The First Darrington School – District 64

Darrington established School District #64 and went about building their first educational facility in 1893.  This school was located at what is now named Kirk Lake, south west of Darrington.  The school was constructed out of split hewed planed cedar.  Pioneer Nels Bruseth describes the opening of the new school. “The first school house in Darrington was on the old Hile place.  Everybody helped and everything except the windows was made out of native material.  Henry Miener hewed out desks, chairs and tables out of heavy cedar slabs”.

The people petitioned for a teacher.  The census showed many prospective pupils, stretching a point here and there.  However a teacher was recruited and the school started with four pupils.  A boy with the surname Smith, a girl with the surname of Allen, Dora Mieners and Harry Grafton.  The teacher came from Snohomish and his name was Jones

This school became referred the as the Hile School.  Several other students attended this school before it was abandoned and a second larger school constructed with split cedar was built further north. (no date or picture).  This historic school house was later purchased by A.H. Huber who employed prospector Everett Border to dismantle and haul it to Darrington.

The Third & Fourth Darrington Schools – District 64

After the arrival of the railroad, populations began to shift more toward living near the depots and sidings.  A third school was built to meet the growing needs of the community, and be more centered where the population was.  This next school was built near what is now called Darrington Street and Emens Street, adjacent to the Darrington Store, now Darrington NAPA Auto Parts.

This school was only open a short time, before it too, was deemed too small to meet the needs an expanding community.

Construction of the fourth school started in 1904, on what is now Riddle & Madison Avenues.  By 1905, another school room was added, and for the first time, Darrington employed two teachers.  This old school house was later used as a dwelling.

The Schools of Old School Park – District 319

In the year of 1920 Darrington began constructing the new grade school which was completed in 1921. It was a multi-room, two story building with a basement below. It was likely the tallest building in town at that time. It’s stately presence seemed to boast of prosperous times standing alone as it was on a large lot set aside solely for school use.

The town was in a boom and prosperous times abounded. It was no surprise then that the new school was no longer big enough to handle all of the students.  This would be the first school built at what today is Old School City Park.

The Schools of Old School Park – District 319

By 1925 construction of another school was started. This one was to house the high school students and was completed in 1926.  It seemed the expansion of Darrington would go on forever, but then in October 1929, it all changed.

The Great Depression did not spare Darrington. In 1930, as a reflection of the times, the town of Darrington received a report from the secretary of the state board of education, stating that high school facilities were “inadequate.” The Darrington School district #319 was challenged to reorganize, and acquire funding for a new high school.

The Schools of Old School Park – District 330

Construction of the new high school began in 1936, and it opened in 1937.  In spite of the Great Depression, the school board did procure the money needed to build a new high school. The school district reorganized to include all outlying schools.

All children caught the bus to Darrington, with the exception of the Whitehorse School to the west and White Pine School out on Sauk Prairie.   The old high school built in 1925 was cut and divided.  One half was moved off to become a home.  The other half remained on site and was used as a dormitory for some of the teachers then later was the school band building.

The Schools of Old School Park – District 330

A west wing was added in the year of 1952 or 1953 to house the elementary students.  The old two story elementary school built back in 1921 was torn down. For decades this multi story school served the community providing education for their youth. 

It was more than a building, it was a symbol of community spirit.  In spite of the Great Depression, Darrington had pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and has built a grand school. One surely to be proud of.

In the early 1990s, the modern high school was built where it is today. The old concrete block building was torn down. To this day, there are many bittersweet memories of that fateful day when the big school was demolished.  In honor of these special schools that contributed so much to the the growth of Darrington, this land was set aside as a park, which to this day still provides service to its community members.

Darrington’s Outlying School Districts

Before The Darrington School District reorganized and consolidated there were several smaller outlying communities that formed their own school districts.

Hazel Higgins School – District 90

The first school at Hazel, Washington opened in February of 1904 and was a simple school house made from cedar boards that were cut on site serving 25 square miles.  A second improved school was built in 1905 on land allocated by early homesteader Walter B. Higgins.  This school was called the Higgins School.

This served the community until 1924 after bad floods damaged the school and the Hazel District #90 consolidated with the Darrington School District #319 and all kids were bussed up to Darrington.  The second school, badly damaged, was salvaged and moved to build a large chicken house on the Pierson farm.

According to Hazel Holms, now deceased, in 1922, some of the students at the Higgins School were Mildred O’Conner and Albert Ensen in the 7th grade, Bill Pierson in the 5th grade, Blanche and Hazel Knights in the 2nd grade, Helen and Elizabeth Jackson, Nancy Ann Kann and Hazel _____ .

Irving School – District 72

The Irving School opened their doors in 1916. This school was located 1/4 mile east of the railroad crossing at Swede Heaven. It was closed on the same day that the new Whitehorse School opened. Says a nostalgic Finas Skeers, ” The Irving school closed the same morning that the new Whitehorse School opened in 1923.  We gathered our things and walked to the new school. The old school bell was also moved and that became the Whitehorse school bell.”

The Irving School was then used as an office for the L.D.R. saw mill. Later the school was salvaged to moved to a homestead at Arlington Heights and what was left behind at the old site caught fire and burned. You can still see the old chimneys alongside the Whitehorse Trail.

Going from left to right: Finas Skeers, George Furland, Carl Gladsjo, Kenny Price, Harold Lee, Irene Mathew, Ida May Clark, Nioma Lee, Noreen Denman, Clark…., Hollis Shipley, George Skeers, Wesley Clark, Gene Simmons, Ernie Gladsjo, Evelyn Lan, Eudica (The Teacher), Fred Thorton, Eva Vernal Clark, Rachel Adams, Ivan Lee, Paul Lee, Floyd Lee, Burger Getchman, Harry Skaglund, Al Shipley, Lenora Lee, Gene Lane, Cass Clark, Doris Clark, Karen Skaglund, ……., Harry Asplund, Cynthia Getcman, Winston Baldwin, Agnes Skaglund, Clara Campbell, Miss Cruitsburg (The Teacher), Margret Lane “Barky”, Dooy Clark, Ivy Clark, Oval Shipley, Ella Baldwin, Katherine Campbell “Bates”, Hazel Furland, Hazel…., Bob Getchman  – Indentified by Eva Walker and Ester Traulsen 1999.

Whitehorse School – District 72

The Whitehorse School opened the same day the Irving School closed in 1923.  This modern four room schoolhouse would better serve the crowded 40 students of the old Irving School.  It also made it easier for the growing families of Whitehorse to go to school.

In 1932 when the Darrington School District #319 reorganized during the Great Depression, it consolidated all outlining schools becoming District 330, including the two schools in Skagit County, The Bennettville School and the Mansford School.  All high school students were bused to Darrington.  The Whitehorse School and White Pine School remained open as a grade school.  In 1957 the Whitehorse School was closed

After the School was closed it was used as a community center and the local Women’s Club continued to meet there.  Later this building was torn down and a smaller community center replaced it.  The Women’s Club moved to Oso forming the current Oso Womens Auxiliary.

Bennettville School – District 54

The Bennettville School was built in 1918. This building was also the first home of the Mansford Grange #710 and was where they held their organizational elections on September 25, 1919. After the school districts merged in the 1930s and the kids were bussed to Darrington, the old school was used as a community building, a Sunday school and a  dance facility. In 1940 Bennetville School burned to the ground.

Front Row: Mrs. J. C. Ingman a teacher, Lyman Younkin, Marion Bennett, George Johnson, James Enick, Irving Olson, Ray Bennett, Elmer Joby, Gladys Gustafson, Agnes White, Alma Bryson, Elmer Gustafson, Harold Maxwell, Ruth white, Eileen Gustafson, Clifford Sullivan, David Ingman, Lois Moore, Dorothy Thompson, June Johnson, Miss Alice Christman a teacher.

Back Row: Gladys Youngblood, Hazel Gustafson, Geraldine Faucett, Martha Conrad, Joyce Joby, Esther Gustafson, Helen Johnson, Louise Jones, Vera Faucett, Virginia Faucett, Martin Olson.

Mansford School – District 54

The Mansford School built 1927 (circa) was the only school to later consolidate with the Darrington School District outside of Snohomish County.  This school was located north on Sauk Prairie near the current junction of E. Sauk Prairie Road & Mel Garton Pl.  This was a one room schoolhouse teaching all eight grades.  The Darrington School District #319 included all outlying schools and in 1932 when the Darrington District went through reorganization becoming District #330 which it still is today, all high school students were bused to Darrington leaving the outlying schools used as grade schools.  In 1957 all outlying schools were closed and all students were bused to the Darrington school.

White Pine School – District unknown

The White Pine School opened in 1921 out on the Sauk Prairie.  There were two schools out on Sauk Prairie, the Mansford School to the North in Skagit County and White Pine School to the south in Snohomish County.  The two schools were divided by the County lines.

Mrs. Pearl Towne Reece taught the students at White Pine School teaching all eight grades, all at the same time, at one time up to 20 students, each grade needing separately prepared lessons.

When the Darrington School District #319 reorganized in 1932, consolidating becoming District #330, high school students were bused the the new high school in Darrington.  The White Pine School remained open as a grade school for the Sauk Prairie students.

All the small outlying schools in the area were closed during in 1957 and all students bused to Darrington.  The White Pine School since its closure has been used as a dwelling.

Bedal School – District 88

The first and only schoolhouse at Bedal, was built back in 1908, by a man of the name of Joe Welch.  An attendance of at least five pupils was required for building a school and being assigned a School District.  Mr Kaye was the first teacher, teaching the requisite five students, three which were children from the Bedal family.

The Bedal School was very remote, in the middle of Monte Cristo and Darrington, and far from both.  Over it’s short duration six teachers taught at this school, Mr. Kaye, Miss Isabelle working with Miss Pansy Mallet, Miss Lugenbeel, Miss Isabelle Ross and Miss Edith From.  The School consolidated with the Darrington District in 1918.

The Bedal Schoolhouse photo shows teacher Pansy Mallet, her brother Vivien, Harry, Jean, Edith and Lucy Bedal.

Source – Two Voices, written by Jean Bedal Fish & Edith Bedal

Other Surrounding School Districts –

Monte Cristo School, District 70, opened in 1893

Jim Creek School, District 79, opened 1900

Halterman School, Disctrict 94, opened 1905

Cicero School, District 59, opened 1892

Oso School, District 27, opened 1888

Trafton School, District 26, opened 1888