The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-01-29
HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN
KITTITAS COUNTY WASHINGTON GIVEN
Bv Prof. Warren A. Thomas.

George w. Parish was the county
superintendent of schools in Yakima
county for the two first terms following
the organization OF that county. He
bounded school districts and assisted
in organizing the schools in thai
county in 1868.
Fred Ludie and John Caller were
at that time the only white settlers
within the bounds of Kittitas county as
then organized. The first school ir
Kittitas county was organized by G. +,
Cooke in the fall of 1870.
In 1878, Mr.. Parrish was again elect
cd superintendent and served for one
term, declining to be q candidate fol
the succeeding term. During this
term he held the first teachers insti
tute ever held in Yakima county. II
was held in Yakima City, then the
county seat Of Yakima county. Johr
p. Judson. Territorial superintendent
was the conductor.
The next institute was held in the
Shoudy hall, over jain A. Shoudy's ole
frame store building. Among the
teachers in attendance at that time
were D. Z. Lesh, Mrs. S. Stair and hei
father from Yakima valley; w. H.
Peterson, Mrs. S. Il. Sterling, and d
G. c. Baker, the latter two of whom
are deceased.
In 1880, w. II. Peterson was elected
school superintendent. He held the
Office for two years and declined to be
candidate for recollection. He held his
first annual institute in Yakima city
A representative OF the Territorial
superintendent was in attendance. Ii
was we'll attended by the teachers OF
Yakima valley. Only few teachers
from Kittitas valley attended, there DO
ing no railroad between the valleys at
that time. There was good attend
ance of the "old town" residents at
every session. Lawyers, doctors and
merchants attened tho evening sessions
and participated in the procee dings.
The next institute was held in the
old Presbyterian chapel in the then vii
lage OF Ellensburg. There was good
attendance Of the teachers Of Kittitas
valley, but none from the other end OF
the county. 1t was we'll attended by
tho citizens, and was quite success for
those early times.
At the beginning Of Mr. Peterson's
term OF office, there were only twenty
three school districts in then county OF
Yakima, which included tho present
county Of Kittitas. During his term OF
Office. he organized the Moxie school
district. He also organized new dis
trict on the south side OF the Natchese
river and divided the Cowichie district
into the north and south Cowichies.
He also organized what is commonly
known as the Peterson or Lyle district
in the eastern part Of Kittitas valley.
Upon the petition Of John A. Shoudy
and others, he divided the district that
Ellensburg was then in. At the time
OF division, the district included all the
territory lying between the Yakima
river and the line separating range IL
and ~ T.. to the summit of the noun
tains. Before the close Of his term, he
also created the Reeser creek district
At the time that Ellensburg was sci
off into a separate district it had for {
school building, a little log house north
Of Ellensburg. 1t was covered witt
hay, brush and dirt. The last schOo
taught in was taught by d. G. G. Baker
and was visited by Mr.. Peterson in hi!
official capacity. At that time, there
were no districts east and north of the
sumit of the Wenatchee mountains, OF
north of Kittitas valley proper. Still
visitation was no small matter. Th'
most distant school he had to visit wa
Alder creek, 100 miles from Kittita
valley.
Schools then had to be visited by thu
superintendent on horseback or foot
as there were no railroads in the county
and very few roads of any kind. Oh
Indian trails often served the purpos'
of roads for him on his long and lone
some rides
Mrs. Ella S. Stair was elected to sue
coed Mr.. Peterson to the Office O
county superintendent. She was al
honored teacher in Yakima county a
the time of election.
During her term of office, Kittita
county was organized, the board, name
in the act of the legislature, creatin
it, consisting of G. p. Cooke, S. 7
Packwood and Robert N. Canaday, al
pointed Miss Irene Cumberlin the frs
Superintendent for the new county c
Kittitas. She was graduate of tn
state normal school at Kirksville, Mo
and one of the most competent teacher
in the county. They authorized her
renumber school districts OF the count
consecutively, after having procure
COPIES of the boundaries of each frol
the records of Yakima county.