In the school year of 1919–20 the Central school at Arbon had one teacher, Miss Aurora Wall, and the Arbon columns of the American Falls Press followed her pupils from the fall opening to the last day in May.
The Central school was District 12 of Power County (Arbon had been in Oneida County until 1913). The county's lists still called the district "Bannock," after the valley's old name; the school was also known as Green Top. It had opened in 1911 with two teachers, but in 1917 its first principal, H. P. Howell, was teaching all eight grades alone, "owing to so many families removing from the valley." Miss Wall came in the fall that followed the drought of 1919.
A new teacher
The Arbon column of September 5, 1919, said the school meant to open on September 8 with Miss Wall as teacher. On October 10 the column reported that the "Bannock Central" had opened on a Tuesday; whether the opening had been put off, and why, is not said. The papers say little of Miss Wall herself: she spent the holidays with relatives at Homedale, and in April she entertained the seventh and eighth grades with an evening of games.
By December her pupils were weaving baskets. "The pupils have made several pretty designs in basketry," the column reported on December 5, and they were getting ready a Christmas program and tree. No account of the Christmas evening has been found.
Thrift verses
That December the county superintendent of schools, Miss Goldie Drake, began a thrift campaign in the schools of Power County. Teachers were named "publicity agents" to carry the thrift message into every pupil's home, and "Aurora Wall has been appointed for Arbon." The best of the pupils' writing would be printed in the county papers.
On January 16, 1920, the Press printed "the two best verses yet received at the Arbon school," sent in by Miss Wall. In "Tommy's Thrift Stamp," by Margaret Allard of the seventh grade, a boy spends his quarter on a stamp on Franklin's birthday and that night is proud of his War Savings Society pin. Edna Bailey, in the eighth grade, wrote "Little Thrift Workers," which begins:
Let's save our pennies, nickels and dimes, / And save and save at all times.
Let's save for our country and save for ourselves, / To keep the thrift spirit in ourselves.
Let's save our money and meat / And not waste a kernel of wheat
Let's save our quarters and make a rule / To buy stamps 'till our card is full.
The older pupils went on writing on thrift every Friday.
Programs and debates
In mid-February Miss Wall's pupils gave an evening program of songs, recitations, "Health Crusade Jingles" and a "Mother Goose Party," closing with the "Star Spangled Banner." The crowd was large, and teacher and pupils were "highly praised."
The Central school notes of March 12 reported two debates. In one, the seventh and eighth grades argued whether the wastes of the barnyard were greater than those of the kitchen; Edna Bailey, Fern Bullock, Milton Evans and Willis Bullock said they were, and won against Margaret Allard, Constance Evans, Earl Ripley and Walter Evans. The other, boys against girls, went to the boys. The same notes give a glimpse of the schoolroom:
The first and second grade pupils are making paper mats the last week, while the advanced pupils are making new designs in basketry. There was no school Tuesday due to the stove smoking. The south room has been fitted up for a basket and volley ball room where the pupils spend their spare time.
After fire destroyed their house at the end of February, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Evans lent their piano to the school until they could rebuild, and the piano the school had been using went down to the basement "for dances." Joe Evans was a son of T. B. Evans; the "J. E. Evans" named clerk of the district's school board that spring was probably he.
For St. Patrick's Day the pupils held a spelling match in which each told an Irish joke instead of spelling a word. Margaret Allard's side told the most and won "a fine box of candy"; the other side, close behind, took the booby prize, "a fine ginger bread man." A volleyball court was finished on the school grounds for the older pupils, while the little ones got ready to play bean bag. In April the seventh and eighth grades sat their examinations.
The last day
The term ended on Thursday, May 6, 1920. Miss Wall, said the Arbon column, "has done excellent work with the pupils during the term," and it described the day:
Dinner was served at noon to the pupils and parents attending the last day. Musical selections by Margaret Allard, also several songs by the pupils was enjoyed by those present. A childrens' dance was given in the hall during the afternoon, pictures of the pupils was also taken during the day.
The grades were printed wrongly at first and corrected two weeks later: Earl Ripley had 92.4, Edna Bailey 91.9 and Constance Evans 90.8, all finishing the eighth grade, and Margaret Allard, who had done part of the eighth-grade work, came next. On June 4 Miss Drake's list of the county's 68 rural eighth-grade graduates named four from Bannock: Milton Evans, Earl Ripley, Constance Evans and Edna Bailey. Other valley graduates were George Davis and Clara Anderson of District 11, Arbon; Jewell Horton, William England, Ada Hatley and Jenesie Dawson of Pauline; and James Fanin, Walter Hayden and Ray Light of Crystal.
Edna was a daughter of J. R. Bailey, that spring the chairman of the District 12 school board. Constance was almost certainly T. B. Evans's youngest daughter, and Milton and Walter Evans were probably sons of Ren Evans (the Evans family). Margaret Allard was a daughter of William Allard, then a state representative.
Afterward
The county's August list of teachers put Aurora Wall in District 12 again, with an address at Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, but when the school opened in September 1920 the Arbon column named a new teacher, Peters, "of Wyoming"; the first name is lost in the scan. The papers read do not say where Miss Wall went. The same column reported that Edna Bailey had left for high school at Wellsville, Utah. Five years later she was teaching the Valley View school in District 11, and that November, as her family's history records, she became Arbon's postmaster.
If one of the pictures taken on May 6, 1920, survives in your family, the site would be glad to hear of it through the Contribute page.
The article as printed
American Falls Press, May 14, 1920, page 2. Transcribed from the page scan.
ARBON
A May wedding of interest to their many friends was that of Miss Nina Keeler of Arbon and Mr. George Donat of Pocatello, which took place at the office of the Justice of the Peace in Pocatello Wednesday afternoon, May 6th. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Keeler, parents of the bride, attended the couple. In the evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Keeler in Pocatello, a lovely wedding dinner was served to the bridal couple. Only immediate relatives of the newly weds were present. Mrs. Nina Donat is the eldest and charming daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Keeler of Arbon, and has resided here for nearly eleven years, graduating from the eighth grade here later finishing the high school course and a business course at the Pocatello high school where she graduated last year. Mr. Donat has not resided in Pocatello very long, but he is at present a clerk in one of the offices of the O. S. L. there and has many friends. Mr. and Mrs. George Donat will reside at 925 N. Main, Pocatello. A host of friends extend their best best wishes and heartiest congratulations for a long and happy journey in their wedded bliss.
The Arbon L. D. S. church raised a fund the past week for the Jewish children sufferers.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl North of Pocatello, spent the week-end at the home of Mrs. North's brother, Jerry Baker family.
Bruce Lampson, Mr. Mott and Mr. Faa attended the grain growers meeting here last week.
The poisoning of squirrels has been the diversion of the week, especially Friday which was the day set for the Arbon farmers. We either did a good [illegible] past year or they have [illegible] to another settlement as squirrels and gophers are not [illegible] plentiful [illegible] former years.
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bailey, Mrs. John Howell and Mrs. Melvin Bailey went to Pocatello on a shopping trip last Thursday.
Miss Ethel Johnston of the C. W. company of Malad, visited last week with relatives here.
Mr. and Mrs. David Ripley and children intend to leave next week for Oregon, where they will make their future home, having disposed of their home and interests here to a Mr. Lion of Oregon. A farewell social will be tendered the Ripleys at Central school building Friday of this week.
The Central school closed a very successful term of school here last Thursday the 6th. Miss Aurora Wall who has been the teacher, has done excellent work with the pupils during the term. Dinner was served at noon to the pupils and parents attending the last day. Musical selections by Margaret Allard, also several songs by the pupils was enjoyed by those present. A childrens' dance was given in the hall during the afternoon, pictures of the pupils was also taken during the day.
James Bailey and daughter Miss Edna Bailey, motored over to Malad last week on business.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Arbon received a telegram call from their daughter Della of Malad, Monday stating that her brother Joey, was ill with pneumonia, but not serious. Mr. and Mrs. Arbon left in the afternoon for Malad.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Keeler, Mrs. Ruth Keeler, Miss Constance Evans and Miss Margaret Allard went to Pocatello Saturday to hear the famous Marine band of Mare Island, Cal., consisting of 34 pieces. The party is known as "The Roving Marines." Louis Keeler, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Keeler, was formerly a member of this band for several years, but at present is in the coast guard, on the New Jersey coast.
Arbonites have been busy getting in their spring grain and the farmers wives their gardens the past week between showers. We have had considerable rain the past two weeks, and if moisture now has anything to with good crops this fall, we are alright.
The following are the best grades the Central school pupils at the end of this term; Edna Ripley 92.4, Margaret Allard 93.8.
School closed at Pauline Thursday, 6th. A fine program and supper was given in the evening to a large crowd.
On this site: the Arbon area history and the schools of Arbon Valley.
Sources
- American Falls Press, November 27, 1917, page 3
- American Falls Press, September 5, 1919, page 2
- American Falls Press, October 10, 1919, page 6
- American Falls Press, December 5, 1919, page 3
- American Falls Press, December 19, 1919, page 1
- American Falls Press, January 9, 1920, page 4
- American Falls Press, January 16, 1920, page 5
- American Falls Press, February 20, 1920, page 3
- American Falls Press, March 5, 1920, page 8
- American Falls Press, March 12, 1920, page 2
- American Falls Press, April 9, 1920, page 6
- American Falls Press, April 23, 1920, page 7
- American Falls Press, May 14, 1920, page 2
- American Falls Press, May 28, 1920, page 1
- American Falls Press, May 28, 1920, page 2
- American Falls Press, June 4, 1920, page 5
- American Falls Press, August 13, 1920, page 8
- American Falls Press, September 24, 1920, page 2
- American Falls Press, September 17, 1925, page 4