The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-05-17

the private schools maintained by the
soldiers, stationed in the village to de
fend the white settlers against the
Indians In the spring of 1854 the first
school of the post small log building
was erected little southwest of the
place where the Academy Park school
now stands In the summer OF 10
Chas. Meigs taught private school in
the same budding but he left the school
in the fall to join company of vOlun-
teers organized by Nathan Olney to
fight the Indians.
One of the early schools was taught by
Miss Scounce, sister OF Mrs. Put Brad
ford. and in later years the wife of Col
Onel Ebie This school was taught in
private house on Fourth street between
Court and Union. In November, 1859,
the school district was organized, and
this foundation of the public schools of
The Dalles was strengthened by build
ing public school house, or better,
public school room, as the school house,
which was erected on the site now occu-
pied by DR.. Siddall's cottages on fourth
and Laughlin street, had but one room;
another was added a few years later,
and in 1868 two more rooms were built,
giving to the whole the form of a T.
The desks of the first two rooms gave
sad proof of the fact that young America
is anxious to make his mark in the
world; protiiting by experience, the
directors furnished one of the new
rooms with desks two inches thick to
give the boys sufficient material to
whittle! In later years the part built
in '63 was known as the little blue school
house. In 1888 it was moved to Union
street, and is now called the Union
street annex.
Union street school was erected in
1873. 1t first stood in the street, just
below the ''cut,' the main entrance
being from the north. The grounds
were ample, and boys and girls found
room for out door games. Many flowers
and beautiful MOSES grew on the bluff
near the building less than fifteen years
ago, and great was the children s delight
when they were allowed to decorate
their desks with the MOSES. The little
blue school house was not used for a
time by 1880, however, the attendance
of the schools had increased so that
every room had to be used, and then
not all of the pupils were accommo-
dated In the lower grades half day
sessions were maintained, and a room ,
provide for primary class. Such were
the conditions when the citizens voted {
, tax to erect brick building of four
,ooms The building was completed in c
1872, and is now occupied by the eighth a
.rade and the high school pupils. j
A building of two rooms was erected t
1t Eleventh and Union streets in 1889.
his building is now known as :he East v
Hill Primary, and was moved to its 9
resent site in 1891 In the same year n
he Wasco Independent Academy, with t
II the property of the Academy Associ- II
ton, was purchased by the school dist "
let. Academy Park schOoj has re- fl
laced the term the Wasco independent I
cademv. n
Today the school district owns ten
cres of land, and five school buildings, tt
ne whole valued at $50 900, and high v
chool bui ding is now being built in n
he Academy Park grounds. at The cost et
$4,000. Little debt has beer allowed OF
} accumulate; the Liabilities being OF
7 900 in Feb. 1897. At that time the sc
TX payers voted to bond the district &C
'r $4,000 to provide funds ior the in
uilding now under erection RI
So much for the exterior, but we Pl
lust know more of the boys, girls. and ~
the teachers if we woulc under ut
and the real growth of the schools. 10
Mr.. Hathaway taught the district er H
,hool in 1856-57, when the public III
;huol was all the grades in on. grade co
!. j. Waldron was another pioneer ~
acher We are not able to fnd lust ne
hen he took charge of the schools, but ci
le fact that man of so much ability