schools.html

This story was submitted for use here by Mrs. Violet Thompson.

SCHOOLS IN GLENWOOD, WASHINGTON
Written by Mary Andrews Jebe in 1950

I just wrote a short story about the Pioneer church of Glenwood and now I would like to say a few words about the Glenwood school. I don't remember many dates but I can recall many instances of memory, which I like.
When we came here fifty four years ago from Molville, Iowa, there wasn't much schooling. I had been teaching school in Iowa and had attended college for two years, so I thought I was pretty smart and yet I was the shyest person you ever knew. My husband, Frank, helped me build a strong character as he was very proud of me. He'd say, "Mary went to college" or, "Mary taught school". That was great to him. He praised me so much that he nearly made me puffed up! It is wonderful to have such a good man. He was sixteen years older then I was. I was only a child to him, I guess. What Mary did was always correct. To bad he was taken from me. It was God's will but it was hard to bear.
When we came here there wasn't any school to amount to much and that was for three months in a year. For a child to prepare their life for the future that was not enough. The bus didn't stop at the gate to take you to school. Hot lunches were not spread for you at noon. No, you must walk as far as seven or eight miles and eat a cold meal. No new books were handed you, just your old ragged ones you brought from home with your slate and pencil. It wasn't much better in Iowa but not as bad as a here. We had to go nine months and walks sunshine or storm.
Some children here didn't learn much. Not even to read nor write and that is awful! Some parents made their children learn at home even to write their name.
The Germans are real educators and they started the first school called the German School. There were lots of Germans that settled here. Their school was in the East end of the valley and there was another school in the West end. Maggie Kreps was one of their first teachers. That is Laurel now. Mr. Neida was one of the first teachers in the East end. The teachers would say a week about as the wages were so slim they couldn't pay board. There was a Mr. Marsh and Mr. Smith that taught school.
The first school was all made of logs, even the desks and chairs. Peter Troh and his sister went there and a Mr. Marsh taught there. Mr. Troh was one of the school directors. That school was at the foot of the Lyle grade and burned down, then they build a board building about two miles closer to town. Mr. India and Mr. Smith taught to there.
Then about the time we came they were talking about consolidation. There were several schools, one in the Grange Hall and one by the Bolt place. That was a log building.
Frank was elected a director with Al Bertschi and Herman Kuhnhausen and they fought for consolidation and got it. Ed Murray gave a corner of his place, and a real school house was built. It had one room, then two rooms, then an addition was built on and made three rooms, and three teachers. Then we decided to build a bigger school as the three rooms were full. A tract of land was bought and bonds were voted and a man from Lyle, Wash. took the contract and built our new school house. We had no lights, heat nor water. Anything that was going on at the school we all carried our lights. Some had gas lights.
I remember the first basketball game with Trout Lake. The girls cooked their banquet supper over here at our house and everything in my kitchen was over there. I had a time next morning to get breakfast. I had made so many trips over and back to the schoolhouse that I was tired!
They finally got a Delco plant for light and water and built a brick furnace for heat.
Some children walked and carried the little ones on their back. Johnny Jebe said most every morning they would meet an old bear on the road and he would 'rare' up and stick his big red tongue out. He said that they got used to it and if he stayed in the road they would get off the road and go around him. Sometimes he acted polite and would jump up or down off the road and then they would go on down the road. Johnny said that he usually had Willie on his back. They had to walk seven miles from way down on the East side. It took two hours and more. They didn't get to school every day but they got their books by studying at home!