The first term of school began October 1863 and lasted about three months. Miss Lucy Darling, niece of Sidney Edgerton, was the first teacher. School was held in the Edgerton home for lack of suitable quarters elsewhere. Twenty pupils were enrolled. The second term of school was in a new building on the bank of Grasshopper Creek. This building was later used as a Senate Committee Room during the First Territorial Legislature.

District #1 was divided in 1891 with the northern portion becoming the Polaris School, District #21.

The Bon Accord School was opened for eight months, 1940-41. Mrs. Alma Olson Orman was the teacher. Her Salary was $60 a month.

Pupils of the Bannack School attended the Millpoint School in 1947-48. The two districts were combined keeping the district #1 designation. The Millpoint and Bannack Schools were both operating in 1950-51, the last term of the Bannack School.

The Millpoint School became non-operating from 1975-1978. It was declared abandoned and annexed to District #10, July 1, 1978.

Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools Office Records, Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, pg 23.

Click picture for school location

Bannack School District #1

The Bishop School District was the second district organized in Beaverhead County. The actual date is not available but probably in the late 1860's. Two more sections of land were added to the district in 1891 from District #10 through the efforts of W.R. Gilbert and James P. Murray. Janie Carter is listed as one of the earlier teachers, receiving a salary of sixty-five dollars per month.

Somewhere along the way the school was known as the Nelson School instead of the Bishop School. A majority of the taxpayers voted to become consolidated with Dillon District #10. This was approved January 5, 1960.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, Beaverhead County School Districts. Pages 1005-1010. Page 23.

District 02 Bishop-Nelson

The second school district established in Beaverhead County was first called the Bishop, later the Nelson School District. The exact date school District 02 was organized is not certain, probably 1866 or 1867. The first schoolhouse was called the Bishop School, so it can be assumed John H. Bishop donated the land for the school. John Bishop's ranch home was in the south half of section 14 T6S R8W.

John Bishop first homesteaded north of Dillon in 1863. He eventually accumulated 2,000 acres of land; his ranch was called the "Silver Lake Ranch." Starting about 1882, "two daughters of John and Jennie Bishop, Mildred and Jennie or Jeannie, attended school across the road from their ranch. " (Bishop, 598). If the school was across what is now Anderson Lane, it would have been in the north half of Section 23 T6S R8W.

Alma Coffin wrote that her sister Anna taught school for the three children of William Wood and two children of Nathaniel Wood in 1878. Because there were only the five Wood children, it was like a private school. "Mrs. "Billy" Wood and Mrs. "Nat" Wood were sisters whose pleasant homes, only a mile apart, are sheltered by cottonwoods near the river. " (Coffin). However, Alma does not specify if Anna taught in the Wood's home or in a schoolhouse.

Conrad and Wilhelmine Meine, who had school age children, took up one of the last homesteads to be had in the area in 1882. Their homestead was less than a mile from the Nat Woods Place.

In 1883-84 Alma Bridwell taught at the Bishop School, John R. Bishop was the chairman of the board of trustees. Alma boarded with the Bishop family, whom she states lived near the schoolhouse. (Bridwell-White, pg. 247). Clara Margaret Schuler (who later married Edger Ferris) began school at the Bishop school in 1886.

There was a school building just south and west of the big house that was the Nat Wood stage stop in the S.W quarter sec. 15 T6S R8W. It was on the stage route from Bannack to Virginia City that had been established in 1863. Nat Wood got his patent 05 Nov 1870, which means he would have moved to his homestead about 1862. Because it was called the Bishop School, it is possible it was the same school building that had been across the road from the Bishop Place, and had been moved to the Wood Place.

Built of hand-hewn logs, it did not look like most of the school buildings built about that time, as it had a window and the door on one side and two windows on the opposite side, instead of the door being on one end.

Trustees in 1882 were N.H. Wood, E. Glover, and George Staudaher was clerk. In 1884 trustees were George Staudaher, N.H. Wood, Thomas J. Charlton, and John Bishop was clerk. In 1890 Trustees were Charles Blevin, George Staudaher, and Conrad Meine, John Bishop was Clerk. By this time, Wood had sold his place to Blevin, Blevin later sold to William Drummey.

About 1891, the log schoolhouse was moved up Anderson Lane to the southwest quarter of Sec. 16 T6S R8W. It was on the south side of Anderson Lane [sometimes called Nelson Lane] where it intersected the old road to Butte.

Two more sections of land were added to the district in 1891 from District 10 through the efforts of W.R. Gilbert was now a school close by. Zelma Nelson (who later married Elwood Morrison) attended school in the log school building until 1903, when she completed the eighth grade. She recalls that the children came to school either walking or riding horses and the teacher came in a horse drawn buggy. School was held in the building until construction of a new school building was completed in 1903. Teachers listed in District two from 1897 to 1904 included Janie Carter, Edith Virden, Mrs. M. Davis, Merton E. Messecar, Nellie M. Black, Sallie Dillon, and Lucy Ford.

On 06 Sep 1904 a petition was granted to divide District 02 and District 09 to create the Drummy (Jensen) School District 29. The Eastern part of District 02 was the part annexed to District 29. This left District 02 as one of the smaller districts in the county.

The second schoolhouse in District 2 was a wood frame building. It was on the north side of Anderson Lane in Sec. 16 T6S R8W. The land for the new school was donated by Mr. Theodore Nelson. The schoolhouse was referred to as the Nelson School, even though District 02 is still referred to as the Bishop District as late as 1912-13. Inside the school was a big pot-belly stove used for heat. When it was very cold, the children all pulled their desks up around the stove to try to stay warm.

There was a library room that always had many volumes. There were black boards, maps, and a globe. The building had six big windows on the west side. The old log schoolhouse, across the road from the new building, was turned into a barn with the only modification being a wider door to allow horses to enter the building and some hay bunks built.

The school and barn served their purpose for many years. "Miss Oakel Nelson started to school in 1906. She remembered her mother took her to school until she was old enough .to ride. Then she rode her buckskin pony, Sadie. Sadie was so anxious to get home after school, it was sometimes hard for Oakel to get on. "(Carlson) The Meine children, Carl, Henry, and Paul rode horses to school from 1904 to 1922.

In 1917 Charlie Meine bought the Drummey place, and his son Carl made this his residence. Carl and his wife Margaret lived in the big house that had been the Nat Wood stage stop until it burned down about 1927.

Carl remembers a woman coming to the ranch to visit. Her name was Mrs. Brundage, she was the daughter of William Drummey. She remembered exactly where the school building stood that she attended. She remembered eating lunch out under a big cottonwood tree that stood in front of the school building.

In the years 1908-1915 Charles Meine was clerk, trustees included Conrad Meine, Theodore Nelson, P.G. Nelson, Altilive Guidici, Frank Morrison, P.G. Nelson, Nels P. Nelson. 1915-26, Harry Schuler was clerk, trustees were Frank Morrison, R. J. Bidstrup, R. Hunsaker, Mrs. H. Schuler, T.T. McAdam, R.H. Watt. 1935-46 Norman Nelson was clerk, trustees during those years, included Narby Guidici, Mrs. Jack Keenen, Henry Meine, Elwood Morrison, Holger Carlson, and Fred E. Johnson.

Among the teachers from 1905 to 1950 were: Eliza Selway, Alene Kelly, Cora Montgomery, Mabel Delany, Ada Nutting, Eliza Chandler, Bessie Wall, Ama Mann, Mabel Hungate, Ella Briston, Bernice Mayfield, Irene Seidensticker, Genevieve O'Lary, Esther Miller, Aura Dutcher, Jeanette Watt, Oakel Nelson, Wanda Cochran, Ashley Roberts, Mildred Schular, Dorothy Albro, Mary Divine, Betty Landers.

Henry and Francis Meine's children, Evelyn, Hank, Bob and Jack went to school by buggy or rode horses in the 1930s and 40s. Meines were some of the farthest from the school (about three miles). They remember an old hand pump outside the barn where they had to pump water for the horses. Often times the pump did not work, so they rode their horses down to the Nelson place during noon hour to water them. Some of the other children did not have horses, so they asked the Meines if they could ride the horses down for them. Charlie Meine and his sons would haul hay from the ranch down to the school during haying season, so the horses had the needed hay during the school year.

According to Theo Bay the Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools from 1950 to 1958, "During the war the Nelson School was badly in need of repairs and overcrowded. By that time, the building was 47 years old. All eight grades were represented. In 1950 the district was bonded to construct an addition to the school and to modernize it.

The school had already installed electric lights and oil heat but will now have indoor lavatories and better heating plant." By 1951 the new addition was completed, which made the Nelson School a modern two room schoolhouse. Venetian blinds were installed for all the windows. New swings and a merry-go-round were added to the playground equipment.

The oldest child of Bob and Dorothy Meine, Bobbie, started school at the Nelson School in 1953 and attended through the 7th grade. She does not remember the barn being there at that time.

The school was very much a landmark; almost everyone in Beaverhead County knew where the Nelson School was, because it was the old Highway 91 to Butte. The families who lived on Anderson Lane had mailboxes across the road from the school. They were on a wagon wheel that one could turn to get to their mailbox. Anderson Lane was probably named for the Andersons who bought the John Bishop Place.

Betty Carlson wrote of the many school activities, including a Christmas Party each year, and an end of the year picnic for all the families in the district. Sometimes they went to Dilmont Park or Elkhorn. One year there was a Halloween Party when the students had an auction sale. The children brought cakes and cookies, and Holger Carlson auctioned them off. The money was used by buy a record player. There were hayrides and fields trips.

A school club was organized, the dues were ten cents a month. Birthdays were often celebrated at school. The child's mother would bring cake and ice-cream for everyone.

There were parent's days when the parents came to school and observed their children's schoolwork. One year they had an Easter Banquet and Easter Egg hunt. Another time they had a pet day. Most of the children brought pets and dressed them up.

At the time the teacher was Mrs. Kathleen Larson, who took pictures. Arbor Day was observed during the different years by hikes and tree planting projects. The school took part in the Farm Bureau Square Dance Festival each year. A great deal of time was spent in practice to prepare for the festival. The mothers usually made all the girls matching full dresses and matching vests for the boys. If there were not enough school age kids to make couples, younger children from the families were included.

On 04 Nov 1955 all the rural schools presented a pageant at the Western Montana College Auditorium that Theo Bay had written. It was called "Sacajawea Led Them West. " The Nelson School was one of 31 rural schools represented.

During the late 1950s all of the rural school students were taken to the Bagley School building where they received polio vaccine and other immunization shots.

Trustees in 1959 were John Ruegsegger, Edgar Ferris, Emmett Blomquist, and Mrs. Erma Harrison.

Among teachers who taught at the Nelson School after 1951, were Mary Owens, Helen Jackson, Kaye Larson, Kathleen Larson, Rena McDonald, Zona Fitzsimmons. Bessie Martin was teaching the lower grades and Rena McDonald was teaching upper grades during the last school term that started 08 Sep 1959. Early teachers stayed in the homes of the students. Later they drove out from Dillon.

Margaret Ferris lived only about a mile from the Nelson School, so she commuted from home.

There was never a teacherage at the Bishop or Nelson schools.

The community was divided on the consolidation issue. Many in the area felt the rural school should be maintained, as it was very much a community center. It was the voting place for the district, as well as a place for groups to hold meetings. Many parents felt the children received more individual attention. Less time was spent in commuting to and from school than would be necessary on the bus. The majority of the students at the school preferred to keep the small country school open. Members of some families were the fourth or fifth generation to attend school in the district, so consolidation would mean an end to a very important part of the history of the Anderson Lane area.

A majority of the taxpayers voted to consolidate with Dillon District 10 on 05 Jan 1969. The last day of school in the Nelson School was 01 Jun 1960. The community held one last school picnic.

School was held continuously in District 02 from the date of its organization until consolidation, a time span of about 95 years. For about six years after the last day of school, the 4-H clubs in the area maintained the building for meetings until it became too expensive to do so.

About 1966 the Nelson School was sold to Joe Clemans, who moved it to Jackson. He converted it into the Wagon Wheel Cafe, to replace a building that had burned. Mr. Clemans later sold it to Rose Robinson who renamed it Rose's Cantina.

It was truly a sad day for the people in the area to see the old school building hauled away. It marked the end of an era.

--Bette Meine Hull

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997, pages page 23 and 1011-1014.

Bishop School District #2

The Poindexter School was organized in 1867 and operated until 1895. The First School house was a log building on land adjacent to the old, deserted Poindexter Cemetery. This building was replaced by a frame building which, in later years was moved to the Carrigan Ranch and used as a grainy.

Mrs. Anna Hart served as the first teacher; salary unknown. Miss Anna Coffin was hired in 1878 at a salary of thirty-five dollars a month. Twenty pupils were enrolled.

The last term of school was in 1895. District #3 was divided in 1897. The Riverside School built west Of the Beaverhead River became District #3. Pupils living east of the river would attend school in Dillon.

Among the early teachers in the Riverside school were Emily Martin, no salary listed, and Mary E. Clemans, a relative of Mark Twain. Miss Clemans taught from October 1887 to July 1901. Her salary was sixty dollars a month.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997, pages page 23 and 1014-1017.

Poindexter (Riverside) School District #3

District 03, Poindexter School, was organized about 1867. However, school was conducted in the area as early as 1863.

Mrs. Willian C. Orr taught her children at the P & O (Poindexter and Orr) home ranch on Blacktail Creek. Poindexter also established a ranch about two miles south of present-day Dillon near the slough that still bears their name. The ranch later had a large barn and many outbuildings. The original log home on the Poindexter Ranch was later replaced by a large brick home the Poindexter’s called "Cottonwood."

The little community of Poindexter was right across the road, it included a store, brickyard, and cemetery, as well as a school. It was a little log schoolhouse, built in 1870. This was the first schoolhouse in what came to be District 03. Mrs. Anna Hart was the first teacher. The teacher and students would tie their horses in the barn at the Poindexter ranch and walk across the road to the school.

Many pioneers left the Bannack area and began ranching in the Beaverhead Valley. They raised cattle, horses, and sheep. Poindexter and Orr introduced the first cattle to the area in 1865. There were also crops such as alfalfa, potatoes, and small grains. Early records show the Selway brothers' first cash crop, potatoes, sold for eighteen cents a pound and were considered a luxury in Bannack. The mining towns in the area were a good market for beef, mutton, chicken, eggs, cheese and butter, as well as wheat to make flour.

Other well-known families came to the valley and took up ranching south of present-day Dillon. Nathaniel Axe had a ranch on what is now part of the campus of Western I Montana College. Next to the south was the Craig Cornell ranch, followed by the Selway brothers, John and Tom, on either side of Blacktail Crossing. Continuing down the valley were the Flynn brothers, Sam Ashbaugh, Thomas Loughridge and the Emerick holdings. Phil Lovell, M.B. Henneberry, William Jones, Tom Haw, William Smith, J.M. Mann, J.P. Fletcher, John Innes, Jimmy O’Neil, and the Kirkpatrick brothers all ranched south of town.

"In 1873 the original Poindexter school was replaced by a wood frame building which was built by Tom Selway, Peter Wilson, Dick Reynolds, G. W. Emerick, and Phillip Poindexter. Sam Ashbaugh, grandfather of Victor Carrigan, donated the land. " (Pilon).

Mrs. Alta Pilon wrote an article published in the Dillon Examiner 14 Feb 1979 relating information she had received from May Sprinkle who attended the Poindexter School. May Sprinkle's teachers were Mary Rich, Emily Martin and Mary Clemens, a nice of Mark Twain. May recalled her first day of school. She went with her five-year-old sister Mattie. They still used slate pencils and slates, even though lead pencils and paper had been introduced to town schools.

School opened with the song "America" to the teacher's accompaniment on the organ. The children learned the three Rs as well as spelling, geography, history and a smattering of physiology, no grammar was taught. There was a spelling bee just before the close of the afternoon.

Cold, wintry air sifted through the unfinished walls, lined with building paper. In the middle of the room, the big square stove, large enough to burn a length of cord wood, did not give sufficient heat for comfort.

There were no ball games, no programs, and no plays. Recesses were almost the only time for recreation and activity. Yet the children were happy.

May Sprinkle and her school mates were the last to go to the Poindexter school. In the three years of her attendance, their schooling totaled six months.

In Nov 1897, because there were not enough children east of the Beaverhead River to maintain a school, a change in the boundaries of districts three and ten were made. The larger number of children living on the west side of the river would attend the new Riverside School in District No. 3. Those on the east side would attend Dillon Public Schools, District 10. The last term of school in this first District three was in 1895. On 10 Feb 1898, the Poindexter School was abandoned. The second school building still stands as of Jan 1997 on the Victor Carrigan ranch and is used as a granary.

For over thirty years school had been held continuously in the Poindexter School, the first school in District 03.

1st District 03 Poindexter

The Riverside School was built about 1894, it was a red brick building in Sec. 33 T7S R9W, one of the few brick schoolhouses in Beaverhead County. The school was built for the children of the ever-growing number of ranchers in the area south of Dillon and west of the Beaverhead River. It was larger than many of the one room schools built at that time.

One of the early teachers was Miss Clemans who taught from Oct 1897 to Jul 1901. Her salary was $60 per month.

"In Nov 1897, because there were not enough children east of the Beaverhead River to maintain a school, a change in the boundaries of districts 03 and 10 were made. The larger number of children living on the west side would attend the new Riverside School in District 03. Those on the east side would transfer to Dillon Public School. " (Pilon).

It was a small one room log building on Rattlesnake Creek about halfway between the Riverside School and Ten Mile. Miss Mayme French was the county superintendent at the time. She had come to visit the first term at the new school when Mae Sprinkle was the first teacher. Miss French suggested the school be called "Willow View" because of the many willows just outside the windows. (Sprinkle).

"From the country roundabout came the pupils of Willow View, some a-foot, some a-spring Students at wagon. " The Willow View School burned down in 1918 from an overheated stove, and the children had to again travel the longer distance to attend the Riverside School.

At times there were as many as thirty-five students in the Riverside School. In the 1950's there was an average of eight to twelve children attending. Students participated in the Farm Bureau Square Dance Festival each year. In 1953, pupils of the had an art exhibit in the Veteran's Memorial Building in Helena.

Many children in the district had to go a great distance to reach the Riverside School so Willow View, also known as the Rattlesnake School, was built In 1906, school clerk for Riverside School was W. A. Banning, trustees were Eliza Smith and James Melvin. In 1909-10 clerk was Andrew Banks, trustees were Ed Edgehills and Monroe Mann. In 1912-13 clerk was Andrew Banks trustees were S.A. Banning, Eliza Smith, and William Teers.

In 1916-17 clerk was Mrs. Forrest Banning, trustees were Eliza Smith and Mrs. Frank Hull.

The Riverside School was always well maintained. A report from the county superintendent in the 1950's stated, "This district has always maintained a good school plant.

The building is of brick, lighted by electricity and heated with two oil heaters. Barns and outbuildings have been kept painted and in good repair. In 1949-50 the building was stuccoed up to the windowsills to make it warmer.

"There is a piano, radio and a good school library. In 1950-51 water was brought into the schoolhouse."

The 1960s were the years of the school consolidations. The fleet of buses operated by the Beaverhead County High School District transported rural children to the Dillon public schools in ever increasing numbers as the country schools closed.

Those who had children in the Riverside School voted against consolidation in three consecutive elections. Finally, a majority of the taxpayers voted to consolidate with Dillon District 10 in 1957.

2nd District 03 Riverside (aka Riverdale) & Willow View (aka Rattlesnake)

The earliest record available is the Teacher's Register, dated 1897, when M. Koepp was employed for a term of six months with a salary of fifty-five dollars a month. School terms were held continuously until the voters voted to consolidate with Dillon District #10. Argenta School was declared abandoned August 4, 1971.

It is interesting to note that the boundaries remained the same from the date it was organized until it was annexed to Dillon.

District 04 Argenta

"Argenta was originally called Montana and was chartered 6 Jan 1865. The town had been laid out at the mouth of Rattlesnake Canyon on the south side of the stream. " (Wolle, pg. 47).

The name was changed to Argenta 30 Dec 1868. At its peak, during the 1860's, Argenta had a population of 1,500 with an estimated 3,000 claimants to mineral rights in the vicinity. At that time Argenta supported three hotels, six saloons, two grocery stores, one dry goods store, two butcher shops, two blacksmith shops, one bakery, one tailor shop and one dance hall. There was no church, and no schoolhouse.

"School terms were held with more regularity than in most mining towns. A term never lasted more than three months as it was difficult to maintain enrollment or to keep teachers for long in an unorganized society. Teachers were paid either by local subscription or by benefit dances held in a home or in a saloon. The usual salary was twenty dollars a month plus room and board that was furnished by families in the town. " (Miller, pg. 2).

The post office opened in 1871 with George French as postmaster, closed in 1904, reopened 1906-1935. Argenta is now served by the Dillon Post Office through rural mail delivery.

"Next to Bannack, the Argenta mining district is the oldest quartz camp in Montana. Although the placers discovered in 1862 were unimportant, lode mines opened up shortly afterwards in the hills north of Argenta, on Rattlesnake Creek, caused great activity in the district.

The initial silver discovery is credited to William Beeken, Charles S. Ream, and J.A. Brown, who located six lodes on 25 Jun 1864, staked the Montana lode the following day, and named the area the Montana Mining District. The richest lode, the Legal Tender, was found 03 Jul 1865 by A.M. Esler. (Wolle, pg. 48).

The first smelter to be built in the Territory of Montana, was erected at Argenta in 1866 by the St. Louis & Montana Gold & Silver Mining Company with capital obtained through the efforts of Samuel T. Hauser, who was later the president of the First National Bank of Helena. The plant consisted of a German double-cupola furnace and a large cupelling furnace. Charcoal for the smelter was burned on upper Rattlesnake Creek. Besides silver from the six mines owned by Hauser and James Stuart, considerable high-grade ore from Esler's Legal Tender mine was run through the furnaces. (Wolle, pg. 48).

Early in the 1870s, S. H. Bohm & Company of Helena remodeled the St. Louis smelter, making of it the largest plant in Argenta. The second smelter was erected in 1867 by Esler. The third smelter, one mile up the creek, was built in 1868 by Tootle, Leach & Company of St. Louis. A fourth smelter, under the supervision of P.F. Rompf, made a few shipments and then closed down. (Wolle, pg. 48). By 1874 the once thriving camp was nearly deserted.

By 1882, smelters in Glendale and East Helena were operating, as well as some in Utah, and much of the ore produced in the Argenta district was sent to these larger and more efficient plants.

Children were no doubt taught in the homes of some of the early families. It is not certain where the first school term was held nor where the first school building was. Nor is it clear when School District Four was established, but it was prior to 1890, as records in the County Superintendent's office list trustees for District 04 in 1890 as clerk Elmer A. Young, trustees J. O. Berakey, George French and Thomas H. Fox.

The wood frame building that has been so familiar to people in the area was built about 1910. The building first sat in the middle of town but was later moved to the outskirts of town.

School was held in this building for about 60 years.

The earliest record available is the Teacher's Register, dated 1897, when M. Koepp was employed for a term of six months with a salary of $55 a month. Among the other teachers in the register are Mary Bennett who taught three consecutive, nine month terms from 8 Sep 1908 to 22 May 1911. Her salary was $75 per month.

The 1912-13 Beaverhead County Directory lists the population of Argenta at 100. A village 14 miles northwest of Dillon on the O S L. Dillon served as the banking and shipping point for the surrounding communities. Stage and mail daily from Dillon were available with coach fare $1.50. W. H. Graeter was postmaster. In 1912-13 James Melvin was school clerk, trustees were J. T. Ross, George Knapp, George Best, and James Melvin.

Jessie Williams taught from 6 Sep 1921 to 25 Mar 1922, and again from 8 Sep 1924 to 6 Apr 1925. Her salary was $125. per month. Joyce Williams taught a nine-month term from 8 Sep 1931 to 20 May 1932 with a pay of only $85 per from 8 Sep 1936 to 18 May 1940. The first two terms she was paid $100 per month, second two terms $105 per month. Mrs. Margaret Pyeatt taught in Argenta term of 1949-50 and two more terms from Sep 1959 to May 1961. These early teachers were provided room and board by families in the community, where later teachers were not.

Josephine Eudaily taught 31 Aug 1964 to May 1965. By then the teachers were paid $3,800 per term. The last teacher in Argenta was Mrs. Marian Zink who taught 16 Aug 1968 to May 1969. Her pay was $4,500 per term.

School District 04 had the same boundaries from the time it was organized about 1868 until it was declared abandoned 04 Aug 1971. School terms were held continuously during these 90 to 100 years.

Argenta School 'District #4

The Glendale School operated from 1896 to May 1920. The taxpayers voted to be consolidated with the Melrose District in Silver Bow County, January 19, 1921. A few years later several attempts were made to have the consolidation dissolved but were unsuccessful until July 2, 1951, by a vote of the people. Once again it was designated District #5.

I. M. Gearhart was the earliest teacher on record with a salary of ninety dollars a month.

The Glendale School was declared abandoned and was annexed to Dillon August 3, 1959.

District 05 Glendale & Original District 08 Hecla including Lion City & Trapper Creek

Four communities that flourished during Montana's early day mining history, were Glendale, Hecla, Lion City, and Trapper Creek. Other small communities in the area included Burnt Pine and Greenwood. Their stories are interwoven in a colorful history about the most robust mining area in the state, aside from Butte.

Hecla and vicinity School District 08 was discontinued in 1906. On 07 Aug 1913 it was attached to District 05. On 02 Oct 1918, District 35, Elkhorn was created from Glendale District 05. Most of the land annexed from District 5 was what was once the Hecla District 8. When Elkhorn District 35 was abandoned Sept. 20, 1937, part of it returned to Glendale District 05.

The Glendale District 5 was made a joint district with Silver Bow District 5 on Jan. 29, 1921 and operated as such until the joint district was dissolved at a special election held July 2, 1951. Theo Bay was County Superintendent of Schools at the time. School District 5 was abandoned and annexed to District 10 on Aug. 3, 1959. The Knippenberg mansion stood until the late 1950s. As of 1997, one rock home and remains of the rock smelter office buildings as well as the wood schoolhouse across the road remain at Glendale. Remnants of the charcoal kilns about Glendale at nearby Canyon Creek also remain, some in fairly good condition. The log school at Hecla stood until 1995 when it was destroyed in a snow slide.

Glendale School District #5

The earliest record available was a note from a former trustee to the effect that an election for trustees was held in 1890.

The district was divided in 1896 to form a new District, Wise River District #11. In the Teacher Register the first teacher named was M. E. Potts, employed for four months in 1897 at sixty-five dollars a month.

The district was declared abandoned and annexed to Wise River District #11, May 22, 1962.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997, pages page 23 and 1024-1025.

District 06 Dewey including Vipond Park

In Sep 1890, enrollment at the Dewey School was 33. The teacher was Miss Belle Mains. One of the pupils in that class was Marcus Trueman. In 1955 Mrs. Elizabeth Long was teacher, and Jimmy Simms was the only student at the Dewey School. He is the grandson of Marcus Trueman.
The little log school remained unchanged except for modernization including installation of plate glass windows. The town residents boasted that their school was the only one with plate glass windows in Beaverhead County in 1955. A sheltered entrance was added, and the interior modernized with tile flooring and other up-to-date school room requirements.
Theo Bay noted in 1959, "The small log cabin was heated by an old-fashioned jacketed stove. The modern touch is the electric lights. A good library was maintained, and there was an old organ for music. " (Bay).
Teachers at the Dewey school have included, M.E. Potts, Etta Eaton, Lovina Ericsson, Ella McDermet, Effie Brown, Lulu M. Williams, Mary O'Keef, Eva Lawrence, Josephine Thompson, Eva Williamson, Irene B. Favor, Hattie Johnson, Elizabeth Dillon, Ruth Benedict, Mary C. Gill, Thomas Meehan, Jane Piatt, Julia Kannegaard, Prudence Dunkin, Mrs. Opal Lyons, Elizabeth Long, just to mention a few of the teachers who taught in District 06.
A complete teachers list can be found in the County Superintendents office in Dillon, however it only dates back to 1897.
Elizabeth Dillon taught in 1916-17 through 1920-21. Mrs. Elizabeth Long taught 1945-46 and 1947-48, then again from 1951-52 through 1956-57, which was the last school term in Dewey.
In 1890-91 school clerk was A.M. Brubaker, trustees were George Todd, George Galbraith, and J. A. Lawrence. In 1906-08 clerk was H. Churchill, trustees were Joseph Bedard, Harry Brenner, George P. Lossl, and J. A. Lawrence. "In 1912-13 F. W. Powell was clerk, trustees were F.A. Mosely, John A. Lawrence, and Joseph Bedard. In 1912-13 the population of Dewey was 60. It had stage and mail daily to Divide with George P. Lossl as postmaster. " (HBC).
The Dewey School had a very unique feature, a school and community club that met at the school every Friday. The purpose was to help build school-community interest and cooperation. Members included of the school board for District 6 and old-time alumni. The Dewey School and Community Club was the outgrowth of an idea by a teacher, Mrs. Long.

Dewey School District #6

This District was called Horse Prairie and included several schools, Brenner, Bloody Dick, Monument, and Upper Grant to name a few.

District #7 was divided in 1904 to form a new District #30 named Brenner. It was declared abandoned and returned to Grant, February 27, 1947.

From 1951 to 1962 there were two schools operating in the District, Upper Grant and Lower Grant. The Upper Grant School was discontinued in 1962 and combined with Lower Grant.

According to the records available the first term was for five months, taught by Ada Madden in 1897, salary fifty dollars a month. Grant School is still operating.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978

District 07 Horse Prairie

District seven was called Horse Prairie and later Grant. The several schools in the district included Brenner, Bloody Dick, Donovan, Monument, Upper Grant and Lower

Grant.

The first settler in Horse Prairie was Charles Fortier, a French Canadian, who resided there in 1862 for a short period of time. Barrett and Shineberger were the first permanent settlers, and to them is credited the commencement of agriculture there.

After a fire at Amesville, a school, post office and stage stop were built a few miles east on Horse Prairie Creek. The post office opened in 1899.

Grant was an important town on the Gilmore and Pittsburgh Railroad. Grant was probably named for Johnny Grant who fattened horses and cattle in Horse Prairie in the 1850s and 60s. Others say it was named for Ulysses S. Grant, after all there was at Jeff Davis Gulch.

The Beaverhead County Directory of 1906 lists school trustees for District Seven Grant, Mrs. Elsa Barrett, Mrs. Alice Barrett, Mrs. Carrie Templin; Clerk, W.C. Templin, of Grant. A schoolhouse was constructed at Grant in 1911. It underwent numerous repairs and renovations during its lifetime.

The one room frame school served the community for over 50 years until a new $50,000 grade school was constructed next to it in 1962. The old school was remodeled into a "two apartment" teacherage. The exterior of the building remains the same, much to the delight of the generations of people who attended school there.

The cinder block and face brick structure consolidated the area's two remaining schools, "Upper Grant" located between the Donovan and Brenner ranches, and "Lower Grant" at Grant.

In 1990 the Grant School had 28 students in grades kindergarten through eighth. Frances Schisler taught K through third grade, and Becky Ufford taught grades four through eight.

District Grant School #7

The records that are available indicate Hecla was an operating District from 1897 to 1906. Lida Humphreys was the first teacher, employed for four months, salary sixty dollars a month. School was discontinued.

From 1915 to 1932 the Hecla District became a joint district with Madison County. An election was held in 1932 to dissolve the joint District and Hecla was annexed to District #10, February 24, 1932.

District No. 08 Hecla:

Henry Knippenberg, who took over the operations of the Hecla Company Apr. 5, 1881, was a strait-laced man with deep religious convictions. He didn't like what he saw in Lion City. So a mile above Lion City, immediately at the base of the mountain, the company built Hecla and moved the mine operations headquarters to the new town. School District 8 was established about 1883. It included Hecla and vicinity. "D.M. Kelly, who became vice-president in charge of Western Operations of the Anaconda Company, taught school in Hecla in 1902, in a log schoolhouse. " (Quinn 729, Bl).

Because of the snow and bitter cold, it would be logical to assume school was held in the summer. Listed as school trustees for District 8 in 1885 were George Farbell, H. W. Kappes, Frank Hudson, and James Prouh was clerk. The 1906 Beaverhead County Directory lists school trustees for Hecla District 8 as E.H. Harvey, Alex McDonnell, Gustave Bradley and Mrs. A.M. McDonnell as clerk.

Mining operations were to continue year-round despite heavy snowfall and inclement weather in the area. A boarding house was built high on the slopes of Lion Mountain among numerous entrances to mine workings at an elevation of 11,000 feet.

To lower the cost of hauling, a concentrator was built in November 1882, between Glendale and Hecla, the community was called Greenwood. A boarding house, four or five dwellings, an office, stable and blacksmith shop were constructed. There is no record of a school in Greenwood. Power was furnished for the concentrator by a water flume nearly a mile long. " (Quinn) "A telephone line connected Greenwood with Glendale, seven miles below, and with Hecla, four miles above the plant. To convey ore from Hecla to the concentrator, a four-mile narrow gauge tramway was built. Three cars, each with a brakeman, constituted a train and "empties" were pulled back to the ore house, at the base of the mountain, by mules. The grade was steep, and the heavily loaded cars often jumped the track. " (Wolle, pg. 190).

At first Glendale was the usual wild community of the early west, but before long it became known throughout the area for its relative sobriety and lack of violence.

"Society in Glendale acquired "tone," as mine managers, doctors, merchants, hard-working miners and others brought in their families, their crystal and China, fine linens and furniture to establish homes " (Quinn).

Knippenberg had a fine mansion built for his family on the hill overlooking the Smelter. "Knippenberg had a dream of building a sound law-abiding community underwritten by Christian principles, with educational advantages for the upcoming generations. " (LaMarche).

George B. Conway had come west with Knippenberg and was his ever-faithful aide and confidant. Conway, who was cashier and bookkeeper for Hecla Mining, sponsored a Sunday School in Glendale.

"A.F. Rice of Butte, one of the founders of the Butte Business College, recalls how young smelter men of Glendale prevailed upon him in 1889 to start a school in penmanship. He put up a big oil lamp in the library room in the thriving community and held his classes. At the time he was employed in the offices of the smelter. " (Quinn).

During its heyday, "Glendale had a two-story schoolhouse with accommodations for 200 or more students, presided over by John Gannon, who taught the upper grades. There was also Mrs. Barkley's Select School. John Gannon was Beaverhead County Superintendent of schools from 1882 to 1886 and later became State Superintendent of Education. Those listed as trustees in Glendale in 1883 were

G.G. Earl, O.W.W. Rote, S.B. Dexter, Byron cook, and E.R. Alward was clerk. In 1886 trustees were W. T. Sappington, J. W. Johnson, H. Schmalhausen, E.R. Alward, and Henry Pond was clerk.

Among those listed as teachers for District 5 were, I.M. Gearhart, L. Hunphrey, Matie Utley, Bessie Potts, Clara Link, Austa Johnson, Harrie Waldorf, Effie Brown, Myrtle Grider, Evelyn King, Mae Carman, Mabel Schoner, Winnifred Dillon, Jane Evans, Mildred Whitney, Ethel Ahern, Nellie Snider, Carry Sappington, Jessie Cameran, Frances Caldwell, and Gladys Woodard was the teacher in 1919-20.

Glendale was a flourishing town. "In addition to the smelting works, there was a waterworks system and fire protection, furnished by the company. Glendale boasted a bank, several doctors, a company hospital, two drug stores, a justice of the peace, a jail, and a church built by union subscription, but dedicated by the Methodists, and also used by other denominations.

There were seven or eight grocery stores, a meat market, several dry goods stores, shoe stores, several confectionery stores, a fine jewelry store, barber shops, a photograph gallery, and a laundry, as well as a sawmill and lumber yards, Ah Boon's Hash House, three hotels, and a harness and wagon shop.

Glendale had its own weekly newspaper, the Atlantis, that was published in 1879 to 1881 by L.R. Freeman who later published the Frontier-Index in Butte. Last but certainly not least, were the town's brewery and 13 saloons. " (LaMarch, pg. 12).

Several ranches were established in the area. The large population afforded a good market for beef, mutton, poultry, eggs and butter. There was plenty of free land available for grazing in the valleys and the forests.

Glendale did not lack for recreation. There was a skating rink, a dance hall, and several Lodge Halls. Theatrical companies performed in Glendale's opera house. Productions brought whole families down from Hecla and Lion City despite storm and bad roads, especially in the winter when entertainment was scarce. (Wolle, pg 192).

"Glendale was proud of its silver cornet band, directed by Lon Pickett, wagon boss for a freighting company. " (LaMarch).

"A racetrack also provided diversion for Glendale and Hecla residents. It was located on a flat stretch of ground behind the old Glendale schoolhouse. " (Quinn).

"Glendale reached its apogee in the middle 1880's. Most of the residents were trailblazers who didn't mind hardship or toil as long as they could prepare a better life for their children It was thought the town would thrive permanently, and it once nominated itself for Beaverhead County seat. " (LaMarch 12).

In later years school was held in a two-story wood frame building that was across the street from the smelter. It had been the Hecla Mining Co. office until the stone office building was completed.

"The Hecla Company's furnaces continued to produce bullion until 1900, when it became more profitable to ship the ore than to smelt it and ore in the Hecla mines began to dwindle. Four years later the company's operations were brought to a close. Unfortunate litigation followed, the corporation dissolved, and the smelter dismantled in 1904. With the collapse of the company, the mines passed into private ownership. " (Conway). The Hecla Company was reorganized in the 1930's and the camp was reactivated for a time.

Hecla School District #8

This District embraced three schools at one time, Birch Creek, Apex and Farlin. One record indicates school was being held in 1891. The first teacher listed in the Teacher's Register for 1897 was Kate E. Van Emon.

The term was for four months, salary fifty dollars a month.

A petition to establish a new school District from portions of School District #9 was granted December 7, 1901. The new District became the School District of Reichle.

The Birch Creek School was declared abandoned and attached to the Reichle District May 13, 1966.

Birch Creek District 09 including Apex, Farlin, Upper Birch Creek

Schools in District #9 was called Birch Creek, Apex Farlin, and Upper Birch Creek. However, there were only two school buildings, one at Farlin which was also referred to as the Upper Birch Creek School, the other about a mile from Apex, referred to as both the Apex and Birch Creek School, but they were one-in-the-same.

In the rugged Pioneer Mountains, about twenty miles northwest of Dillon, the community of Farlin flourished during Montana's early day mining era. The narrow canyon that follows Birch Creek down through the mountains encloses Farlin in an east-west direction for nearly threequarters of a mile. The town came to be as a result of rich lodes of silver, copper and iron ore that were discovered by William and O. D. Farlin in 1875-76. Farlin supplied the first smelter in Glendale with iron ore, which was used for flux.

"Lime Ridge and Farlin gulches encapsulate the Farlin area, which was once home for about 500 people, where inhabitants struggled against the elements for more than a half century. There was a general store, school, saloon, and a plant for the manufacture of pig-iron. The widest gulch running north was where the schoolhouse was located. " (Ghost Town).

"The first session of school in the area was held in the front room of the William H. Oliver house at the crossing road on Birch Creek during the winter of 1882-83.

E.E. Paxon was the teacher. The next winter, the school was at the Smith and Paxon Ranch three miles up the creek." (Sutherland). John Sutherland was a pupil in that ranch school, as were Fred and Ott Oliver, John and Billy Bradwell, Mattie Bradwell, and Idonia Haining.

"School was held in the dining room of the ranch house which adjoined a log cabin that had been built many years earlier by Emil Bern on a "squatter's right. " (Sutherland).

"The seats and desks were made by William Russell for the school in the Oliver house. They were moved to the S & P ranch for use in the school there. (Sutherland). Children in and around Farlin spent summers going to school due to the severe cold and heavy snow.

District nine was established in Mar 1883. A log schoolhouse was built at the head of Birch Creek [Farlin] by William Russell. Clerk of District nine in 1890 was F. H. Oliver, trustees were O. Willis, W. H. Oliver and J. W. Sutherland. At one time it was the only school between Dillon and Glendale. Kate E. Van Emon was listed in the teacher's registry for Birch Creek in 1891. Her term was for four months, salary $50 per month. The teachers that came to Farlin were hired through the County Superintendent's office in Dillon.

The second Birch Creek School was built about 1912. It was located about a mile from Apex next to the Joseph Mautz Place on the Birch Creek Road. Mautz was instrumental in building the Apex School and served several years on the school board. "The town of Apex was a station on the old Oregon Short Line Railroad, established about 1886. Apex got its name because it was located on the Divide between the Beaverhead and Big Hole Basins. A railroad section crew was located in Apex, and there were several homesteads in the area. About a dozen families resided in the town of Apex which had a grocery store and a dance hall, as well as a post office off-and-on from 1886 to 1925. " (Cheney, pg. 7)

"James Haining was the first postmaster in Apex, responsible for the dispatch of mail and telegraphs as well as shipping cattle and sheep to various points along the Oregon Short Line. Mr. Haining was also involved in directing the School Board and trustees of Farlin, the school his children attended in the early 1900's." (Perry)

The road from Apex to Birch Creek was changed considerably about 1933 by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) when the CCC Camp was built up Birch Creek. [The CCC Camp is now the Birch Creek Outdoor Recreation Center for Western Montana College.] The Birch Creek School now sits off the main road at the Marchessault Ranch. The road through Farlin goes right through what was the business district and over the top of where the smelter stood. The school building in Farlin still stands as of 1997.

A petition to establish a new school district from portions of School District nine was granted 07 Dec 1901, and the new district became No. 26 Reichle. The Birch Creek School was declared abandoned and attached to the Reichle District 13 May 1966.

Birch Creek District #9

In 1880-81, the Dillon Townsite Company not only donated an entire block of land (where the St. James Episcopal Church and Guild Hall are located) but also contributed toward building the school. The two-story frame building was erected in 1881 at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars. The second story was used as the school room but also served as the courtroom as well as an auditorium and dance hall on many occasions. Mrs. L. A. Dodge was the first teacher salary unknown.

The Bagley School, a brick building, was constructed in 1883. Later, in 1888 an addition was added to the building and all grades, one through twelve were taught. Still another addition was added in 1910. In later years the Mary Innes School, for primary grades, was built east of the Bagley School.

Miss Mary L. Innes was listed among the early teachers. She taught for many years and then became school librarian and finally was librarian at the Dillon Public Library.

The Bagley School was demolished in 1972 and the land became the Jaycees’ Park. The new schools, replacing Bagley are Parkview Elementary and Junior High. The junior high school has sense been renamed the Dillon Middle School.

District 10 Dillon

The place that is now called Dillon has worn other names in the course of history. In 1855 it was called Richard or Johnny Grant's after the small settlement of fur trappers and their families living in the area. In the 1860s it was labeled Selway Crossing. With the coming of the railroad, construction crews of the Utah and Northern Railroad canvas covered, wood frame buildings called Terminus. Finally, Dillon 's second schoolhouse, the two-story building shared with the county seat officials, taken 1882. Dillon was officially adopted as the name in Mar 1881.

The Dillon Tribune dated 19 Mar 1881 had a notice of election to change the county seat from Bannack to Dillon. The voting place listed for Dillon was the schoolhouse while the voting place for Blacktail was the Poindexter School. It appears Dillon did have its own schoolhouse at the time.

The first schoolhouse of record was a two-story wood frame structure built in about Apr or May 1881 on what is now Glendale Street, where the Guild Hall now stands (as of Sep. 1997).

The following are excerpts from the Tribune Examiner Centennial Edition 1880-1980 dated 03 Sep 1980:

An article by Frank Eliel noted when Dillon lots were sold in 1880, the townsite company had donated an entire block to the school district. The block was number 16, bounded by Bannack, Washington, Glendale and Pacific streets. In the early days there was but one building, the schoolhouse, in the center of the block. Mrs. Dodge taught the first classes.

A building was hastily constructed to accommodate county offices of the new county seat on the first floor with the second floor used as the school. Besides being the school room, the second floor served as the courtroom, the theater, the town auditorium, and the dance hall. Behind the courthouse, enclosed in a wooden fence, was Dillon's answer to a county jail.

In 1883 the first brick schoolhouse was built in Dillon on the site of what is now the Jaycee Park the block is bounded by Idaho, Reeder, Sebree, and Washington streets. A 24 Jun 1882 Tribune article reported that trustees felt a 40 by 70-foot building would be adequate, but some taxpayers

favored a larger building in light of the "wants of this growing community. "

On 10 Aug 1882 voters unanimously agreed a special school tax of $1,000 be added to the $2,000 raised by the disposal of the old wood building. A new board of trustees elected later that month, however, approved the construction of a structure that would cost $8,000. They asked for a $6,000 bond to finance the project. That proposal was carried in a 27 Sep 1882 election. But trustees put off construction until spring because of what they saw were the dangers of building with brick during cold weather.

Finally in May 1883, Butte builders were awarded a $9,630 contract to erect the building on 20 lots which had been acquired from B.F. White at $20 each, according to the 06 Jun 1913 Tribune story.

Soon after construction on the building started, trustees began hitting a series of snags, the article continued.

"Foundation in, funds were soon exhausted. The board raised $3,000 in subscriptions by the public. "The directors, to economize, had burned a kiln of brick the fall of 1882. Imagine their grief on finding them useless in the spring and in a crumbling condition. They then got the brick from A.S. Rife and Bob White's brick yard. When the second floor was reached, the funds were again exhausted.

"The bank, about that time, had become the First National and Mr. White loaned the school board, who gave their personal notes, $4,000. Later bonds were sold at par for $12,000 bearing seven percent interest and part of the money was used to pay off the notes. "

Finally, in early Nov 1882, the school opened with " 100 scholars in attendance. " It included the city's first high school classes.

The building had three large school rooms on the first floor and a large public hall on the second floor. Total costs amounted to $14,000, a far cry from the $3 ,000 trustees first estimated.

School trustees decided in late 1904 to erect a new public-school building or rather a wing on the first brick building. Nearly 400 pupils were housed in the old building and concerns were expressed that if a fire would break out there was little doubt that lives would be lost owing to the manner of construction of the school building and the difficulty there would be in getting the children out, according to a 09 Dec 1904 Tribune story.

The L-shaped form was added to the southeast corner making the original building nearly a square.

School officials decided to tear down the original brick school and replace it with a new building 105 1/2 feet north and south and 114 feet east and west with a handsome main front to the south.

The 1905 and 1913 structures became known as "The Training School" because the Normal School teachers taught there under the direction of Dr. Grant Finch, director of teacher training from 1909 to 1922. In later years the buildings came to be known as the Bagley School for Dr. William Bagley.

The Bagley Building had national consequences in the field of education. Dr. William Chandler Bagley had first been a teacher and then instructor at the Normal School in psychology and teacher training. While at the college Dr. Bagley developed a theory of child education and published his first book entitled Educative Process (1905).

The Bagley Building, was designed to accommodate Dr. Bagley's theory of education, featuring large classrooms which could accommodate two simultaneous learning centers. One of Dr. Bagley's students at the Normal College was Miss Mary Innes. Miss Innes advanced his theories and earned the admiration of the community of Dillon.

Trustees for District 10 in 1906 were George W. Dart, A.L. Stone, John H. Gilbert, Leonard Eliel, John F. Bishop, Clerk, R.F. Tattersall. Grade school facilities were expanded in 1921 when the 'new training school" now known as the Mary Innes School, opened at 222 E. Reeder.

The Mary Innes was closed in 2013 and Dillon’s primary students were transferred to Parkview Elementary. The building was considered in 1921 to be one of the finest school structures in the state and housed students in classes K-3.

The Bagley school housed both intermediate school children and junior high students until Parkview Junior High School was built in 1960-61. Finally, the Bagley School was torn down in 1972 after the Parkview North building was constructed in 1968 and opened the fall of 1969.

1991-92 saw some significant changes to the Parkview Junior High School. Two new science classrooms were added as was a new band room. There were additions made to the locker rooms, and the art room was expanded.

Construction started in the spring of 1991 and was completed by Jan 1992. The name was changed in 1992 from Parkview Junior High School to Dillon Middle School. The funding and philosophy of a middle school differs from that of a junior high school and is still being debated.

A parking lot was constructed in 1995, and the school continues to evolve as educational practices change. As long as the system graduate’s literate and functioning boys and girls ready to face the responsibilities of the adult world, the parents and community will support it with their tax dollars.

Dillon Elementary School District #10

The Wise River School District was organized October 16, 1896, form the western portions of the Dewey District #6. Although the schools were only six miles apart, the problem of transportation was very evident at that time.

The Wise River School was opened for its first term, April 19, 1897 to September 3, 1897. The first teacher was Elma l. Duglas, salary fifty-five dollars a month.

Parts of the Elk Horn District, all of the Dewey, Upper Wise River and Fish Trap were attached to Wise River. The Wise River School is still operating.

District 11 Wise River aka Meadow Creek

Wise River is located in the extreme northern part of Beaverhead County where the Wise River flows into the Big Hole. The Wise River School District was organized 16 Oct 1896 from the western portions of the Dewey District 6.

Originally the district was called No. 11-Meadow Creek. The 1906, 1909-10, and 1912-13 Beaverhead County directories all list District 11 as the Meadow Creek District.

In 1906 trustees were Charles Ralston, George Dodson, Horace Hand; clerk was A.F. Cline, post office address was Dewey. In 1909-10 trustees were Mrs. Maggie Hand, C.H. Flanagin, Benjamin B. Mallon; clerk was Albert Brubaker, of Dewey. In 1912-13 Trustees were Walter Jones, Albert Cline, C.H. Flanagin; clerk was Albert Brubaker of Dewey.

Wise River is only six miles from Dewey, but the severe weather conditions made travel hazardous at times between the two small communities. So, for many years school was held in Dewey as well as Wise River.

The Wise River School opened its first term 19 Apr 1897 to 03 Sep 1897. Parts of the Elkhorn District, all of the Dewey, Upper Wise River and Fish Trap districts were eventually attached to the Wise River District.

The first school in the district was a small log building. It was replaced with a modern structure that has since been added on to and modernized numerous times.

"Parts of the Elkhorn District, all of the Dewey, Upper Wise River and Fish Trap Districts were attached to Wise River." (Eudaily pg. 24)

School has been held continuously in Wise River for 100 years from 1897 to 1997.

Wise River School District #11

According to available records, the first term of school was for about six months beginning September 14, 1896. Two teachers were employed. Bessie Van Dervort receiving a salary of eighty dollars a month and Ida M. Clyme seventy dollars a month.

The Lima District was divided in 1906 to form a new Nicholas School District #33. In 1969 the Nicholas District was declared abandoned and annexed to Lima. During the ensuing years the Monida District, Dell and Lakeview Districts were annexed to Lima. When Armstead District was abolished certain parcels of land was also added to the Lima District in 1966.

The Lima School District, including Lima High School is still operating.

District 12 Lima

The community of Lima was originally called Allerdice, then Spring Hill by the Utah and Northern Railroad. Spring Hill was derived from the fact that the steam engines needed water, and instead of getting the water from the creek they got it from the spring on the hill. However, when they submitted the name to the state, it was learned there was already a Spring Hill in Montana. Henry Thompson, who came from Lima WI, came up with the name Lima. The post office of Lima opened in 1889.

The Railroad built the first locomotive maintenance facilities in Montana at Lima in 1880, it was a wooden roundhouse. The wooden roundhouse burned in 1902, and a new brick roundhouse was finished in 1903.

For decades Lima was a large community; in 1912-13 the population was 330. At one time 15 houses in Lima were owned by Union Pacific employees.

School was held in Lima from the very beginning of the community in the early 1880's. The first school building was along the bank of the creek and was a little one room log structure.

It is uncertain what happened to this first schoolhouse, but it was replaced by a second school built on the north end of town. That building was sold to the LDS church and moved to another location and in 1898 a fine brick building was constructed on the same location, of brick made locally from clay found at the south end of town.

According to Bonnie Merrell's research, Mrs. Aurelia McGown Smith was the first janitor of the brick schoolhouse. Her job required keeping fires in the different rooms and carrying drinking water from the standpipe over by the livery stable. The second school building was not torn down but was sold to the LDS Church. The church moved it and used it as a church in Lima until 1917 when it was struck by lightning and burned down.

In 1906 school trustees were A. W. Child, Alex Singer, O.C. Gosman; clerk was William Cheney.

In 1909-10 trustees were J.F. Kent, J.A. Best, Peter Hanson; clerk was William F. Cheney. In 1912-13 trustees were L.D. Ford, A.L. Waldorf, Peter Hanson; clerk was William F. Cheney.

In 1923-24 the first brick building was replaced with a new brick schoolhouse. It housed grades kindergarten through high school.

In 1952, diesel engines came, and the roundhouse was closed. When more than 35 jobs disappeared overnight, Lima never recovered. With the gradual decline of freight and passenger trains, Lima lost more and more railroad employees. The roundhouse was stripped of equipment and burned in 1957.

In 1968, more classrooms were added to the 1924 brick school building, and improvements to the buildings continue to be made to make it a modern well-equipped school.

In 1969, the Nicholia District was declared abandoned and annexed into the Lima District. In later years, the Monida, Dell and Lakeview districts were closed and merged into the Lima District.

According to an article "Lima School Forms Center of Community" in the Dillon Tribune, 11 Aug 1993, "The Lima District is very large geographically and yet small in population. During the 1992-93 academic year its enrollment was 127 students and class sizes varied from 7-14 students. There were 14 certified teachers, one administrator (superintendent/principal), one clerk, one secretary, two cooks, two custodians, two bus drivers and an aide. Most of the teachers are experienced and have been with the system from six to 25 years. School trustees were chairman, Mike Stosich, Bonnie Huntsman, Yvonne Martinell, Ross Hansen and Jim Rogers. "

In 1997 there were 109 students in grades K-12, fourteen teachers, a clerk, and a secretary, two cooks, two custodians, two bus drivers and a teachers aid.

Lima School District #12

The Teacher's Register lists B. R. Stevenson as the first teacher for the first term; October 1896 to May 21, 1897, salary sixty dollars a month.

The district operated until June 1960. In 1961 it was declared abandoned and annexed to the Wisdom District #16.

Briston, 1890

The remains of the first school in the Briston District still stand at the end of Briston Lane. It was built of logs by Dan Tovey, Daddy Stephens, and Hiram Lapham in 1890. Ben R. Stevenson, later assisted by his wife; was one of the first teachers and had 31 scholars. It is also remembered by Earl Willey that another early teacher was Frank Hazelbaker, who at one time had 50 students in that tiny log schoolhouse! Another school was built on the hillside in the early 1900s, just west of the old one. In 1922 the district built again about two hundred yards from Percy Willey's ranch house and school was held there about thr.ee years. The population shifted and once again the Briston School was moved to the Lee Shaw house and classes were held there until consolidation. Remains of that house still stand at the foot of the hill west of the old peat moss plant on Jim Weiss' land. Briston School district 13 was annexed to Wisdom District 16 in 1961.

History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 66.

The first school in the Briston District was built in 1890 by Can Tovey, D. E. Stephens and Hiram Lapham. An early teacher was Ben R. Stevenson from Oct 1896 to 21 May 1897. Later Mr. Stevenson was assisted by his wife, and they had 31 students.

Another school was built on the hillside in the early 1900s, just west of the old one. In 1906 Trustees were Samuel Davis, D.E. Stephens, Joseph Arnold; clerk was B.R. Stevenson of Wisdom.

In 1909 the Beaverhead County Directory listed Briston as having a post office with mail to Wisdom by stage triweekly. Briston was 62 miles southwest of Divide. Divide was a shipping point on the Oregon Short Line.

There was telephone service. In 1909-10 school trustees were Samuel Davis, D.E. Stephens, A.J. Turner; clerk was Mrs. Mary A. Shaw of Wisdom. In 1912-13 trustees were D. W. Tovey, D.E. Stephens, Joseph Arnold; clerk was Mrs. Mary A. Shaw of Briston.

In 1922 the third school for the Briston district was built on skids in 1948-49 to replace the one built in the early 1900s. It was about two hundred yards from Percy Willey's ranch. A teacherage was added in 1950. School was held there about two years. The population shifted and the Briston School was moved to the Lee Shaw house and classes were held there until consolidation. (Hirschy, pg. 66, Beaverhead History Vo. I)

Briston School District #13

The first teacher was Lillian Bradeen, salary fifty dollars per month. The term began September 1897 to May 1898. The school was in continuous operation from 1897 to 1935. The district was declared abandoned in 1947 and portions were attached to Districts 19, 22, and 27.

The Red Rock District was divided in 1907 to form a new District #15, known as the Kidd District which was abandoned and again joined to the Red Rock District.

This is the only photograph to surface of the small Red Rock school building. To the left of the little white former schoolhouse is the Armstead brick schoolhouse.

Little data has been left to describe the day-to-day activities of the school and who taught there. The search continues and will be shared in volume 3 when that book is produced. Your help is needed. For readers who may not have a copy of volume 1, we share the following from Jo Eudaily’ s article.

"The first teacher was Lillian Bradeen, salary $50 per month. The term ran from Sep 1897 to May 1898. The school was in continuous operation from 1897 to 1935. The district was declared abandoned in 1947 and portions were attached to Districts 19-Armstead (Grayling), 22-Dell (Gosman) and 27-Blacktail. " See the separate articles for the destinies of those districts. The Red Rock District was divided in 1907 to form a new District 15-Kidd, which was abandoned and again joined to the Red Rock District.

RED ROCK SCHOOL

The building that became Red Rock School belonged to Burt Edwards. It was his survival cabin on a hill above the road. He worked feeding cows in the lot below and it was there in case of bad weather.

Harvey Selby and Tobe Morton jacked the building up, put log skids underneath, and pulled it with a cat to the new spot. It now had a new purpose: to serve as a school to educate the children in upper Alaska Basin.

The cabin was used for the school. Tobe Morton and Harvey Selby built two rooms on the back of the cabin, one for the teacher to live in and the other for a woodshed. Furniture for the teacherage was bought at a secondhand store in Dillon-free standing cupboard, table and chairs, bed and rocking chair. Harvey built a washstand and closet. It was a one- room living space with a wood cook stove.

Harvey Selby, Tobe and Betty Morton, and Jim and Alta Hanson fenced the school. The schoolyard had a flagpole and playground equipment came from a closed school. There was no power, so they used camp lights. Heat was from a free-standing stove. Water was hauled from a hill behind the school until frogs got in the box-then they got it across the road. There were outhouses out back.

Slate blackboards, desks, supply case and piano came from the Monida School. They had a small library and a roll of maps on the wall. There was a washstand and water bucket with a dipper. The school opened in 1955 with four students.

Ed Morton was the last student during the 1967-68 school year.

Red Rock School District #14

This District was organized in 1907 by dividing a portion of District #14. From 1897 to 1905 it operated out of District #14. Frank Kleink was the first teacher employed for one month, salary fifty dollars a month. When the Kidd School District started operating in 1908 it remained active until 1922.

The Kidd School District was declared abandoned and joined again to the Red Rock District in 1926.

1st District 15 Kidd aka Crabtree

"Kidd was a railroad station 34 miles south of Dillon, formerly called Crabtree, between Lima and Dillon on the old Union Pacific line. It was named after a passenger train conductor who was murdered about 1910 by a highwayman who had robbed a saloon at Monida and boarded the train in an attempt to get away." (Cheney, pg 154).

llin; clerk was Mrs. Ida Owen of Wisdom. In the Beaverhead County Directory 1909-10 it states District 15 merged with District 16.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997, page 1037.

Kidd School 'District #15

The Wisdom School District was large as originally planned and encompassed a good part of the Big Hole Basin. In 1892 the district was divided, and District #18 was organized, named the West Fox. Again in 1896 another division was made to form Briston School District #13. A new District, from the northern portion of Wisdom, called the Elk Horn School District #35, established in 1911.

The first term of school listed in the Teacher's Register was for three months in 1897, taught by Augusta F. Johnson, salary thirty-five dollars a month.

The school Districts of Briston, Bowen and Gibbons were annexed to Wisdom in later years.

The Wisdom School is still operating. The old schoolhouse has been replaced with a new, modern structure.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, page 25.

Wisdom, 1885

School started in the Big Hole Valley in the spring of 1884 in a schoolhouse built about one and a half miles north of the Woodworth Ranch, now the Mark Clemow Ranch. The schoolhouse was a one room log cabin with a window at either side, and the door facing east. There were two rows of wooden benches and desks all the same size, whether the student was six or 16! Miss Blodgett was the teacher. The three-month school did not prove satisfactory so a year or so later a large log schoolhouse Was built on the hill near where the State Highway buildings are now, and school was held for six months with, Miss Sims as teacher. Frank Wilke has written in his memoirs that the stage at the community building in Wisdom was the original schoolhouse until 1914, when a new brick school was built. The old schoolroom with the stage is now the community building, and the seats were all. double with two students in each seat. Rock and brick for the new school, built in 1914, came from Steel Creek and the lumber came from O'Neal's Sawmill on Sheep Creek. Paul Paddock helped haul, the brick to the site. High school was tried twice in the new school, but didn't work out, so families have since moved out of the valley to send their children to high school. Students also board with relatives or friends, and since the early 1960's a school bus route from Wisdom to Dillon (a distance of over 60 miles one way) has been running. In January 1989 over 40 students and three teachers moved into a new school built alongside the old one and a decision on what to do with the fine old brick building hasn't been reached at this writing.

2nd District 15 Wisdom North

School started in the Big Hole Valley in the spring of 1884 in a schoolhouse, called the McVey Creek school, built about one and a half miles north of the Woodworth ranch, now the Mark Clemow ranch. The schoolhouse was a one room log cabin with a window at either side, and the door facing east. The three-month school did not prove satisfactory, so a year or so later, a larger log schoolhouse was built on the hill in Wisdom.

In 1906 School Trustees for District 15, Wisdom North were Emil Zorn, Q. Owen, James Callin; clerk was Mrs. Ida Owen of Wisdom. In the Beaverhead County Directory 1909-10 it states District 15 merged with District 16.

District 16 Wisdom

Wisdom was named for the Wisdom River (so named by Lewis & Clark) that flows through the town, which was originally called Crossings.

A history of the Wisdom School is found in History of Beaverhead County on page 65. It states school was started in the Big Hole Valley in 1884. The first schoolhouse was a one room log cabin. A school census in 1888 listed 80 children in the Wisdom School. There was a private school held at what came to be known as the Tom Williams Place for the Noyes and Armitage children, the teacher was Miss Simms. School Trustees recorded 06 Apr 1889 were A.J. Noyes, George Woodworth, and D.L. Wampler, clerk was S.D. Vance.

A larger log schoolhouse was built in 1900 on the hill. Another account claims the building was a frame structure. Both stories state the building was later moved downtown and used as the community center when a large brick building was then built on the site in either 1913 or 1914.

Brick for the school was manufactured near Wisdom. School was held on the first floor of the brick building, that once housed high school classes as well. In later years electric lights were added, a new heating plant, water in the building, new bookshelves and redecorating had been done. There was a good library and a piano. In 1950 the building was modernized, and indoor lavatories were added.

(Bay)

School Trustees in 1906 were J.E. Hollingsworth, George Woodworth, George H. Steward; clerk E.C. McFarlin. In 1912-13 Trustees were C. A. Stowbridge, C. W. Francis, J.P. Lossl; clerk was T. Desmond.

A new school was built alongside the old one, completed in Jan 1989. The old brick building that had served the community for over 75 years was torn down.

Wisdom School District #16

Many of the Districts, especially in the Big Hole Basin, must have been created before 1891. Divisions of several Districts occurred as early as 1891 and 1892.

The Bowen District was divided in 1905 to create a new one, the Gibbons School District #32. Later Bowen and Gibbons Districts were consolidated with Wisdom District #16.

The first record available reports the first term of school in Bowen was from April to September,1897. Marguerite Koepp was hired for fifty dollars a month. The district operated until 1959.

It was declared abandoned and consolidated with Wisdom in 1961.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 25

Bowen School, 1893

The first Bowen School was a fine log building, built in the early 1900s by B. B. Lawrence, with the help of neighbors. This was a summer school and it sat about a mile southeast of the Lawrence Ranch buildings, which are now owned by Ed and Kim Bacon. Teachers remembered were Mabel Denim, Anne Bawyon, Olga Sandstrom and Mary Ferrell. Fire destroyed this school about 1911 and until another could be built; school was held at Lawrence’s in the old Bowen Post Office. Bowen's second schoolhouse was a frame building painted white on the same spot in 1913. Among the 13 pupils first attending the old log Bowen School was a niece of Mrs. Bender, who rode eight miles every day from the Bender place! Later In the 1900s this district consolidated with the Gibbons district and this nice building was torn down and the lumber salvaged.

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, page 66, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 66.

Bowen School District #17

In 1893 District #18 was divided to form District #24. Again in 1898, A. J. Noyes petitioned for his property to be added to Briston District #13 for the convenience of his children. By changing the boundary lines again in 1903, the new Fox School District was created.

The teacher's Register reveals that Dotia Martin was employed for a four-month term in 1897, salary fifty dollars a month. The school operated until 1958.

The district was declared abandoned and annexed to Jackson District #24 in 1961.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, page 25.

Fox, 1893

Faded into the past are the East Fox and West Fox Schools, they were originally the Fox School, located about eight miles north of Jackson. About 1897 the district was divided, East Fox remained at Fox and another log cabin sitting in the John Anderson meadow (now Benny Johnson's) between the Alfred Peterson Ranches (affectionately called “The Skunk School" by the students) became West Fox School. In 1906 a new white frame building built on government land.at the junction of Burma Road and Peterson Lane became the new West Fox school and boasted the distinction of being a winter school of nine months instead of the usual three or six. After the district was closed in the 1950s, the East Fox schoolhouse was moved down to the 40 Bar Ranch to become an attractive ranch building and Dick Hirschy bought West Fox schoolhouse and moved it to the Dudley Ranch to be made into a bunkhouse. East Fox was abandoned and annexed to West Fox District 18 in 1953.

West Fox was closed and annexed to Jackson District 24 in 1961.

District 18 Fox - West Fox, aka Skunk

The community of Fox, located north of Wisdom, was named for the family of Walter Fox.

The Fox School District was divided about 1893 to form District 24, Jackson. At this time the district name was changed to West Fox. This date of 1893 indicates a preexisting school district. Could this be the McVey Creek School mentioned on page 67 of HBC?

Ann Hirschy writes, "Although no school records can be found, it is remembered that a three-months summer school located on McVey Creek, eight miles north of Wisdom was held from 1884 for a few years.

"The children of the Herman and Antone Jackson families, Callens, McVeys, Wratons and Paddocks and others attended here before a Wisdom and Jackson Districts were formed and no one can remember its demise. "

The description, location, and dates before division almost fits. The Fox School's origin is unknown; the McVey Creek School's destiny is unknown. A match?

According to Joan McDougal, the Fox school was on a different creek. More research is needed to resolve this mystery on these two early schools. As this project of identifying early schools, we have found more and more references to operating schools before the legal system got into the act by assigning official district numbers.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1040.

McVey Creek School, Pre-1892

Although no school records can be found, it is remembered that a three-month summer school located on Mc Vey Creek; eight miles north of Wisdom was held from 1884 for a few years. The children of the Herman and Antone Jackson families, Callens, McVeys, Wratons and Paddocks and others attended here before a Wisdom and Jackson District was formed and no recollector can remember its demise.

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, page 67, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 67.

West Fox aka Skunk School:

The Fox School District was divided about 1893 to form District 24, Jackson. At this time the district name was changed to West Fox. A petition was granted Dec 1903 to divide the West Fox District 18 to create District 28, commonly called the East Fox District.

The "Skunk School as it was called by the students, became the West Fox School. The Skunk School was a big log building that was in the John Anderson Meadow between the Alfred Peterson Ranches.

In 1906 a new white frame building was built at the junction of Burma Road and Peterson Lane became the new West Fox school and boasted the distinction of being a winter school of nine months instead of the usual three or six months.

School trustees in 1906 for District 18-Fox were S.G. Watson, John Neidt; clerk was Soren P. Nelson of Fox. In 1909-10 Trustees were S.P. Nelson, Jacob Neidt; clerk was Algy Andrus of Fox. In 1912-13 school trustees were S.P. Nelson, Samuel Peterson, Frank Husted; clerk was Mrs. J.M. Neidt of Fox.

West Fox was closed and annexed to Jackson District 24 in 1961. The West Fox schoolhouse was moved to the Dudley Ranch to be made into a bunkhouse.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997, pages 1040-1041.

West Fox School District #18

The first term of school in the Teacher's Register was for three months in 1897. Miss Hood was employed as the first teacher with a salary of fifty dollars a month.

In 1947 a portion of the Red Rock District #14 was attached to the Armstead District along with all the property belonging to Medicine Lodge District #20, both having been abandoned.

The Medicine Lodge School was reopened in 1953 as part of the Armstead District. Mrs. Annie Ames taught at Medicine Lodge for seven years before being elected County Superintendent of Schools. The schools, Armstead and Medicine Lodge ceased operating in 1963, were declared abandoned and the district was divided and attached to surrounding Districts 7, 10, and 12.

The winter was bitterly cold, and the wind never missed a day. Small children of the first and second grades walked to school, facing the wind, from out near the Gilmore & Pittsburgh railroad round house. The first school term ended early in Jun 1910. Nell Nugent returned for a second term, after which she married to Carl Decker 03 Jul 1911. Carl Decker operated a dairy in Armstead and delivered the mail from the train to the post office,

Citizens of Armstead in 1910 included Lottie Kimble postmaster, Ingeborg Searsted, J. W. Scott and his wife, Laura Tolman Scott, Alf and Carl Decker, Glenn Decker and family, Ted Ames, Dellar Gordon, Happy Gordon, Bob Gordon and family, and Tom Cooper.

Nell Nugent was a great believer in education. She saw to it that her children earned a college degree. She went back to teaching after being left a widow and finished her education at Western Montana College by attending summer school. Nell taught in many schools in Beaverhead County, Peterson ranch at Sheep Creek, Armstead twice, Lima twice, and Grant from where she retired in 1956 after age 70.

A new brick two room schoolhouse was built in the 1930s. It had electric lights, a good heating plant, a separate library room, and part of the basement could be used for recreation. In 1945 the building was remodeled to the extent of adding a water system and indoor lavatories.

Many residents of Red Rock later moved to Armstead, as did the Red Rock school building. It was moved to the school yard at Armstead and remodeled into a two-unit teacherage. It was finished nicely inside, with modern kitchens and comfortably furnished.

The 1909 Beaverhead County Directory Lists District 19 as Grayling, which was a train stop for the Oregon Short Line between Armstead and Daly's Spur. There is no mention of a schoolhouse at Grayling, however listed in the directory are clerk Mrs. Julia McMenamey of Red Rock. Trustees were Alvin DeWitt, Patrick McMenamey and Fred Dingley.

The 1909-10 directory also lists District 19 as Grayling. The clerk was M.A. Henneberry of Red Rock, trustees were W.F. Henneberry, J.W. Scott, W.E. Beariy.

The 1912-13 directory lists District 19 as Armstead. The clerk was W.A. Henneberry of Red Rock, trustees were W.F. Henneberry, J.W. Scott, T. Mullen.

In 1947 a portion of Red Rock District 14 was attached to the Armstead District along with all the property belonging to District 20 Medicine Lodge, having both been abandoned. District No. 19 was declared abandoned in 1963 and attached to Districts 7-Grant, 10-Dillon, and 12-Lima.

With the completion of Clark Canyon Dam in 1963, water inundated the former site of Armstead. A few buildings were moved, and others torn down, including the schoolhouse.

Armistead School District #19

The first term of school was for a period of four months in 1897, taught by Lillian Bradeen. Her salary included twenty-five dollars per month with board and room. The school was used as a private school for five months from December 1911 to April 30, 1912, taught by Ethel Jones. The Medicine Lodge District was declared abandoned and annexed to Armstead District 19 in 1947.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 25

District 20 Medicine Lodge Hansen & Hildreth Schools

The first term of school was for a period of four months in 1897, taught by Lillian Bradeen. The school was used as a private school for five months from Dec 1911 to 30 Apr 1912, taught by Earl Jones.

Several schools were a part of the Medicine Lodge District, including a school in Section 13 T IIS RI 1 W, a school in Section T IIS R12W, the Hansen School, and the Hildreth School.

A log schoolhouse, a branch of Medicine Lodge School District 20, was built in 1916 by Carl Hansen and Claus Anderson to serve the three Hansen Children, Alice, Roy and Edith, along with Anderson's children, Carl and Oscar.

It was located about one-quarter mile east of the Hansen ranch and was in use for five years.

A bootlegger's cabin was hauled down the Medicine Lodge Road about 1930 and converted into a school building. It sat just across the road from the Hansen Ranch. It was later burned down, and the Hansen children attended school in a trailer house that was moved into the Hansen Ranch.

Medicine Lodge Area Hildreth ranch schools (by Gisela, Trudy and Christine Hildreth)

The Hildreth School was on the lower Hildreth place, and the boys, Pat, Bill, Gene, Lowell, and Raymond went there. This tradition of schooling must have continued until Barton, the youngest, was ready to go to school and he attended in Armstead.

Bob and Bess Hildreth had a big home in Armstead and lived their part of the time. Bob always said the ranch would be snowed for three to four months of the year. Trudy and Pat Hildreth had two different schoolteachers who lived in a trailer next to the upper ranch for their kids. They provided board and room for the teachers and the state paid the teacher’s salary through a program that created an Isolated School District. Trude and Pat Hildreth applied for this program for their children. This program was later discontinued, and they had to take their kids to Grant to school. There was no school bus for the kids, so Trude had to drive 120 miles a day, round trip for them to attend school. During the winter months or if the roads were bad, Trude kept an apartment at Grant from January until May. When their neighbors, the Hansen’s, had school-age children, Trude and Mrs. Hansen took turns taking the kids to Grant for school. When a bus was available to pick up children in the Medicine Lodge area, Trude’s round trip to the drop off and back was cut to 72 miles. Currently, Trude and Pat’s daughter’s home school’s her son on the upper Hildreth Ranch.

In 1990 the Grant School had 28 students in grades kindergarten through eighth. Frances Schisler taught K through third grade, and Becky Ufford taught grades four through eight.

The Medicine Lodge School District 20 was declared abandoned and annexed to Armstead District 19 in 1947.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1043-1044.

Medicine Lodge School District #20

The Polaris School District was established and approved December 9, 1892, by dividing the Bannack District's northern portion. When the boundaries were finally determined and named Upper Wise River District #23. In 1965 this portion was annexed back to the Polaris District.

The Polaris School has been in continuous operation since 1892.

There are no records existing in the office of County Superintendent. Mrs. Laura Judge taught several years in the Polaris School and later served as school clerk until her death, many years later.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, Page 25.

District 21 Polaris, Scudder Creek

The Polaris School District was established and approved 09 Dec 1892 by dividing the Bannack District's northern portion. School houses in this district include Polaris and Scudder Creek.

The Scudder Creek school was located right across the road from the Marchesseau place. Edmond Marshesseau, the father of 12 children, got the logs out for the one-room school building.

Charley Peterson and Ed Ellis helped him to erect the schoolhouse. An old Kentucky school master, Cooper Harrison, found the school's first teachers in the almost new teachers’ college at Dillon. He recruited them to come out during the summers and teach. So, for over ten years, the school had a three-month summer term and a good many of the first teachers were vacationing professors from Dillon.

But according to Marge Finch, formerly a Marchesseau, her mother, Elizabeth Marchesseau, decided that the Grasshopper Valley really should have a nine-month school term. Harrison and Marchesseau clashed. "Mrs. Marchesseau was only five feet tall but was a match for him when deciding school policy, " said Mrs. Finch.

On 27 Sep 1909 the Scudder Creek school started its first nine-month school term. Josephine McConnell came out from New York to teach that first full term. She was Elizabeth's youngest sister. The school had as many as 29 children at one time. Most of the kids came to school on horseback, " Mrs. Finch said. The Harrison and Ellis children had to travel a mile and a half each way to school, she said, adding one brother and sister, the Hayes, traveled five miles by horse cart to school.

The schoolhouse had a barn for the horses and the ranchers would take turns bringing in hay.

Inside the schoolhouse small desks, all lined in neat rows, radiated out from the raised portion of the floor where the teacher's desk sat overlooking her charges.

The walls had canvas stretched over them and they were calcimined so they would look like a painted wall. The bare woodwork was painted chartreuse green. The floor was bare and had to be scrubbed every weekend. For this chore a janitor was appointed and paid $10 per week. It was the janitor's job to build the fires, clean the blackboards and sweep the floors.

Since the Marchesseau family lived so near, usually one of that family's children got the job. Mrs. Finch was the youngest of the Marchessau children and she remembers on some of the nicer days, school was held outside under an old tractor engine.

"The Polaris Mine, the most important silver property in this region, was located on 31 Jan 1885, [other sources say the mine was worked intermittently much earlier.] It lay on the south side of Billings Creek and its discoverers found in it a vein of high-grade ore fifteen inches in thickness at a depth of one hundred feet. By -1886, the mine belonged to B.F. White, Phil Shenon, L.C. Fyhrie, and J.S. Meade, who hired twenty men to work it and equipped the shaft with a steam hoist and a Knowles pump. The mine was a steady producer through 1891, shipping ore by team to Dillon. " (Wolle)

J.S. Meade sold the mine in 1892 to the Polaris Mining Company, a New York syndicate. The company erected a cyanide reduction plant at the mine. Polaris was named by a mining engineer for the polar star. The post office opened in 1898.

"In 1900, J.J. Cusick and others leased the Polaris workings from Morse, and once more six-horse teams hauled ore to Dillon for shipment. The silver Fissure Mining Company, organized in 1905 with Harry H. Armstead in charge, bought the mine and immediately planned extensive improvements, which ran up to three-quarters of a million dollars. In order to deliver new machinery and equipment to the mine from Armstead, a new town on the Oregon Short line, forty miles of road had to be built.

During the next six years, this stretch of road was in constant use as steam traction engines, pulling specially constructed iron-wheeled cars, hauled ore over it. " (Wolle)

In 1906 school trustees for Polaris District 21 were Maude Ellis, Mrs. E. Marsh; clerk was Cooper Harrison of Polaris.

"The camp at the mine contained a boarding house, bunkhouses, cabins, sheds, a 100ton smelter, and four blast furnaces, all of which were completed and in use by 1907. The following year the plant shut down because of insufficient ore, leaving valuable property which was gradually stolen or wrecked by vandals. As a final blow, the smelter was destroyed by fire 12 Oct 1922." (Wolle)

The big two-story hotel was moved from the Polaris mining camp to the town of Polaris. The present school building was built in 1925 across the road from the Harrison ranch where it remains in operation in 1997.

Because of the difficulty in finding boarding places for a teacher, District 21 bonded itself in 1949 to construct a teacherage and modernize the school.

The Polaris School District has been in continuous operation for 129 years, (1892 to 2022) as of this publication. Grades K through 8 are taught at the country school, and high school students bused about 45 miles to Beaverhead County High School in Dillon. The town of Polaris, about two miles from the school, has only a small roadside tavern called the Polar Bar, now closed, a big two-story log building, and a new very small post office [as of 1997.]

The area is cattle ranching country now, with no mining activity since 1922. Polaris is on the road to Maverick Mountain Ski area and Elkhorn Hot Springs Resort. There are several recreation and retirement homes and cabins just up the road from Polaris, as well as the Grasshopper Inn, and Ma Barnes Country Market.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1044-1046.

Polaris School District #21

The Dell School District had two schools, Dell and Gosman, operating until 1937 when the Gosman School closed and all of the students attended the Dell School.

The first teacher listed for the Dell School was Lizzie Price for seven-month term salary sixty dollars a month. The first term for the Gosman School was started in November 1912 for five months’ salary, sixty-five dollars a month.

The Dell District size was increased considerably when the Red Rock District was annexed to it in 1947. An election was held in 1963 to consolidate with Lima District, March 20, 1963.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 25.

District 22 Dell-Gosman

District 21 Dell had two schools, Dell and Gosman. First called Red Rock when the Utah & Northern terminus settled there in 1880, Dell was later a station on the Union Pacific Railroad between Kidd and Lima, 40 miles south of Dillon. "This trading center for valley ranchers was named because of the topography of the area, a country dell or secluded valley.

The post office was opened in 1890. Elizabeth Dowling was postmaster. (Cheney, pg 71).

Dell was once a good size community with a general store, hotel, and saloon as well as a Methodist Episcopal Church. There were 37 names listed for Dell in the 1909-10 Beaverhead County directory.

The Dell school was a fine brick building of very distinctive design, the bell tower over the front entrance, its most notable feature. Behind the school building was a large barn to accommodate the transportation of the time. An article in the Dillon Tribune dated 01 Feb 1895 reported the schoolhouse had undergone a thorough renovation the past fall. "The schoolhouse was painted inside and out, refitted with new seats and desks and a teacher's chair that would please the most fastidious school marm. A 12-inch bell was erected at the top of a 30-foot pole that the boys cannot go so far on their skates in an hour as to not hear it.

This could have reached the limit of the district's allowance for improvement, but the patrons and pupils of the school have liberally donated in order to present the house with an organ which cost $125 in cash. Six bracket lamps were added, and now all that was needed was a new edition of Webster's unabridged dictionaries. (Dillon Tribune)

In 1906 School trustees were Cecil McNinch, Frank Nelson, H.C. Patterson; clerk was William Connor. In 1909-10 E.M. Martinell, A.S. Garr, H.C. Patterson; clerk was William Connor. In 1912-12 trustees were E.M. Martinell, Joseph Wall; clerk was J.L. Fleming.

A 1950 report by Theo Bay, then county superintendent of schools, noted new maps, new blackboards and a filing cabinet were purchased for the school in 1950. The schoolhouse interior had been relined with pressed wood, venetian blinds and storm windows added. Woodwork was painted a delicate shade of green.

Gosman was a railroad siding five miles north of Lima. The Gosman school, built about 1907, sat 100 yards west of the railroad right of way in Section 25 T13S R9W. The railroad siding and school were named for Otto Gosman, who came to the area from Germany in 1888. He worked for the railroad for a time before going into ranching with his brother-in-law, Mr. McDougal. They raised hay and grain, and draft horses for a time.

Grain and hay as well as livestock were shipped from the Gosman siding. Fine timothy hay was raised in the area. It was stacked in loose haystacks then later baled by a stationary baler. It was a tedious job, as care had to be taken to be sure no fox tail or weeds got into the bales. Each bale was then hand tied with wire. The hay was then shipped east to feed the horses used by the cavalry.

Later Mr. Gosman was an early sheriff of Beaverhead County and lived in Dillon. The Gosman School was closed in 1937 and all the students in the district attended school in Dell. The schoolhouse was moved to Dell and converted into a teacherage, and later the residence of Ruth and Ken Berthelson. The merry-go-round at the Gosman School was later moved to the Dillon City Park.

The Dell, District 22 size was increased considerably when the Red Rock District was annexed to it in 1947. Residents of the Dell area voted down consolidation two or three times, but District 22 was finally consolidated with Lima District 12 on 20 Mar 1963 after 65 years of continuous school terms. The Dell school and teacherage were later purchased by Kenneth and Ruth Berthelson who converted the brick school into a cafe and the teacherage into their home. They also set up a museum and called it Yesterday's Calf-A. The business has changed hands and is now called the Old Schoolhouse Café.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1046-1048

Dell School "District #22

A school was held for a four-month term in 1897. Craig Snyder was the first teacher salary fifty dollars a month. It was abandoned in 1911.

The school reopened in 1918 after the Glendale and Wise River Districts were divided to form Upper Wise River District #23. The school was declared abandoned in 1928 and the district consolidated with Wise River District #11, July 1, 1930.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 25.

1st District 23 Upper Polaris

No new information has been found and no photographs since Jo Eudaily wrote in HBC Vol.01, "A school was held for a four-month term in 1879. Craig Snyder was the first teacher, salary $50 a month. It was abandoned in 1911.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1048.

2nd District 23 Ponsonby

Somewhere between 1912 and circa 1917, District 23 was assigned to the tiny town of Ponsonby and district boundaries aligned on the map in the Superintendent of School's office. According to (Cheney pg. 205), Ponsonby had a post office from 1893 to 1995 with Louis Fyhrie as postmaster. The town is described as being near Dewey. On a 1917 map a schoolhouse is shown. Little else is known of this school district, who taught there, and who the students and their families were. The district was probably merged into District 11 Wise River.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1048.

3rd District 23 Upper Wise River

The district number was reassigned, and school reopened in 1918 after the Glendale and Wise River Districts were divided to form District 23 Upper Wise River. The school was declared abandoned in 1928 and the district consolidated with Wise River District 11 on 01 Jul 1930. The exact locations of these three schools and who attended are unknown at this writing.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1048.

Upper Wise River School District #23

A petition to divide West Fox District #18 to form a new District was filed and approved in 1893. The new District became Jackson School District #24. The Kirk School District #25 was declared abandoned and annexed to the Jackson District in 1948. Later, in 1961, the West Fox School District #18 was attached to the Jackson District.

The first teacher listed in the Teacher's Register was Emily Martin, employed for three months, salary fifty dollars a month.

The Jackson School is still operating.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978

Jackson, 1892

It is reported in the Herman and Antonne family history that in 1892, the Jackson School District reached from 10 miles south of Wisdom to the Idaho Line. The same teacher taught three months of the year at Fox and taught the next three months at another schoolhouse built on a mountainside south of the present site of Jackson on what is now part of the Hairpin Ranch. The Jackson families moved back and forth to the two locations to give their children the advantage of six months. of School a year. They boarded the teacher, Edith O'Brien, who also taught in the Fox District. Fox, at that time, was the center of activity for the area. It was located eight miles north of Jackson on the· road -to Wisdom. A few years later, the schoolhouse was move.cl to a school section a half mile south of Jackson, which is now owned by Dale Strodtman. Those early day teachers got $35 a. month and had to board with families that had children going to school. About 1897 a permanent one-room school was built.in Jackson in the present school yard. Emily Martin was the teacher earning $50 per month for a three-month school term. Holding school for a nine-month time started in 1907. About 1912 additional rooms were added and this building was used until 1964, when a new two classroom school with attached te11.cherage duplex and a multi-purpose room was built.

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 65-66.

District 24 Jackson

The first schoolhouse in the Jackson area was on a mountain side south of the present site of Jackson on what is now the Hairpin Ranch. Jackson School District 24 was created in 1893 from West Fox District 18. The first teacher listed was Emily Martin.

A few years later, the schoolhouse was moved to a school section a half mile south of Jackson. "The town of Jackson was named for Anton Jackson, who also served as the first postmaster. Office opened in 1896. " (Cheney, 146)

District 25 was abandoned and annexed to the Jackson District in 1948. In 1961, West Fox School District 18 was attached to the Jackson District. The Jackson School District 24 is still operating as of this publication in 1997. School has been held continuously in the district for 105 years.

Jackson School District #24

A petition was submitted and approved 11, 1898 to divide the Jackson School District and form a new South Jackson School District #25.

The first term of school was held for about three months, taught by Josephine Holt, salary fifty dollars a month. Two other schools, Meadow Brook and Mountain View schools were active from 1915-1916. From 1899 to 1924 the schools were in session only during the summer months. From 1928-1946 the school terms averaged seven months.

The South Jackson District was declared abandoned and annexed to District #24 in 1948.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1049. Page 26.

District 25 Kirk aka South Jackson, Davis, Meadow Brook, Mountain View

Kirk School, 1899

The first available school records for Kirk School District 25 show this school was held for three-month summer terms, starting in June 1899, with Josephine Holt as teacher. This was probably also known by some as the Davis School at one time. Located along the road to Schindlers and Skinner Meadows, it is a log building still standing (with no doors or windows), used as shade and shelter for livestock these days - a testimony to a time when many families lived in that district. After 1920 school was held sporadically as school-age children were there. It was eventually abandoned and annexed to Jackson District 24 in 1948.

Another school with no available records to be found was reportedly held for a short period in 1890s up on the hill in Lapham's field for the children of Jack and Rose Prendergast.

Country schools played an important role in the history of our communities. At the schoolhouses were school meetings and elections, an occasional church service if the Circuit Rider came by, also basket socials and card parties. Here were the country dances and, by-far the most exciting for the pupils, were the programs! Something wonderful is gone from the way of life in the Big Hole, but the colorful history of these districts lives in the hearts and memories of many. With the consolidation of all the country schools into either the Wisdom or Jackson Districts came drastic changes. Children are now driven long-distances into the two towns, which have become the hub of community involvement.

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 67.

For details of this district (operating from 1899 to 1924), we refer you to (Hirschy pg. 65-67) and (Eudaily pg. 26). The district operated summer schools until 1924, then held seven months school terms until 1946. The district also had summer schools at two branch locations: Meadow Brook and Mountain View. The district was declared abandoned in 1948 and annexed to District 24 Jackson.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1049.

South Jackson School District #25

A petition to establish a new District by dividing a portion of the Birch Creek School District #9 was granted in 1901. The new District was named Reichle School District #26.

Marmie French was employed for the first term of about five months in 1902, salary of forty-five dollars a month.

A school was established at Rock Creek about 1914. Alice Conway may have taught the first four-month term in 1915.

The Rock Creek School operated until 1924 when it was closed and the students in the district attended the Reichle School. The Reichle School District is still operating even though the building was destroyed in 1988. A new building sits on the same site. The students attended school in a classroom at Western Montana College, presently the University of Montana Western, while the new building took shape.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 26.

District 26 Reichle

Willis-1901 Reichle-1912 Rock Creek-1914

The following was written by William Stanford in 1951 as a school assignment.

“The first school in our present district was located approximately one-fourth mile southeast of the present school. The terms were not as long as they are now. The books used by the pupils were bought by the parents. Some of the children walked to school, some rode horseback and some rode in buggies. Some children lived close to school while others lived as far as seven or eight miles away.

The enrollment varied. A deed shows that our school (Reichle) is recorded in Book 67 page 3143 and was purchased from Stephen Kambich.

There were three schools in our first school district. They were named Willis, Rock Creek, and Reichle. Robert Joy, Jake Hartwig and Lewis Woodside (father of J. Fred Woodside), the first founders of the district have passed away. The first teacher at the Willis school was Mary Innes (or Mamie French). Reichle is the only school still operating.

Our district was made smaller because another district was organized from it.

The Reichle school was organized in 1912. The first school board members of the Reichle School were Hugh Hall, J. E. Ferguson and Stephen Kambich. The first teacher was Theresa Reichle.

House parties and picnics were the fun the parents had and sometimes the children were included. The people lived mostly in log houses.

Cora E. Joy, Carl J. Kambich, Louis Kambich, Chris Rieber, James Grose and Peter Spritzer were pioneers in the district.

Farming, stock raising, and mining are the important industries. The industries are larger now because machinery is improved.

The first school was named from the Willis post office. The Rock Creek was named after the creek it was located on. The Reichle is also named after the post office. The natural features of the district are forest, water supplies, and wildlife. Natural grasses and forests grow in our district and the district is changing because the climate is changing.

The surviving Reichle school building served the children and parents well until the evening of Thursday, 17 Nov 1988, when an apparent electrical fire started in the old part of the school. The fire was reported by area resident Cheryl Decker about 8:30 to school trustee Frank Kambich. He confirmed it was a fire and turned in the alarm.

The Melrose and Dillon fire departments reached the school about 9:30 p.m., but their efforts were hampered because there was no water available at the scene. The water tank was brought from Dillon. The new part of the school was built on and joined the old section by a hallway. The old part was burned to the ground, but the new part was still standing, but thoroughly smoke damaged and needed to be completely refurnished inside.

The citizens voted to rebuild the school and during that time, the students attended classes at Western Montana College. For years, a close relationship between the Reichle students and faculty and the WMC faculty and teacher trainees has flourished. Student teachers come to the school to get a taste of real classroom teaching.

The new school opened in 1989 and school activities returned to normal. The school has added a basketball court for the students and planted memorial seedlings in honor of the children killed or injured in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.

During the summer and occasionally during the school term, the students of Reichle come into WMC, now UMW for special workshops or other activities. The teachers at Reichle see that their pupils have a taste of both worlds: the security of the rural small school and the excitement of city lights, too. Yes, they have computers.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Page 1049-1051

Reiche School District #26

A petition was granted to establish the Blacktail (Lovell) School District #27 by dividing a part of District #10 and all of District #3 lying east of the Beaverhead River on December 21, 1901. A small portion of the Red Rock District was annexed to the Blacktail District, February 27, 1947.

Julia Converse taught the first term of six months, fifty dollars a month.

The Blacktail School operated from 1903 to 1956. It was declared abandoned and annexed to District #10 in 1958.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 26

District 27 Blacktail aka Lovell

No. 1 Base, No.2. Upper, and No.3 Jake Flat

Blacktail (Lovell) School District had three schoolhouses, known as schoolhouse 01, 02 and 03. School District 27 was established 03 Jan 1903 from part of District ten and all of District three lying east of the Beaverhead River. Parents of at least ten census children between the ages of six and twenty-one years of age had to be residing in the area of the proposed district and be at least two miles from any schoolhouse.

Those children in the new District 27 included: Ella, Patrick and Hubert Flynn, Muriel and Emil Kline, George, John, Lucy, and Mike Rebich, Harry and Harvey Sorensen, J. Conover, Boss and Diggle Emerick, Lulu Bell Solmansen, Mike Guitich, Joe Cresswell, Clara Jacobsen. Parents of the census children who petitioned were Martin Sorensen, E.L. Kline, George Rebich, and C. N. Jacobsen. They filed the petition 12 Dec 1902, so the process of establishing the new district took a little over one month.

The first schoolhouse (Number 01) was built in 1903 on Carrigan Lane in the Sec. 10 T8S R9W. It was near the Stefonic place, that was later owned by Jens Bay. School Number 02 was in the Sec.3 T8S R8W. The land was donated by George G. Fischer to Blacktail Deer Creek School District No. 27 on 25 Jan 1916. Blacktail School No. 03 was in Section 31 T9S R7W near the upper P & O Ranch and sometimes called Jake Flat School. It was near the Leroy Cozad homestead and the Thomas and Edna Sweet homestead.

School No. 01 was in use the longest. Because it was next to the road known as Carrigan Lane, it is the one most often associated with the Blacktail District. Julia Converse is the first teacher-on the register for school District 27.

Theo Bay taught at the Blacktail School No. 01 in the 1940s and was later County Superintendent of Schools from 1951 through 1958. One of her duties was to visit all the schools and see that improvements were made so they met standards.

Theo Bay wrote of School House No. 01, "The continued interest of the community has kept this school in good repair. It is heated with oil and has electric lights. In 194849, cement walks were installed and in 1949-50 a water system and bubbler installed so there is water available in the schoolhouse. [A bubbler was a drinking water dispenser, that replaced the bucket and long handle dipper that students used to put water in their drinking cups.] The school furnishes all necessary equipment, a good library and piano. About 1951 a new storage cupboard was added.

The Blacktail Beaver 4-H Club held their meetings at the schoolhouse in the 1940s. It was a community meeting place and held dances and socials, as well as a Christmas program and a picnic at the end of each school year. In 1946 there was a Mother's Day school party. The families of the students were always encouraged to visit the school and take part in the activities at the school, as was true in all the rural schools at the time.

School No. 02 was out on the dryland bench.

It was a sturdy building constructed of hand-hewn logs. There was a barn, a wood and coal shed, outhouses and a well with a hand pump in the school yard as well. Families that were homesteaders near the school about 1916 were the Oliver Kurtz family, Gee family, Burns Perry, Ozzie Sharp, Bert Browning and Windy Brown family. Children from these families are no doubt in the picture of School No. 02 above. The school operated into the 1920s and was closed for a time. It was reopened about 1927 and was discontinued before 1941. Luther and Jessie Smith remembered attending dances at School No. 02.

They also remembered the school community picnic up Axes Canyon on July 4th. Tex Smith attended this school 1928 through 1930. The building and land were purchased by Hubert Smith [father of Tex Smith] after school was discontinued. Hubert Smith later sold his place to Clay Smith [no relation], and the schoolhouse was torn down so the land could be farmed.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1051-1053.

Blacktail School No. 03 was operating as early as 1918 as Emma Shaw attended school there in a one room log schoolhouse that was later moved to the Willard Lincoln homestead. A new school building was built in 1919 by Mr. Thomas Sweet. Mr. Cozad had cut the logs.

Miss Jessie Williams relates how she came to Montana in 1920 to visit her sister Mrs. Hubert Smith. She liked Montana and filed on land about 20 miles south of Dillon. Her homestead was across the road from what was the Frank Landon Ranch. While residing on her homestead she taught at the Blacktail No. 3 school. Miss Elizabeth Sutherland was County Superintendent. Jessie Williams had five pupils in her school, Lavinia and Viola Sweet, Lucile, Anna and Norma Cozad. She received a salary of $125 per month.

Jessie was known as the "School Marm" and tells how herders and ranch hands stopped in to see if she had plenty of wood and supplies. Jessie was the last teacher at No. 3.

In 1906-07 trustees were Terrence Flynn, M. Sorenson, John Lovell, and clerk was A.C. Hammond. In 1912-13 school trustees were William Ellis, J.E. Hollingsworth, W.G. Roberts, and Ella Flynn was clerk.

Blacktail School District 27 was declared abandoned and annexed to District 10 in 1958. School No. 02 was torn down and part of the lumber was used to build a house that stands just south of the location of the school building, in what would have been the school yard.

Schooling in the area dates back to as early as 1863 when Mrs. William C. Orr taught at her home on the P & O Ranch. This was long before there were any formal school districts established, or even any school buildings in the Beaverhead Valley.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1051-1053.

Blacktail School District #27

A petition was granted December 1903 to divide the West Fox District #18 to create District #28, commonly called East Fox. The first term of school was for eight months beginning in 1904, was taught by Lizzie Kelly, salary sixty dollars a month. The district operated from 1904 until 1950 when the students were sent to Jackson and West Fox for the balance of the term. The Fox District was declared abandoned and annexed to West Fox in 1953.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 26.

East Fox School 'District #28

A petition was granted September 6, 1904, to divide District #2 and District #9 to create the Drummy (Jensen) School District #29. When the Hecla District was discontinued, the six sections of land previously removed from the Drummy District, were returned to Drummy in 1932.

The Drummy School was operated from 1905 to 1938, when the children were sent to District #10.

The first term of about three months in 1905, taught by Elizabeth Drummy, salary was fifty dollars a month.

Drummy District was declared abandoned and consolidated with District #10.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 26.

Drummey School District 29 (also known as the Jensen District) was created from District 02 on 06 Sep 1904. When the 2nd District eight (Stone Creek) was discontinued, the six sections of land previously removed from the Drummey District were returned to Drummey in 1932.

The first term of school was taught by Elizabeth Drummey in 1905. In 1906 school clerk was Peter Jensen, trustees were W.F. Drummey and Stephen Lasich. In 190910 clerk was I.M. Saunders trustees were W.F. Drummey, Stephen Lasich, and John Keenan.

The Drummey School was very well known as it stood on the main road going north out of Dillon to Twin Bridges, so there were frequent visitors who stopped for a drink of water or to ask directions. When Margaret Ferris Pyeatt was teaching there, Senator Mike Mansfield stopped in. Mrs. Pyeatt had him speak to the students.

By 1937, the Drummey School had electric lights, but no indoor plumbing. The building was in need of repairs, and a school bus system had been established to transport rural children to the public school in Dillon. It was therefore decided to close the school.

The last term of school at the Drummey School was taught by Margaret Ferris in 1936-37, Les Staudenmeyer was Chairman of the Board; the trustees were Carl Meine, Louis Whitworth and Mike Stefanatz. The building was sold to the Assembly of God Church who moved it to Dillon at 104 South California St. It was later replaced with a new church building.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053-1054.

Drummy School District #29, aka Jensen

A petition was granted December 15, 1904, to divide School District #7 to establish the new Brenner School District #30. This District also included Bloody Dick and Monument. Mabel Wright taught the first term of school in 1905 and was paid fifty dollars a month. The Brenner School District operated from 1905 to 1923. However, it was not annexed to the Grant District until 1947.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 26.

Bloody Dick and Monument

Per Jo Eudaily, a petition was granted 15 Dec 1904 to divide District 07 Horse Prairie or Grant and established Brenner School District 30, which also included Bloody Dick and Monument schools. Mabel Wright taught the first term of school in 1905 and was paid $50 a month. The Brenner School district operated from 1905 to 1923. It was not annexed to the Grant District until 1947.

Some sources say the Monument school building still stands on a ranch in the area, along with other mining camp structures from that era.

Brenner School District #30

A petition was filed and granted January 22, 1906, to divide the Riverside and Blacktail Districts to create the Barretts Station School District #31.

The first term of school was for three months, taught by Francis Nicholas and received a salary of fifty dollars a month.

In 1909-1910 the school was combined temporarily with the Riverside District. The Barretts School opened again in 1911 and continued operating until March 1915. The district was abandoned and attached to the Riverside District, April 4, 1919.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978, Page 26

District 31 Barretts

Ewing, and Ryan, Dingley

Schools in District 31 were called Barretts, Ewing, and Ryan's Station. Sources differ as to how many school buildings actually existed and where they were located. It is certain there was at least one school in the area of Barrett Station. A 1917 map locates school number 31 about one mile southeast of Barrett (misspelled as Barratts)

Barretts Station School District #31

A petition was filed and granted January 25, 1905, to divide District #17 in order to create the Gibbons (North Fork) School District #32.

The name of Irene La Sage is listed in the Teacher's Register as the first teacher in 1906 but no other information is given. Katherine Knudsen taught a term of four months in 1907, salary fifty dollars a month. School was held on a regular basis from 1907 to 1912, then combined with the Wisdom District. In 1916 the Gibbons School reopened and operated until 1968 when it was consolidated with Wisdom.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 1056.

District 32 Gibbons aka North Fork

On 25 Jan 1905 District 17-Bowen was divided to form District 32 Gibbons (North Fork) School District. Irene LaSage is listed as the first teacher in 1906. Katherine Knudsen taught a term of four months in 1907. School was held on a regular basis from 1907 to 1912, then combined with the Wisdom District.

The first schoolhouse in the Gibbons District #32 was a log building built before 1905. According to George Else, Al Covey donated the land. This land became the Asa Willey Ranch, later the property of Ray Bacon.

Those who worked on the building of the schoolhouse were a Mr. Schroeder, Al Covey, Weldon Else and other men in the neighborhood. Granddad Hopkins, who was an expert carpenter, is said to have given advice on how to put up the rafters, this also according to Lester Else.

Miss Katherine Knutsen was one of the first teachers as she taught there in 1907 or 1908, this according to Lucy Old. Weldon Else was instrumental in starting the school up again in the spring of 1915. School was held here in the summer due to the severe winter weather. Mrs. Francis Gill was the teacher. It only went for two or three months that year. There were four pupils, Lucy and George Else, and Edna and Laura Schroeder, as near as can be remembered.

However, the next year the attendance was somewhat larger. Miss Zora McKee taught the school the summer of 1916. In 1917 Miss Eliza Chandler taught. Other teachers were Miss Kathryn Jones, May Gomph (Mrs. Oscar Gomph) and Miss Marie Kennelly.

Pupils who attended the log school included Lucy, George and Fred Else, Ruth Tope, Ernest Pearsy, Edna and Lora Schroeder, Clarence, Edna and Ada Covey, Eric and Beulah Maybe, Mary and Edna Peterson, Eleanor Culley, and several Ritschel children.

Due to the high water, the going was tough for some of the kids for a time. There is a story that Ritschel children had to go clear down and cross the North Fork River bridge then back up the other side to get to school during high water. This made about four extra miles. A good part of the time the Ritschel children went to school in Wisdom. A boy by the name of Bob Elliot rode across country to the log school, this also according to George Else. He came from what was later the John Eliel Ranch.

Fred Else, who lived only about three miles from where the school was located, started the last year the school was in operation. The teacher was Miss Marie Kennelly.

A much larger schoolhouse was built in the summer of 1918 at a new location. Mr. J. W. Tope bought the log school and moved it to his place. George and Fred Else remembered that in moving it, Mr. Tope used three four horse teams with sleighs, borrowing one team of horse from the Elses. Mr. Tope used the building for a bunkhouse first, later it was made into a blacksmith shop. As of 1997, it serves as a storage place and is still in very good condition.

At some point the district obtained a small schoolhouse and teacherage on skids so that they could be moved to serve pupil population, wherever it happened to be in the district. In 1949 electricity was installed. The county superintendent had a hard time securing teachers for the isolated district.

Source: History researched and written by Jennie Else who has lived in the Big Hole area all her life, and on the same ranch for over 50 years.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053. Pages 1055-1056

Gibbons School District #32

A petition was granted, March 1, 1906, for Lima School District to be divided to form the Nicholia (Big Sheep) School District #33. The first term was for eight months, taught by Miss Thompson, salary fifty dollars a month. Nicholia School operated from 1906 until 1649. For three years the school was closed, one pupil going to Lima and the three Harkness children were enrolled in a correspondence course. Nicholia reopened and operated until 1966.

The Whitworth School opened in 1914 and continued until 1949.

School District #33 was declared abandoned and annexed in its entirety to Lima Elementary and Lima High School, effective July 1, 1969.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 26.

District 33 Nicholia

Sheep Creek, Whitworth (aka Bunkhouse) Upper Nicholia, Lower Nicholia

Nicholia School District 33 was formed 01 Mar 1906 by dividing part of District 12 Lima. The region is ranching country that had about seventeen families at one time. Nicholia is southwest of Lima and was a remote mining community in the 1880s. Nicholia was named for a mine in Idaho on Willow Creek, called the Nicholia Mine.

"Nicholia had a post office from 1911 to 1922; Lousette Dahlo was the first postmaster. " (Cheney, 197) Also called Big Sheep Basin, the Nicholia District had schools called Nicholia, Upper Nicholia, Sheep Creek, and Whitworth.

The first building in the Nicholia District was a small log schoolhouse in Section 27, T 15 S, RIO W, in the upper Sheep Creek Basin. It was often referred to as the Upper Sheep Creek School. The school building was built of hand-hewn logs that had been cut from burned timber. The Williamson Woods fire went through, and it was so hot it almost petrified the trees. When cut and hand hewn [squared], the logs made a very sturdy building. The school stood in the middle of a field, and it was decided it would be better to have the school building along a main road rather than on private property.

A second schoolhouse was built in Section 24 T 15 S, R 10 W, and was known as the upper Nicholia School. Ground for the school was donated by Kension. It operated from 1906 until 1949, reopened in 1952 and operated until 1966. The building still remains as of 1996, where it was used as a school, and was purchased by Paul Martinell and turned into a residence.

The first school building was moved about a quarter of a mile and remodeled and added on to as a residence that was later the home of Harold and Dovie Ann Petersen.

The second school in the Nicholia District was known as the Whitworth School, it was opened in 1914. The building was not built as a school, but rather a bunk house on the Whitworth Ranch, and has also been referred to as the Bunk House School. It was in Section 27, T14S, RIO W. It was the one nearest the mouth of Sheep Creek Canyon.

A new school was built to replace the original Whitworth School. It was referred to as the lower Nicholia School, and also the Whitworth School, but they were one in the same.

The new lower Nicholia School looked very much like the newer upper Nicholia School building, and there is a great deal of confusion when it comes to sorting out which school is in pictures. The lower Nicholia School operated until 1949. Guy Harkness purchased the lower Nicholia school building and used the lumber at the site of his radon mine. In 1909-10 School Trustees for District 33 [called the Big Sheep Basin] were Ernest I Harkness, H.E. Andrus, L.B. Duckworth; clerk was Earl W. Rogers, of Dell. In 1912-13 trustees were Ernest I Harkness, William Sweeney, L.B. Duckworth, clerk was Mrs. E.I. Harkness who had a Nicholia post office Box.

Superintendent of Schools Theo Bay reported that the Nicholia/Sheep Creek basin area had a very interrupted history of education. For three years there was no school in the Nicholia District, one pupil going to Lima and the three Harkness children were enrolled in a correspondence course. Nicholia reopened and operated until 1966.

School District 33 was declared abandoned and annexed to Lima District 12 effective 01 Jul 1969.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053. Page 1056-1057.

Nicholia School District #33

A petition was granted March 21, 1910, to remove lands from the southern part of District #21 and the northern portion of District #1 to create the Millpoint School District #34.

Bannack School District #1 was declared abandoned and made a part of District #34 to be known as Bannack-MilIpoint School District #1, September 12, 1949.

Maude A. Ward taught the first term of three months and Lillian Jones completed the next three months 1910-1911. They each received a salary of sixty dollars a month.

The Millpoint school operated from 1910 to 1976 when the district was declared abandoned and annexed to District #21 and District #10.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 27.

Millpoint School District #34

The Elk Horn School District was created from the Glendale District #5 according to the records, October 2, 1918. The first term was taught by Ruth R. Cernaghan for four months, salary ninety dollars a month. The school was operated from 1918 to 1930. The Elk Horn District also included Coolidge.

The Elk Horn District was abandoned and annexed to the Glendale and Wise River Districts, September 20, 1937.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 27.

1st District 35 Fishtrap

Little is known of this short-lived official district. Fishtrap was a wide spot in the road between Wisdom and Wise River and had a stage stop and hotel, so why not a school? The number was later reassigned to Elkhorn.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053. Pages 1058.

2nd District 35 Elkhorn, Coolidge

Elkhorn School District was created from District 05 Glendale 02 Oct 1918, according to county records. The first term was taught by Ruth Remington (per Theo Bay) or Ruth R. Cernaghan (per Jo Eudaily) at a salary of $90 a month. The school operated from 1918 to 1930.

The district included Coolidge where the school probably was located. The Coolidge school house is unique because of its upright slat construction. The district was abandoned and annexed to the Glendale and Wise River districts 20 Sep 1937.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053. Pages 1058-1059.

Elk Horn School District #35

The Lakeview School District was created in 1911 when Centennial Valley was being settled by homesteaders. This District also included Red Rock. Upper Lakeview was attached to District #36 in 1937 and the Doyle District consolidated in 1965.

The Lakeview School opened in 1911 with Miss Mary Richfield teaching the first term, salary sixty dollars a month. School was held at the Shanholtzer Ranch from 1933-1937. The Red Rock School opened in 1955 and operated off and on until 1968. The first teacher at Red Rock School was Mildred H. Waler, salary three hundred dollars a month.

The Lakeview-Red Rock District operated from 1911 to 1968. The district was declared abandoned and attached to Lima School District #12 in its entirety July 1, 1971.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 27.

Lakeview School District #36

Fifteen sections of land, situated in the middle of the Doyle School District #38, were transferred to create the Jones School District #37 in 1911.

Miss Alice Vanderbeck taught the first term of three months in the summer of 1911, salary sixty-five dollars a month. The school terms varied from 2-9 months, but the school remained active until 1931 In 1933 the Jones School District #37 was abandoned and annexed to the Doyle District #38.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 37.

The last few teachers in the Jones School were Mrs. Angela E. Decker who taught from March 1930—August 1930 and Mrs. Wayne Allen who taught from September 1930—May 1931. There were only two or three students during those years. The Jones School District was abandoned and attached to Doyle District #38, July 5, 1933.

"As time progressed school ceased to convene in a schoolhouse and the teacher lived with and taught at the private ranch house or in another building on the ranch. If the class grew in size, the classroom was moved to a larger building on the ranch. If a storm moved in while school was in session, the children stayed all night. Winter weather made traveling impossible, so school convened from Apr to Dec, " Judy Staudenmeyer reported.

The school terms varied from two to nine months, but the school remained active until 1931. In 1933 the Jones District was abandoned and annexed to Doyle District 38.

Centennial Valley: A Journey Through Time 1930 2014 Vol. II, Stoneydale Press Publishing Co. and Centennial Valley Historical Society, 2016. Pages 166-166.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053. Pages 1060-1061.

Jones School District #37

The Doyle District was created in 1911. Miss Carlson taught the first school term of eight months, salary fifty-five dollars a month. School was conducted on a regular basis from 1911-1962. In 1965 the Doyle District was consolidated with the Lakeview District. The Board of Trustees in the two Districts filed a written request that School District #36 be designated as Lakeview District #36.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 27.

Doyle School District #38

This school district has been known by several other names through the years. It started out being referred to as Winslow School from 1897-1899. It has also been referred to as Excelsior School, Blake School and finally Doyle School.

The Blake School was at the head of Brundage Lane (Blake Lane) and built by Ed Blake in 1914 using vertical logs from the Hunt sawmill. The number of years this building operated as a school is unknown. It was abandoned and sold at auction to Thelma Bean for $60 on January 29, 1955.

There was no school in this area from 1936—1945. In 1946, school was held at the Breneman Ranch and in 1947-1948, it was located at the yellow house on Pap Jones' homestead near Jones Cemetery.

Chatter began that there needed to be a school building once again and Joe Sawyer was given the contract to construct a building. He hauled logs and constructed the current building, with the first session in the new building beginning September 1949. Norman Palmer remembers attending school in the new building that first year with classmates Billy and Ann Jones, and Judy and Effie Forsythe. He would ride with Andy Forsythe to school. Andy constructed a wood box to keep the girls, Judy and Effie, warm and Norman rode on the tractor. He used bareback rigging and wrapped it around an open side of the tractor and cinched it down. He remembers staying warm all but his back. In 1950, water was piped into the school from a nearby spring and in 1953 electricity was added.

Many children rode horses to school, some from a far distance. A small barn was placed behind the school to house the horses during school hours. It was also used to store hay and feed for the horses. During the school year, John Passmore remembers the snowdrifts around the barn got tall enough that they could jump out of the loft into the snow. He also remembers that his father drug in a metal structure that he put a roof on and door in. When school ended for the day, John and his sister Ann were to look across the flats and if the weather was bad, they were supposed to build a fire and stay in the structure until someone came to get them. They stayed there a few times during the school years. If the weather was getting bad, usually his mother would come over and build the fire before school was out and all three would stay in the structure until things cleared up and they could head home.

The last school session was September 1962 — December 1962. Sam Jones was the last student attending in 1962 and he transferred to Lakeview School in 1963.

The Doyle School building had been vacant and neglected for many years. In 2011, it was torn down and the logs numbered. It 2012, it was reconstructed, log-by-log and is now the home of the Francis H. Zimbeaux Art Center. October 23, 1914, in Lakeview, part of The University of Utah's Taft-Nicholson Center begun in 2001 is an education destination focused on engaging the humanities to deepen and enliven environmental study.

—Journal of the County Superintendent of Schools, Beaverhead County June 18, 1945 —November 1957. Beaverhead County Museum, Centennial School files

District 38 Doyle aka Excelsior & Blake School

Per Jo Eudaily, the Doyle District was created in 1911. Miss Carlson taught the first term of eight months, salary $55 a month. School was conducted on a regular basis from 1911-1962. In 1965 the Doyle District was consolidated with the Lakeview District with District 36 Lakeview surviving.

No school was held in District 38 from 1936 until 1946 when school reopened and was held first at the Breneman ranch and then in an unused ranch house until Sep 1949.

A new log building was ready for occupancy in Sep 1949 after several years of planning. In 1950 water was piped to the school from a spring.

The original building was sold at auction to Thelma Bean for $60 on 29 Jan 1955. The school had been built by her father, James Blake, at the head of Brundage Lane.

Doyle (Excelsior) School District #38

The Monida School District was organized in 1910. Miss Elizabeth Harrison taught the first term from October 1910 to July 1911, salary fifty-five dollars a month. School was held regularly from 1910 to 1951.

Three pupils of the Monida School were transferred to Lima 195101952. Monida School District #39 was declared abandoned and consolidated with the Lima District August 1953.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 27.

District 39 Monida, Saunder School

Monida was the site where the first railroad, the Utah and Northern entered Montana 09 Mar 1880. At one time Monida was the railhead for most of the livestock in the Centennial Valley and the surrounding area. Once called Spring Hill, Monida was once the location of the Pine Butte Railroad Station. The name Spring Hill went on to the next terminus, now Lima. The dual use of the name leads to heated discussions about the location of the "real" Spring Hill. "

The name Monida comes from the fact that the community is on the divide between Montana and Idaho. After the Pine Butte closure, Monida became the railroad terminus for the Monida-Yellowstone Stage Lines, which took visitors to the sights in Yellowstone Park via Henry's Lake. At one time, there was a booming hotel in Monida where the tourists stayed when they got off the train to board the stages for the park. The transportation company had 12 new Concord stages, including four surreys. The stage ran daily from Monida to the Shambow Place, a distance of 34 miles for lunch; then on to Dwelle's another 35 miles, where the tourists stayed all night and then boarded the Yellowstone Park stages.

School District 39 was organized in 1910. Miss Elizabeth Harrison taught the first term from Oct 1910 to Jul 1911. "The first school was a log cabin which had 10 pupils in 1915. The town later boasted a good-sized one room schoolhouse that had as many as 25 students. It was on the road to "the Valley. Mrs. M. B. Beardsley was the first teacher." (Nye, pg 34).

In 1912-13 School clerk in Monida was Lester Shambow, trustees were Milton Bean, W. L Shambow, and Nat J. Jones. When Theo Bay visited the school in the 1950s, she reported a very good building. Many improvements have been made in the past five years including, electric lights, oil heat, new shades, storm windows, and a fence around the school. Water was piped to the school. There was an adequate library and piano.

School was held regularly from 1910 to 1951. In 1953 by consent of both school districts, District 39 was annexed to Lima District 12. Three pupils of Monida School were transported to Lima District 12 in 1953. It is uncertain what happened to the school building, some believe it was torn down, others think it was moved to Idaho.

Centennial Valley: A Journey Through Time 1930 2014 Vol. II, Stoneydale Press Publishing Co. and Centennial Valley Historical Society, 2016

Saunder School

Saunder School, part of District 39 Monida, was located on the south side of Red Rock River near Saunder Bridge as one would enter the Centennial Valley, about fifteen miles from Monida. The school stood in the middle of a field on the Saunder ranch, according to Aileen McDowell Warrick, whose mother, aunts and uncles attended.

MONIDA SCHOOL #39

The Monida School was a one-room school. It had a door in front and windows along each side of the building. It was sided with white tongue and groove. There was a bell tower with a bell that beckoned students to class and two outhouses out back. The school sat just up the hill from the town of Monida on the southside of the road. A carpenter, Monroe "Roe" Severns, built the school.

Inside there were three to four rows of seats facing the teacher's desk with a blackboard for instruction behind his/her desk. A coatroom was located inside the door and a bookroom across from it on the other side of the room. The school also housed a piano for musical instruction.

Many improvements through the years kept the school up to date: electricity, oil heat, storm windows and a fence around the school. Water was piped in but there was no drainage.

Monida School had students consistently through 1951. In 1953, this school consolidated with Lima. The school building was bought by an outside interest and tom down. Some of the playground equipment and other items went to the Red Rock School in Alaska Basin.

Journal of the County Superintendent of Schools, Beaverhead County, June 18, 1945- November 1957

Monida School District 39

The Upper Lakeview District was created in 1911. Miss Eva Williams taught the first term of six months in 1911, salary sixty dollars a month. School was held, varying in length from one to nine months, from 1911 to 1934. Mrs. Agnes (Bequette) Brick taught two years 1920 and 1921 at this school, salary one hundred twenty-five dollars the second term.

Upper Lakeview was declared abandoned and consolidated with Lakeview District #36, September 20, 1937.

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978. Page 27.

District 40 Upper Lakeview aka Upper Red Rock

District 40 was created in 1911. A school term began in 1911 with Eva Williams teaching the first term of six months. She received $60 a month. The school terms varied from one to nine months depending on the weather and the students from 1911 to 1934. Mrs. Agnes Bequette Buck taught two years, 1920 and 1921, and received a salary of $125 a month. The schoolhouse was located near Shikepoke Creek in not far from the Elk Lake turnoff road.

Upper Lakeview was declared abandoned and consolidated with District 36 Lakeview on 20 Sep 1937.

UPPER LAKEVIEW SCHOOL #40

An acre of ground was donated by Archie and Mary (Kingery) Hayden for the schoolhouse. It was a one-room log building and heated by a wood stove. The schoolyard was fenced and had a small barn for keeping horses.

The four O'Connor boys walked to school as did Amanda Hayden. Some rode horseback or drove a team. Amanda remembers 12 to 15 students and going to school during the summer. She recalled other families with children attending: Fairbank, Duff, Jones, and Buck. Amanda attended this school in the 20's and recorded in her journal where the school was located along with families with children attending.

Seventh and eighth grade students were required to take state examinations. Hygiene and geography were tested in seventh grade and all other subjects in eighth grade. Kathleen Buck led the seventh graders with a 94.5% and set a new high for the county with an average grade of 92.85 in eighth grade.

When the Red Rock Lakes Refuge came in and began buying up land in the Upper Centennial Valley, families moved, and the school closed in 1934.

Amanda Hayden Journal entries shared by Rose Marie Mason.

Upper Lakeview School District #40

The Madison County History Book lists the following schools, Parrot, Bone Basin and Renova as belonging to this Joint District in 1897. The schoolhouse was situated in Madison County, according to the Beaverhead Boundary Book.

The Joint District was declared abandoned February 15, 1926, and the property attached to District #14 (Red Rock) and to District #27 (Blacktail).

Compiled by Josephine D. Eudaily former Beaverhead County Superintendent of Schools, 1970-1978

District 41 Joint with Madison County

Beaverhead County operated two schools known as "Joint Districts One was in Melrose (Joint District 05) in Silver Bow County and handled children living on the Beaverhead County side of the Big Hole River in and around Melrose.

The other district was No. 41 Joint Beaverhead-Madison and included children living on the eastern border of Beaverhead County and the remote areas including Parrot (Bone Basin) and Renova areas in 1897. According to Jo Eudaily, the schoolhouse was situated in Madison County according to the Beaverhead Boundary Book. The Joint District 41 was declared abandoned 15 Feb 1926 and the property attached to District 14-Red Rock and District 27Blacktail.

Also remember that the schools in Centennial Valley and Monida were also in Madison County until 1911 which explains why they were all created in Beaverhead County in that year. Some were in operation in the late 1880s, such as the Shambow School.

Joint School District #41 with Madison County

The first high school students were taught in the Bagley building, where the first senior class was graduated in 1892.

In 1901-1902 the first Beaverhead County High School was built, located at 104 N. Pacific.

Later, in 1916, an addition including a gymnasium was added.

The present high school replaced the old building which was demolished. The building was begun in 1939 and the first classes were held in January 1940. During the period of construction, the students attended high school in the basement of Western Montana College, presently the University of Montana Western.

More History of Beaverhead County Montana, Vol 2, 1800-1997, Beaverhead County Museum Association, Dillon, MT, 1997. Pages 1053. Pages 1064.

Beaverhead County High School

High school classes were first held in the public school with the elementary students in Dillon, Wisdom, Lima and Melrose.

The first high school graduating class for Dillon, in 1892, had two students.

Beaverhead County High School (BCHS), according to an 18 Dec 1901 issue of the Examiner, was organized 35 Mar 1900 with county commissioners appointing trustees J.B. Poindexter, Leonard Eliel, Emerson Hill, George B. Conway, A.S. Rife and Frank Kline.

The following includes excerpts from the Tribune Examiner Centennial Edition 1880-1980 dated 03 Sep 1980 and the Dillon Tribune-Examiner dated 02 Oct 1989:

In the spring $30,000 bonds were voted to build and furnish a county high school. Plans were accepted from Fennell and Gove, architects of Butte, and the contract let to Stabern and Sanden of Helena.

The new 1902 building was one of the most convenient high schools in the state containing a large assembly room, office, library, commercial room, manual training, physical and chemical laboratories with lecture rooms adjoining.

In 1913-14 a new high school gymnasium, a two-story brick building, was constructed.

By 1938, there were 230 students in the 1902-1913 buildings. Classes were being held in the attic under the eaves. The old school facility was crowded, poorly lighted, and not properly ventilated, posing a serious fire problem. School Principal Conrad Orr, stated "We're running a 1938 model school on a 1901 model chassis, which even outdated the Model T.

Plans were made to build a new school to accommodate 350 students, which was later

Beaverhead electors voted "overwhelmingly" to bond the county $165,000 to match a federal Public Workers Administration grant of $135,000 to build to build a new high school. The federal Public Workers Administration was part of the New Deal, Franklin Roosevelt's plan to get America's economy going again after WW Il. Although the cost was originally estimated to be $300,000 for the building, a mandate for higher wages by the PWA and the desire to complete a new auditorium.

This increased the cost to $320,000. A bond issue for $165,000 was passed easily, 836 to 121, in a special election dictated by the need to meet the PWA 01 Oct deadline for accepting funds. In May 1939 additional bonds were passed to make the district's 55 percent share of an additional $20,000, which was matched by the PWA.

By Dec 1939 the bonds had been sold and the general construction contract was awarded to Cahill & Mooney of Butte for $220,994. Northern Plumbing and Heating of Denver won the plumbing contract, and the electrical work was awarded to Western Plumbing and Heating of Anaconda.

With the new year, the old school buildings began to fall to demolition crews. Because the new building was to be erected on the site of the original school (104 N. Pacific), students attended classes in the basement of the state Normal School, now the University of Montana, Western. Some classes were also held at the Bagley School.

Construction continued at a rapid pace, with completion expected when school opened in Sep 1919, delays and added work slowed the pace. Twenty-five carloads of cement, 90,000-man hours and 300 tons of steel later, Dillon had a brand-new high school that was touted as among the state's best. The total cost of the structure ended up being $320,000. The New BCHS School formally opened for classes 02 Jan 1940. By that time the new gym had already seen two weekend games with Pocatello ID schools.

Adjustable bleachers in the gym could seat 1,000 people and could fold into the wall when not needed, a novelty in 1939.

Formal ceremonies were held 29 Mar 1940, when an open house, a tea and a premiere production of the operetta "Enchanted Isle" by the school's Glee Club drew over 1 ,000 people. A 50-member class of seniors graduated from the school in May of that year.

Vocational agriculture classrooms were added in 1941 and the physical education and science complex in 1968.

Much needed parking space was acquired in 1995 when the high school district purchased land across the street from the physical education complex and tore the buildings down to make way for a large, paved parking lot.

Bannack School District #1

Bishop School District #2

Poindexter (Riverside) School District #3

1st District 03 Poindexter

2nd District 03 Riverside (aka Riverdale) & Willow View (aka Rattlesnake)

Argenta School 'District #4

Glendale School District #5

Dewey School District #6

District Grant School #7

Hecla School District #8

Birch Creek District #9

Dillon Elementary School District #10

Wise River School District #11

Lima School District #12

Briston School District #13

Red Rock School District #14

Kidd School 'District #15

Wisdom School District #16

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, page 66, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 66.

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Bowen School District #17

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, page 67, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 67.

West Fox School District #18

Armistead School District #19

Medicine Lodge School District #20

Polaris School District #21

Dell School "District #22

Upper Wise River School District #23

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 65-66.

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Jackson School District #24

The History of Beaverhead County, Volume 1, 1800-1920, Ann Hirschy, Beaverhead County History Book Association, Dillon, MT, Herff-Jones, Inc., Logan, UT, 1990. Page 67.

South Jackson School District #25

Reiche School District #26

Blacktail School District #27

East Fox School 'District #28

Drummy School District #29, aka Jensen

Brenner School District #30

Barretts Station School District #31

Gibbons School District #32

Nicholia School District #33

Millpoint School District #34

Elk Horn School District #35

Lakeview School District #36

Jones School District #37

Doyle (Excelsior) School District #38

Monida School District 39

Upper Lakeview School District #40

Joint School District #41 with Madison County

Beaverhead County High School