey, Pauline Jones, and Fannie Martin Crabbe. Ninth Grade was the highest class taught in those days.
Mr. G. M. Ward, previously a government surveyor, taught at the log cabin in 1876 and 1877 with 26 pupils enrolled. The county superintendent of 1881 noted that Elma had 29 scholars. School board clerk was E. Young. Milo Root, later Supreme Court Judge of Washington, taught the last term of school in this cabin in 1883-1884.
From 1885 through 1890 Elma students attended a school built just west of the Christian church, near 6th and Main. The church sold lot 6 of Block 10 to the school district, retaining lots 7 and 8 for the church building. The school was constructed by Kinnaman and Bailey of small squared-off logs. The building was later used as a town hall. The structure was the home of the Taylor family for many years and is still standing in the original location, now an apartment house.
Evidently, the new building was not well maintained, as an anonymous letter to the editor suggested that the new school could use a good painting, inside and out as well as replacement of the unsightly, common board fence. The building did have electric lights; payment of an electric bill is recorded for December, 1908. Although two rooms were added in about 1897, the size of the building was inadequate, and students were housed in several buildings around town. Grades four through eight met on the first floor of the school building and High School students were taught on the second floor. The commercial department and the second grade were at the feed mill (now part of Whiteside Mortuary). The district rented the Chronicle print shop between 2nd and 3rd Streets on the south side of Anderson to house the first grade for $25 per three months. The third grade met at the Women's Relief Corps building.
In 1909 Clara Minard and George Koch were the first to graduate from a four year high school course. After teaching in Mt. Vernon, Clara Minard returned to Elma to teach English and history and serve as librarian for the high school from 1914 through 1950.
The school board met with the city superintendent and the county superintendent in April of 1909 to discuss a new school house on a new site. Board members canvassed their constituents and voted to employ Mr. McSperitt to draft plans and specifications for a concrete building. The district purchased a parcel of land from Joseph Booth on the south side of West Main between 9th and 10th Streets on May 11, 1910.
The Chronicle reported on April 15, 1911, that Watson Vernon of Aberdeen had been selected as architect for the new school. They planned for nine rooms in a building 126 feet long by 40 feet in width. The building was to be constructed in units, with 26 rooms when completed. By May of 1911, Mr. Vernon had modified the new school plans to meet the ideas of the board and school superintendent, O. R. Bond. Twenty thousand dollars worth of school bonds had been sold and J. J. Irwin was chosen as the general contractor.
The new school was to be completed by September 15, 1911. Evidently the construction schedule was not met, as the paper reported in August that the roof was being installed and the building was not going along as planned. After many delays, desks were moved on February 17, 1912, and grades 5 through 12 began using the new school. Electric lighting was included in the building from the beginning, and wood was used for heating. Telephone service was paid for in 1915. Oil heat was not considered until 1930, "provided the janitors would accept a reduction in salary".
The new school was one of four units and it was planned to add units as needed. Throughout the next several years school enrollment grew and the townspeople struggled to add the wings planned earlier. Adding to the financial woes of nearly exceeding the debt limit, was the problem of missing school funds, which was laid at the door of the school board clerk. The miscreant was said to have been sentenced to prison, and two members of the board resigned, but the financial problems continued. A special election was held to raise money to pay the school's debts. The money was raised, but the school was delayed until October of 1916. Some students had already moved to other communities to attend school and, to further complicate that school year, schools were closed by the health officer for the month of November because of scarlet fever.
Financial problems continued, due to unfinished work on the school building and repair problems with the heating system, septic system, roof and floor. In 1924, the financial situation improved but the district continued to go to the voters for support throughout the twenties.
The depression years were marked by lowered salaries for administrators and teachers and other money saving cuts such as combining departments and charging post graduate students. One scheme to allow all merchants in town to benefit from school purchases resulted in five tires being purchased from five different service stations in the town.
The school purchased a wagon for hauling students in 1907; purchase price was $175.00. By 1916 the board contracted transportation. Mr. Charles Wakefield hauled students in trucks from South Union and Mr. Beal had the South Elma, Swede Hill and Ford's Prairie route. Mr. Wakefield was in trouble with the board for not providing a tail gate for his truck to prevent careless scholars from falling out. He also was hauling livestock in his truck during the day and parents were complaining. In October, 1920, the board gave Mr. Wakefield an ultimatum - add the tailgate, fix the leaks in the roof, and no livestock or lose his contract.
The first school-owned auto buses were purchased in 1921 - one thirty passenger and one fifty passenger. By 1930, several runs were established and jobs were awarded by bids.--A HISTORY OF ELMA, 1988
