Category: The Forties – Education

Introduction:  A couple of scenes at Y.H.S.

Introduction:  The Yelm PTA maintained scrapbooks for a number of years of their existence.  The 1948-49 scrapbook contains many artifacts from the era, including newspaper clippings, photos and fliers.  These were all painstakingly mounted and labeled.  (Opening page of the scrapbook) The materials in this section are from that scrapbook.  This scrapbook maintained by Mrs. Alice Prescott won “honors” at the state convention that spring.

Teachers in the Yelm School District

 

Grade School

Superintendent                     Marvin Stevens

Principal                                 Harry Southworth

1^st Grade                                Cassie Pierce

                                                Thea Spencer

2^nd Grade                               Mae Hubbard

3^rd Grade                               Elsie Wheeler

2^nd and 3^rd Grade                 Georgianna Southworth

4^th Grade                               Ruby Donaldson

5^th Grade                               William Skillings

4^th and 5^th Grade                  Grace Groutage

6^th Grade                               Casmir Biesiada

7^th Grade                               Lillian Nichols

                                                Alice Prescott

8^th Grade                               Frances Smith

                                                William Olsen

High School

Superintendent                     Marvin Stevens

Principal                                 Frank Bower

English                                   Mari Hoff

English                                   Evelyn Coubrough

Commercial                           Eugenia Fairbanks

Social Science                        Edgar Prescott

Home Economics                  Joan Witcher

Vocational Ag                        Martin Teeter

Science, P.E.                          John Spencer

Music                                      Anton Hillisland

Teacher’s Reception Held at Grade School Thursday

Nisqually Valley News   September 30, 1948

The new grade school auditorium was no too large to accommodate the large group of people who turned out en masse to welcome the teachers at their reception on Thursday evening.  The affair was sponsored by the Yelm Garden Club, aided by various other organizations.  A most delightful evening was spent in meeting and greeting the teachers and friends. 

Mrs. Clarence Hughes, program chairman for the Garden Club, presided and called upon Mayor Nate Henderson, who extended official greetings to the teacher.  Superintendent Marvin Stevens responded and presented principals Frank Bower of the high school, Harry Southworth of the Yelm grade school and William Thun of the McKenna grade school, who in turn introduced other members of the faculty.  Mrs. Eva Vandiver gave two lovely solos, taken from the Desert Song.  Truman Wilcox also sang two beautiful solos, with Mrs. Alice Meredith at the piano.

Much interest has been shown recently regarding a Parent Teacher Association in Yelm, therefore Mrs. Truman Wilcox told of the activities of the McKenna PTA and offered the aid of the McKenna group (said to be the oldest in the state of Washington), in helping to organize an association such an organization and  finally voted to set next Tuesday evening,  October 5^th, for the organization meeting.  This meeting will be held at 8 o’clock in the Yelm grade school auditorium.  Mrs. Harold Wolf obtained a long list of names of future members at the meeting, but everyone in the Yelm district is urged to come and join the PTA next Tuesday evening.  We are all interested in out school regardless of the fact that we may have no children of our own attending.

Mrs. Phoebe Miller, president of the Garden Club, together with a committee, arranged baskets of fall flowers on the stage and in the school cafeteria where the refreshments were served.  Mrs. Marvin Stevens and Mrs. Chester Riechel poured from a long satin damask covered table, centered with asters and rose buds, and flanked by tall white tapers, Mrs. Earl Pollard was in charge of refreshments.

Corsages were presented to the lady teachers and boutonnieres to the men.  Clever programs were received giving a complete list of the teachers and also presented a novel mixer for meeting and greeting them.

The W.S.C.S., Altar Society, the Wesleyan Guild, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Missionary Council of the Assembly of God Church, the American legion Auxiliary and the Des Chutes Grange all aided in making the evening a success.

 

 

 

Parent-Teacher Association Formed Here Tuesday

Nisqually Valley News   October 7, 1948

After some fifteen or more years, Yelm again has a Parent-Teacher Association.  Judging from the enthusiasm shown at the meeting held in the grade school auditorium on Tuesday evening, this group shows promise of becoming one of the important and certainly much needed organizations of the town.  School Superintendent Marvin Stevens opened the meeting.  After extending greetings, he introduced Anton Hillesland, music instructor, who presented a group of student of the Yelm High School band in several selections.  Already the band shows much promise, after only a few rehearsals.

Mr. Stevens then introduced Mrs. H.O. Martin, of the McKenna P.T.A. who was in charge of the organization of the new unit.  The McKenna P.T.A. is the oldest of such organizations in the state of Washington.  Mrs. Martin appointed Mrs. Truman Wilcox as acting secretary, who read the call for the new organization.  Mrs. Martin then introduced Mrs. Gussie Robinson, president of the McKenna P.T.A.

Mr. Stevens was then asked to speak.  He responded by outlining the many advantages gained by the school and pupils as well as the parents by having a Parent Teacher Association.  The school and the pupils need the parent’s aid and certainly the parent must need to know of their child’s school life and conditions.

Mrs. Martin nest presented Mrs. Frances Eacrett, of Shelton, who the District president of P.T.A.  Mrs. Eacrett was enthusiastic in her praise of the beautiful and modern Yelm schools.  She said many schools in the state were over crowded and few have the space, the new modern equipment and the new buildings that Yelm has.  She told of the laws governing a Parent-Teacher organization and explained its purpose and means of carrying on.  She had a most pleasing personality and all enjoyed hearing her as well as the vice president, Mrs. Waldo King, of Olympia.  Mrs. King told of ways and means of financing the organization and of problems clarified in her unit. 

After the group voted to organize the election of officers was held and the meeting date set for the first Tuesday evening of each month.  The next meeting will be on November 2^nd at the grade school auditorium.

Several nominations were made for each office, and the following were elected as officers for the Yelm P.T.A.  Helen Wolf, president; Milo Schneider first vice resident; Louise Pollard, second vice president; Eva Tucker secretary and Frank Bower, treasurer.  The McKenna P.T.A., aided by Mrs. Eacrett and Mrs. King installed the new officers for the ensuing year and the district officers extended their congratulations and best wishes.

Mrs. Wolf expressed her appreciation and pledged her support in helping to make the Yelm P.T.A., a splendid organization.  She thanked the visitors and especially Mrs. Martin and the McKenna unit for aiding in so many ways in the organization and invited them to be present often.

Milo Schneider was appointed program chairman and he requested the members to send in a note suggesting what type of programs they wished speakers or committee appointment suggestion.  Frank Bower is already collecting dues which were set at $1 per person or $1.50 for husband and wife.

Mrs. Margie Eide suggested that the new organization should take as their first project the urging of everyone to vote at the coming election on Nov. 2^nd and to vote for the five mill levy which will provide for the much needed school bus for the Lackamas district and help to maintain the present teaching staff at McKenna.

Refreshments completed the meeting and were provided by Mrs. Louise Pollard.    

 

 

Special School Levy to Be Voted on November 2^nd

Nisqually Valley News   October 7, 1948

The voters of Yelm School District will have an opportunity to vote on a special 5 mill tax levy, which will enable the school to purchase new school buses.  The school is operating buses that are over 12 years old and need to be replaced as soon as possible.

An additional bus for the Lackamas route has been purchased and is expected to be delivered and put in to service next week.  Due to the fact that the 5 mill special levy proposed in September failed to receive a 60% majority (385 voted yes-324 voted no, which is only 54%) it was necessary to cancel plans for a new bus and to borrow money to obtain a used bus.  The district was indeed fortunate to find another district that had an excellent bus with new motor, new tires and brakes, that was too small for their route.

If this levy fails, the board will probably be forced to reduce transportation services.  This will mean that all those within two (2) miles will be compelled to walk or furnish their own transportation.  The State law requires schools to furnish transportation for only those living more than two miles.  Those within two miles are being transported only as an additional service extended to them by the school board.

Pre School Group Meets in Kindergarten Room

Nisqually Valley News   November 12, 1948

Called by the Pre School Committee, appointed by the Executive Committee of the P.T.A., the first meeting of Pre School took place in the kindergarten room on Tuesday, November called for the minutes of the Committee, which were read by Mrs. Percy Herness, secretary of the group.  Mrs. Olson then asked mother to stand according to the age of their children and appointed committees for program and hospitality on this basis.  Mothers of infants up to one year will have charge of the program and hospitality on December 2^nd.

Mrs. Olson introduced Mrs. Waldo King, Mrs. William Sherman and Mrs. Loring of Olympia Pre School, who talked on the procedures followed in the Pre School organization.  The Yelm group was asked to function for this year as a study group under the general PTA executive committee of TPTA, their president to serve on that committee and keep both groups in touch.

Mr. Dallas Edwards volunteered to present the need of kindergarten in Yelm schools to the School Board at its next meeting.  Mrs. Olson presented the Pre School project – clothing for small children of St. Lo, France.  It was agreed to make up a box to be sent at once and to collect items of clothing to be sent later, at the December meeting.  Mrs.  Wilma Demich volunteered to be responsible for getting the first package mailed.  Mrs. Joe Alongi was elected vice president of Pre School.  Mrs. Scharman presented the PTA magazine, “Parent Teacher,” and reminded the group that she would be glad to accept their subscriptions.  Mrs. Frank Bower accepted payment of dues for PTA Membership.

The planning committee, consisting of Mrs. William Olson, Mrs. Joe Alongi, Mrs. Osborne Edwards, Mrs. Percy Herness, Mrs. Wilma Demich, Mrs. Harold Willard and Mrs. Harold Wolf, served coffee and cookies during the social hour which followed the meeting.  A very enthusiastic response to the first meeting was gratifying to the committee and to all those people who have felt a Pre School organization was needed in the community.

 

 

Save the Date December 7

Nisqually Valley News   November 18, 1948

Do you want to see “the wheels go round” in modern education – want to know how to today’s child learns his three “R’s” and how today’s schools differ from the ones “when you were young”?  Do you think modern methods a bunch of fol-de-rol and long for the class room equipped with benches, a black board and a food stout ruler.

If you are interested in modern trends, in schools as they are operated today and most if all if you are interested in children – you will put a mark on your calendar for December 7^th, the next PTA meeting to be held in the Yelm Grade School auditorium.

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten May Start in January at Yelm School

Nisqually Valley News   November 25, 1948

Mrs. Dallas Edwards presented the Pre School report for a Kindergarten in January, at the meeting of the Yelm school board on Wednesday evening.  Following is the recommendation of the school board:

Due to the fact that there is not sufficient funds in this year’s budget to employ a kindergarten teachers, the school board decided that they could not hire a teacher.  A suggestion was made that the parents of the children would attend assess themselves a fee (probably of $1.00 a week) to defray the teachers salary for this first half year.  In September, 1949, here would them be money forthcoming from the State to pay for the teacher. 

The school board decided that other expenses could be paid for out of the present budget, including transportation.

The transportation would have to be worked out after a spot map was made showing the location of the students.  Children coming in the morning would ride the regular bus.  At noon a short route with one bus would be run probably to McKenna, Four Corners, etc., and back to Yelm, delivering the morning group and picking up the afternoon group would then ride home on the regular bus. 

It was felt that in order to operate a kindergarten there would have to be an enrollment at least between 40 and 50.

A committee of Pre School mothers will be in charge of canvassing the territory, assisting Mrs. Edwards, to determine whether the above plan is feasible.  Further announcement will be made concerning an opportunity to register children of kindergarten age by mothers who would be interested.

Large Crowd Present for Monthly PTA Meeting

Nisqually Valley News   December 9, 1948

Eighty-five parents and teachers were present at the monthly P.T.A. meeting held Tuesday evening at the grade school auditorium.  Mrs. H.E. Wolf opened the meeting with all singing “America” and saluting the flag.  Rev. Frank May of the Assembly of God led in prayer.  The High School Girls Trio, Sylvia Throssell Alice Waage and Frankie Halstead, sand “Steal Away” and “There Are Such Things,” accompanied by Utalee Medley, Mrs. Eva Tucker read the minutes of the past two P.T.A. meetings and also the minutes and suggestions of the three executive committee meetings.  These were approved and accepted. 

Mrs. Wolf announced the P.T.A. money raising project for the year which will be a box social and talent show on January 27^th.  Miss Opal Lynne sand a solo, accompanied by Sylvia Throssell.

The executive committee chairmen gave a brief report and introduced the members of their committee.  Milo Schneider, program chairman, passed out yearbooks for 1948-1949.  The neat little book gives the yearly program for every meeting, the theme being “World_ Understanding_ Begins_ at Home.”

Superintendent Marvin Stevens reported on the school legislative program which is to be submitted to the State Legislature.  A plan to keep students in school until they are eighteen years of age or until graduation was reported on – the present law setting the age at sixteen.  Mr. Stevens gave a fine demonstration on “Teaching Aids”, used on our own school, ending with a twenty minute movie stressing the fact that better education means better living.

W.R. Simcox led in community singing and the group was invited to meet at seven thirty each meeting night for community singing, proceeding the opening of the business meeting at eight.

A social hour followed the meeting in the cafeteria, with everyone enjoying pumpkin pie and coffee.

Talent Show and Box Social Held on Thursday Evening

Nisqually Valley News   January 27, 1949

FLASH!!!

More than 200 people were present for this affair, and all the beautiful baskets sold readily.

As the paper goes to press it is too early to repot the results of the PTA Talent Show and Box Social, but the planning and practicing and list of local celebrities would guarantee that nothing short of a complete lack of co-operation by the weatherman could keep the big social event of the PTA calendar from being a real success.

W.R. Simcox is scheduled to lead community singing at 7:30 – a delightful custom which has grown in popularity at PTA meetings.  At 8:00 the program is introduced by that genial and popular master of ceremonies Harry Southworth.  Mr. Hillesland of the High School Music Department will lead the band in several numbers.  Little Gail Vandiver, a very young artist who is following in the footsteps of her talented mother, will be heard in vocal selections.  Mr. Simcox w lilsing, accompanying himself onto the ukulele.  “The Patterson Dinner,” a one act play will be presented under the co-direction of Mrs. A. Weeks and Mrs. William Mosman.  The part of Mrs. Patterson is plated by Mrs. Earl Pollard.  Her three daughters are to be played by Miss Evelyn Coubrough, Colette Fields and Rita Belland.  Her sister, Clara, is played by Miss Eugenia Fairbanks and the charming but unpredictable maid is played by Mrs. Ray Kinney.  Bob Weeks will be heard in guitar solos.  Tap dancing numbers are being presented by Lucile Brown. 

Four male members of the faculty are to maker their debut in a hilarious skit which presents men acting as women do to similar situations.  Marvin Stevens, Frank Bower, Harry Southworth and Jack Spencer were scheduled to appear in this production.  Due to illness, Mr. Stevens will be unable to be present and his part is being played by Wm. Olson.

Lou O. Cochrane will auction the baskets following the program.  The baskets will be received by Lee Scharmann, Nancy Heath and Suzy Nicolich and will be marked so as to be auctioned in appropriated age groupings (grade school, high school and adult).

General chairman for the affair was Herman Mueller.  Publicity was handled by Mrs. Bob Wright with the assistance of the art class, directed by Marvin Stevens.  Assisting Mr. Mueller on his committee were Mrs. Austin Weeks, Mrs. Frank Bower, Mrs. Ramsey, and Mr. and Mrs. Neal Sherman.  Mrs. Weeks wishes to express the appreciation of the PTA to co-operating members of the cast and to Marie Curry and Rev. Wm. Richards.

 

 

Report of the Landscape Committee

A new project has been started by the Yelm P.T.A. for plantings around the new grade school building, comprising two hundred lineal feet.

The Agricultural Department of Yelm High School will take over as its project the filling in and planting of the lawn.  This has already been started preparatory to the placing of shrubs which will be supervised by the assigned committee:

Mrs. Florine Bradley, chairman; Mr. Martin Teeter; Mr. George Sickles; Mr. Massey; Mr. Marvin Stevens.

                                                Mrs. Florine Bradley

                                                Chairman

The Yelm PTA:  1948-49

 

Introduction:  The Yelm PTA maintained scrapbooks for a number of years of their existence.  The 1948-49 scrapbook contains many artifacts from the era, including newspaper clippings, photos and fliers.  These were all painstakingly mounted and labeled.  (Opening page of the scrapbook) The materials in this section are from that scrapbook.  This scrapbook maintained by Mrs. Alice Prescott won “honors” at the state convention that spring.

Teachers in the Yelm School District

 

Grade School

Superintendent                     Marvin Stevens

Principal                                 Harry Southworth

1^st Grade                                Cassie Pierce

                                                Thea Spencer

2^nd Grade                               Mae Hubbard

3^rd Grade                               Elsie Wheeler

2^nd and 3^rd Grade                 Georgianna Southworth

4^th Grade                               Ruby Donaldson

5^th Grade                               William Skillings

4^th and 5^th Grade                  Grace Groutage

6^th Grade                               Casmir Biesiada

7^th Grade                               Lillian Nichols

                                                Alice Prescott

8^th Grade                               Frances Smith

                                                William Olsen

High School

Superintendent                     Marvin Stevens

Principal                                 Frank Bower

English                                   Mari Hoff

English                                   Evelyn Coubrough

Commercial                           Eugenia Fairbanks

Social Science                        Edgar Prescott

Home Economics                  Joan Witcher

Vocational Ag                        Martin Teeter

Science, P.E.                          John Spencer

Music                                      Anton Hillisland

Teacher’s Reception Held at Grade School Thursday

Nisqually Valley News   September 30, 1948

The new grade school auditorium was no too large to accommodate the large group of people who turned out en masse to welcome the teachers at their reception on Thursday evening.  The affair was sponsored by the Yelm Garden Club, aided by various other organizations.  A most delightful evening was spent in meeting and greeting the teachers and friends. 

Mrs. Clarence Hughes, program chairman for the Garden Club, presided and called upon Mayor Nate Henderson, who extended official greetings to the teacher.  Superintendent Marvin Stevens responded and presented principals Frank Bower of the high school, Harry Southworth of the Yelm grade school and William Thun of the McKenna grade school, who in turn introduced other members of the faculty.  Mrs. Eva Vandiver gave two lovely solos, taken from the Desert Song.  Truman Wilcox also sang two beautiful solos, with Mrs. Alice Meredith at the piano.

Much interest has been shown recently regarding a Parent Teacher Association in Yelm, therefore Mrs. Truman Wilcox told of the activities of the McKenna PTA and offered the aid of the McKenna group (said to be the oldest in the state of Washington), in helping to organize an association such an organization and  finally voted to set next Tuesday evening,  October 5^th, for the organization meeting.  This meeting will be held at 8 o’clock in the Yelm grade school auditorium.  Mrs. Harold Wolf obtained a long list of names of future members at the meeting, but everyone in the Yelm district is urged to come and join the PTA next Tuesday evening.  We are all interested in out school regardless of the fact that we may have no children of our own attending.

Mrs. Phoebe Miller, president of the Garden Club, together with a committee, arranged baskets of fall flowers on the stage and in the school cafeteria where the refreshments were served.  Mrs. Marvin Stevens and Mrs. Chester Riechel poured from a long satin damask covered table, centered with asters and rose buds, and flanked by tall white tapers, Mrs. Earl Pollard was in charge of refreshments.

Corsages were presented to the lady teachers and boutonnieres to the men.  Clever programs were received giving a complete list of the teachers and also presented a novel mixer for meeting and greeting them.

The W.S.C.S., Altar Society, the Wesleyan Guild, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Missionary Council of the Assembly of God Church, the American legion Auxiliary and the Des Chutes Grange all aided in making the evening a success.

 

 

 

Parent-Teacher Association Formed Here Tuesday

Nisqually Valley News   October 7, 1948

After some fifteen or more years, Yelm again has a Parent-Teacher Association.  Judging from the enthusiasm shown at the meeting held in the grade school auditorium on Tuesday evening, this group shows promise of becoming one of the important and certainly much needed organizations of the town.  School Superintendent Marvin Stevens opened the meeting.  After extending greetings, he introduced Anton Hillesland, music instructor, who presented a group of student of the Yelm High School band in several selections.  Already the band shows much promise, after only a few rehearsals.

Mr. Stevens then introduced Mrs. H.O. Martin, of the McKenna P.T.A. who was in charge of the organization of the new unit.  The McKenna P.T.A. is the oldest of such organizations in the state of Washington.  Mrs. Martin appointed Mrs. Truman Wilcox as acting secretary, who read the call for the new organization.  Mrs. Martin then introduced Mrs. Gussie Robinson, president of the McKenna P.T.A.

Mr. Stevens was then asked to speak.  He responded by outlining the many advantages gained by the school and pupils as well as the parents by having a Parent Teacher Association.  The school and the pupils need the parent’s aid and certainly the parent must need to know of their child’s school life and conditions.

Mrs. Martin nest presented Mrs. Frances Eacrett, of Shelton, who the District president of P.T.A.  Mrs. Eacrett was enthusiastic in her praise of the beautiful and modern Yelm schools.  She said many schools in the state were over crowded and few have the space, the new modern equipment and the new buildings that Yelm has.  She told of the laws governing a Parent-Teacher organization and explained its purpose and means of carrying on.  She had a most pleasing personality and all enjoyed hearing her as well as the vice president, Mrs. Waldo King, of Olympia.  Mrs. King told of ways and means of financing the organization and of problems clarified in her unit. 

After the group voted to organize the election of officers was held and the meeting date set for the first Tuesday evening of each month.  The next meeting will be on November 2^nd at the grade school auditorium.

Several nominations were made for each office, and the following were elected as officers for the Yelm P.T.A.  Helen Wolf, president; Milo Schneider first vice resident; Louise Pollard, second vice president; Eva Tucker secretary and Frank Bower, treasurer.  The McKenna P.T.A., aided by Mrs. Eacrett and Mrs. King installed the new officers for the ensuing year and the district officers extended their congratulations and best wishes.

Mrs. Wolf expressed her appreciation and pledged her support in helping to make the Yelm P.T.A., a splendid organization.  She thanked the visitors and especially Mrs. Martin and the McKenna unit for aiding in so many ways in the organization and invited them to be present often.

Milo Schneider was appointed program chairman and he requested the members to send in a note suggesting what type of programs they wished speakers or committee appointment suggestion.  Frank Bower is already collecting dues which were set at $1 per person or $1.50 for husband and wife.

Mrs. Margie Eide suggested that the new organization should take as their first project the urging of everyone to vote at the coming election on Nov. 2^nd and to vote for the five mill levy which will provide for the much needed school bus for the Lackamas district and help to maintain the present teaching staff at McKenna.

Refreshments completed the meeting and were provided by Mrs. Louise Pollard.    

 

 

Special School Levy to Be Voted on November 2^nd

Nisqually Valley News   October 7, 1948

The voters of Yelm School District will have an opportunity to vote on a special 5 mill tax levy, which will enable the school to purchase new school buses.  The school is operating buses that are over 12 years old and need to be replaced as soon as possible.

An additional bus for the Lackamas route has been purchased and is expected to be delivered and put in to service next week.  Due to the fact that the 5 mill special levy proposed in September failed to receive a 60% majority (385 voted yes-324 voted no, which is only 54%) it was necessary to cancel plans for a new bus and to borrow money to obtain a used bus.  The district was indeed fortunate to find another district that had an excellent bus with new motor, new tires and brakes, that was too small for their route.

If this levy fails, the board will probably be forced to reduce transportation services.  This will mean that all those within two (2) miles will be compelled to walk or furnish their own transportation.  The State law requires schools to furnish transportation for only those living more than two miles.  Those within two miles are being transported only as an additional service extended to them by the school board.

Pre School Group Meets in Kindergarten Room

Nisqually Valley News   November 12, 1948

Called by the Pre School Committee, appointed by the Executive Committee of the P.T.A., the first meeting of Pre School took place in the kindergarten room on Tuesday, November called for the minutes of the Committee, which were read by Mrs. Percy Herness, secretary of the group.  Mrs. Olson then asked mother to stand according to the age of their children and appointed committees for program and hospitality on this basis.  Mothers of infants up to one year will have charge of the program and hospitality on December 2^nd.

Mrs. Olson introduced Mrs. Waldo King, Mrs. William Sherman and Mrs. Loring of Olympia Pre School, who talked on the procedures followed in the Pre School organization.  The Yelm group was asked to function for this year as a study group under the general PTA executive committee of TPTA, their president to serve on that committee and keep both groups in touch.

Mr. Dallas Edwards volunteered to present the need of kindergarten in Yelm schools to the School Board at its next meeting.  Mrs. Olson presented the Pre School project – clothing for small children of St. Lo, France.  It was agreed to make up a box to be sent at once and to collect items of clothing to be sent later, at the December meeting.  Mrs.  Wilma Demich volunteered to be responsible for getting the first package mailed.  Mrs. Joe Alongi was elected vice president of Pre School.  Mrs. Scharman presented the PTA magazine, “Parent Teacher,” and reminded the group that she would be glad to accept their subscriptions.  Mrs. Frank Bower accepted payment of dues for PTA Membership.

The planning committee, consisting of Mrs. William Olson, Mrs. Joe Alongi, Mrs. Osborne Edwards, Mrs. Percy Herness, Mrs. Wilma Demich, Mrs. Harold Willard and Mrs. Harold Wolf, served coffee and cookies during the social hour which followed the meeting.  A very enthusiastic response to the first meeting was gratifying to the committee and to all those people who have felt a Pre School organization was needed in the community.

 

 

Save the Date December 7

Nisqually Valley News   November 18, 1948

Do you want to see “the wheels go round” in modern education – want to know how to today’s child learns his three “R’s” and how today’s schools differ from the ones “when you were young”?  Do you think modern methods a bunch of fol-de-rol and long for the class room equipped with benches, a black board and a food stout ruler.

If you are interested in modern trends, in schools as they are operated today and most if all if you are interested in children – you will put a mark on your calendar for December 7^th, the next PTA meeting to be held in the Yelm Grade School auditorium.

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten May Start in January at Yelm School

Nisqually Valley News   November 25, 1948

Mrs. Dallas Edwards presented the Pre School report for a Kindergarten in January, at the meeting of the Yelm school board on Wednesday evening.  Following is the recommendation of the school board:

Due to the fact that there is not sufficient funds in this year’s budget to employ a kindergarten teachers, the school board decided that they could not hire a teacher.  A suggestion was made that the parents of the children would attend assess themselves a fee (probably of $1.00 a week) to defray the teachers salary for this first half year.  In September, 1949, here would them be money forthcoming from the State to pay for the teacher. 

The school board decided that other expenses could be paid for out of the present budget, including transportation.

The transportation would have to be worked out after a spot map was made showing the location of the students.  Children coming in the morning would ride the regular bus.  At noon a short route with one bus would be run probably to McKenna, Four Corners, etc., and back to Yelm, delivering the morning group and picking up the afternoon group would then ride home on the regular bus. 

It was felt that in order to operate a kindergarten there would have to be an enrollment at least between 40 and 50.

A committee of Pre School mothers will be in charge of canvassing the territory, assisting Mrs. Edwards, to determine whether the above plan is feasible.  Further announcement will be made concerning an opportunity to register children of kindergarten age by mothers who would be interested.

Large Crowd Present for Monthly PTA Meeting

Nisqually Valley News   December 9, 1948

Eighty-five parents and teachers were present at the monthly P.T.A. meeting held Tuesday evening at the grade school auditorium.  Mrs. H.E. Wolf opened the meeting with all singing “America” and saluting the flag.  Rev. Frank May of the Assembly of God led in prayer.  The High School Girls Trio, Sylvia Throssell Alice Waage and Frankie Halstead, sand “Steal Away” and “There Are Such Things,” accompanied by Utalee Medley, Mrs. Eva Tucker read the minutes of the past two P.T.A. meetings and also the minutes and suggestions of the three executive committee meetings.  These were approved and accepted. 

Mrs. Wolf announced the P.T.A. money raising project for the year which will be a box social and talent show on January 27^th.  Miss Opal Lynne sand a solo, accompanied by Sylvia Throssell.

The executive committee chairmen gave a brief report and introduced the members of their committee.  Milo Schneider, program chairman, passed out yearbooks for 1948-1949.  The neat little book gives the yearly program for every meeting, the theme being “World_ Understanding_ Begins_ at Home.”

Superintendent Marvin Stevens reported on the school legislative program which is to be submitted to the State Legislature.  A plan to keep students in school until they are eighteen years of age or until graduation was reported on – the present law setting the age at sixteen.  Mr. Stevens gave a fine demonstration on “Teaching Aids”, used on our own school, ending with a twenty minute movie stressing the fact that better education means better living.

W.R. Simcox led in community singing and the group was invited to meet at seven thirty each meeting night for community singing, proceeding the opening of the business meeting at eight.

A social hour followed the meeting in the cafeteria, with everyone enjoying pumpkin pie and coffee.

Talent Show and Box Social Held on Thursday Evening

Nisqually Valley News   January 27, 1949

FLASH!!!

More than 200 people were present for this affair, and all the beautiful baskets sold readily.

As the paper goes to press it is too early to repot the results of the PTA Talent Show and Box Social, but the planning and practicing and list of local celebrities would guarantee that nothing short of a complete lack of co-operation by the weatherman could keep the big social event of the PTA calendar from being a real success.

W.R. Simcox is scheduled to lead community singing at 7:30 – a delightful custom which has grown in popularity at PTA meetings.  At 8:00 the program is introduced by that genial and popular master of ceremonies Harry Southworth.  Mr. Hillesland of the High School Music Department will lead the band in several numbers.  Little Gail Vandiver, a very young artist who is following in the footsteps of her talented mother, will be heard in vocal selections.  Mr. Simcox w lilsing, accompanying himself onto the ukulele.  “The Patterson Dinner,” a one act play will be presented under the co-direction of Mrs. A. Weeks and Mrs. William Mosman.  The part of Mrs. Patterson is plated by Mrs. Earl Pollard.  Her three daughters are to be played by Miss Evelyn Coubrough, Colette Fields and Rita Belland.  Her sister, Clara, is played by Miss Eugenia Fairbanks and the charming but unpredictable maid is played by Mrs. Ray Kinney.  Bob Weeks will be heard in guitar solos.  Tap dancing numbers are being presented by Lucile Brown. 

Four male members of the faculty are to maker their debut in a hilarious skit which presents men acting as women do to similar situations.  Marvin Stevens, Frank Bower, Harry Southworth and Jack Spencer were scheduled to appear in this production.  Due to illness, Mr. Stevens will be unable to be present and his part is being played by Wm. Olson.

Lou O. Cochrane will auction the baskets following the program.  The baskets will be received by Lee Scharmann, Nancy Heath and Suzy Nicolich and will be marked so as to be auctioned in appropriated age groupings (grade school, high school and adult).

General chairman for the affair was Herman Mueller.  Publicity was handled by Mrs. Bob Wright with the assistance of the art class, directed by Marvin Stevens.  Assisting Mr. Mueller on his committee were Mrs. Austin Weeks, Mrs. Frank Bower, Mrs. Ramsey, and Mr. and Mrs. Neal Sherman.  Mrs. Weeks wishes to express the appreciation of the PTA to co-operating members of the cast and to Marie Curry and Rev. Wm. Richards.

 

 

Report of the Landscape Committee

A new project has been started by the Yelm P.T.A. for plantings around the new grade school building, comprising two hundred lineal feet.

The Agricultural Department of Yelm High School will take over as its project the filling in and planting of the lawn.  This has already been started preparatory to the placing of shrubs which will be supervised by the assigned committee:

Mrs. Florine Bradley, chairman; Mr. Martin Teeter; Mr. George Sickles; Mr. Massey; Mr. Marvin Stevens.

                                                Mrs. Florine Bradley

                                                Chairman

Our present grading system is not dependant upon scholastic standing alone. A student’s attitude in class also contributes toward his grade point standing, and helps make school more profitable for him.

Grade A– Extra work beyond assignments, marked improvement, initiative, and cooperation with teachers and students.

Grade B– All assignments well done, improvement, initiative, moderately good attitude.

Grade C– Most work done, attitude fair, average cooperation.

Grade D– Some lessons not complete little initiative, poor attitude.

Grade F– Complete failure in the meeting of minimum requirements.

Incomplete– This indicates that the student has been absent and has not completed his work for the grading period. Such a student is given three weeks to make up the work missed unless due to illness, then he his given a grade, or an “F” if the work is not in.

TRAINING COURSES OFFERED AT YELM HIGH SCHOOL

COMMERCIAL: bookkeeping; general Math; Shorthand I, II; Typing I, II; Journalism

ENGLISH: Composition I, II, III, IV; Literature; I, II, III, IV; Speech; Dramatics

MUSIC: Glee Club; Chorus; Band; Orchestra

HOME ECONOMICS: Cooking, Sewing; Child Care; Home Management

INDUSTRIAL ARTS: Mechanical Drawing; Shop; Agriculture

FINE ARTS: Sketching; Watercolors; Art Appreciation; Photography

MATHEMATICS: Algebra I, II, III; Trigonometry; Geometry

SCIENCES: General Sciences; Physics; Biology; Chemistry

HISTORY: U. S. History; Washington History; Vocational Civics; Government; World History

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Classes for girls and boys; athletics for boys

OTHERS: office, library, cafeteria

SCHOLARSHIPS

Many scholarships are offered which may provide four or more years of college education, or room rent for one or two semesters.

Information concerning these may be obtained from the office. Other information can be had by applying directly to the college you wish to attend.

SPORTS AND AWARDS

1927 This year the teams competed against Puyallup, Olympia, Tenino, St. Martins, and Auburn. Four members of the basketball and two of the football teams are still residing in Yelm. i.e. Ray Pollman, Ed Harrison, Chester Reichel, and Charles Demich. Chester Reichel and Ed Harrison played both basketball and football.

1935 The construction of the new gym was completed. The newly-organized basketball team completed the season as one of the high teams in the league.

1936 Yelm entered the Pierce County League, and the football team battled its way to the top, to tie with Roy for first place. The play-off awarded the championship to Roy.\

1937 The baseball team became the Pierce County League Champions and received the championship trophy.

1938 Gain this year the football team zoomed to the top to tie with Fife for first place.

1939 This was the football team’s undefeated season of eight games. Yelm scored twenty-two touchdowns to the opponents two. This feat brought the school and team state-wide recognition and a trophy.

1940 The baseball team won the Pierce County League Championship trophy.

1941 The basketball team ranked second place in the district “B” Class Tournament.

1945 The basketball team placed third in the Pierce County League. Three members of the team were chosen for the all-star football team.

1946 The basketball team placed third in the Pierce County League and went to the “B” Class Tournament.

1949 The basketball team completed a very successful season, to tie for third place with Roy in the League. To gain admission to the “B” Class Tournament, Yelm defeated Roy and Foster. Yelm competed in the tournament for three days.

AWARDS

The inspirational award is given to the outstanding athlete of the year. Hes is chosen by the coach.

For 1947-48, Jack McCloud received this award: 1948-49, Bunny McCloud.

A medal is presented at graduation to the outstanding Senior Athlete.

ELIGIBILITY RULES

The following are the rules of the Washington High School Athletic Association which apply in all cases of inter-school competition. To be eligible to represent his school in inter-school competition the pupil shall meet these conditions:

1. He shall be under 10 at the beginning of the sport season in which he participates.

2. He must have attended a four year high school not more than six semesters after he has earned six academic credits, or a three-year senior high school more than six semesters.

3. (a) He must have passed in at least 15 periods per week (3) full subjects in the previous semester. Deficiencies may not be made up. (b) His grades in three full subjects shall be passing from the beginning of the semester in which the contest is held to the date of the contest.

4. He shall have been in regular attendance in some elementary, intermediate, or high school during the semester immediately preceeding the semester in which the contest is held.

5. He shall have amateur standing.

6. He shall not represent any organization except as a member of the State Association in that branch of athletics.

7. His parents or guardians shall be bonafide residents of the high school district in which he is attending high school; providing that after one year’s attendance in a high school, this rule shall not apply to his subsequent attendance at that high school; and provided that a pupil from a non-high district shall not be subject to this rule except when he transfers from one high school to another.

8. He hall have enrolled in school no later than October 1, the first semester, and February 15, the second; and shall have been in regular attendance to the date of the contest.

9. He shall not have received awards of intrinsic value other than letters, medals, trophies, etc.

10. He must have had a physical examination for the current year.

TRAINING RULES

1. No drinking or smoking

2. No fattening food before games.

3. Nine hours of sleep.

GIRLS SPORTS

The girls of Yelm High School are offered a complete line of recreation in the Physical Education department. Two years of enrollment in Girl’s P.E. is required for graduation.

The major activities of the department are: volley ball, baseball, and basketball. Minors consist of tumbling, archery, social and square dancing.

There is keen competition between classes in athletic games. Those making teams receive points toward letters through their athletic organization, “Block Y”.

Introduction: The following school board resolution details the poor conditions of the school facilities in Yelm in 1946.

Yelm School District

September 11, 1946

Resolution:

We the school board of Yelm Reorganized School Dist#400, on this 11th day of September 1946, offer the following information to supplement Form B-5, relative to the urgency of a new grade unit to the State Department of Education and to the State Development Board.

(a). Our present grade school unit is to crowded as indicated by the placing of fifty students in each room, for grades 4-5-6. The teacher load is recognized as not over 32 students.

(b). We have one second grade class meeting in the furnace room at the present time. The lighting facilities, windows, and ventilation system is very poor.

(c). We have a first grade room meeting in an old portable building in back of the main grade building, which is difficult to heat and not suitable for a classroom use. (This building would be moved to the present site of the garage and used to house a new 60 passenger school bus).

(d). The present lavatories in the present grade unit have been rated by the State Health Department as inadequate for this size school and very poor.

(e). There is no room or space at present for a health unit, for the school nurse. The new grade unit would provide for both grade and high school use. Children getting sick during the day need to have a comfortable place to lie down. The small room now used as a lunchroom would be converted into a cloak room and supply room for the high school.

(f) There is no regular library in the grade unit at the present time. What books we have there are placed in the rear of an over crowded class room Where this library is not be used by 450 students to much confusion is created if regular use of the library is attempted.

(g) The remedial room that was located in the high school has been discontinued due to the increased enrollment in the high school, and the demand of the high school for another room. Students needing special help are nor placed into an over-crowded room, with no chance for special help from the teacher.

(h). Our lunchroom last year served 75851 lunches to school children. The average per day was 400 students, and the greatest number served at one time was 550. There children come mostly on the busses and need hot lunches. They are served in the small lunch room in the high school that has accommodations for about 50 students at a time. Our district is large and is a farming community, we have 8 large busses that traveled 60,000 miles last year, and had a total average load of 415 students per day. A schedule staggering the lunch periods for high school and grade creates considerable confusion and loss of school time.

(i) The space now used as a lunchroom in the high school would be used for a much needed store room and a place for the high school students to put their wraps.

(j) There is a definite need for a covered play shed where grade students can play without staying out in the rain. The same is true with covered walks and bus loading platform. Students passing between classes in different buildings, or waiting for busses need a sheltered place to walk. This would greatly reduce sickness and absence if the covered walks were provided.

(k) The present heating plant is not large enough to handle the new grade unit. It would need to be remodeled, this would be done when the classroom has been eliminated for the furnace room.

(l) because of a fire this district lost their high school several years ago. It built a new one that is large enough to service this area. The money for the new high school was raised by the local district with no government help, and very little state help. The district has again taxed itself to the limit to provide a new grade unit. It has voted a bond issue

to raise $60,000 and voted a special levy of 25 mills to provide $43,333 more to the building fund. Although a relatively poor district the above information should show that it is making every effort to take care of its building problems without outside help. It does feel that if state aid is available that it should be in line for help to complete this new grade unit, and that an emergency does exist here at the present time.

Introduction: Edgar Prescott arrived in Yelm in the 1940s. His descriptions of Yelm in numerous articles and books he wrote provide a great record of the history of the town. The following is an excerpt from his memoir found at the Washington State Historical Society.

It took hours to write those thirty applications, evenings and a couple of Saturdays and Sundays, and after they were mailed, I settled back and waited for contracts to come flooding in.

It wasn’t exactly like that. I was working every day, and every day the job seemed to be getting a little more undesirable. Evenings when I came home I’d ask Alice, “Did we get a job yet?” and she’d shake her head.

Then one evening she nodded, yes.

The letter she handed me was from a superintendent named Montgomery, from a town called Yelm, in the state of Washington, and it contained not only a letter but a contract. The contract offered only fifteen hundred dollars, but Mr. Montgomery explained in his letter that if I was willing to drive a school bus, I could get an extra five hundred dollars, or close to it, during the school year; and that there was a mostly furnished house, right in town, available for only ten dollars a month.

The money the contract offered wasn’t anywhere near as much as we’d hoped we might get. Still we were excited about the chance to live in Washington state with Puget Sound and the ocean and Mt. Rainier, and the big trees I remembered reading about in my seventh grade geography book, and the cool summers . . . the soft warm rain that kept everything fresh and green.

Yelm, we thought, was an intriguing name for a town, an Indian sounding sort of name, and though it was one of the places we couldn’t find on the map, there was a family we knew living in Ault that claimed they’d heard about it—a logging town they thought it was, close to Olympia.

The schools, Yelm High School and Yelm Grade School, sat side by side—We found them across the railroad track and a piece up the street to our left. They were more modern looking than we were used to, spread out along the ground instead of being piled up, one bunch of classrooms on top of another. In fact the high school looked new.

Actually, we found later, it had been in use only a year. The old frame high school, the one it replaced, had burned to the ground a couple of summers before. Both buildings were surrounded by lawns and bordered by trees and a low hedge.

I hunted up Frank Bower, the high school principal. There weren’t a lot of days left until school would start. Frank was a big fellow for that time, about six feet two—Anymore it seems that half the kids in high school are six feet two, even the girls—and he weighed close to two hundred pounds, all of it brawn, but he had a gentle voice and eyes that I described to Alice as being understanding. They were the kind of eyes you wouldn’t be bashful looking into if you were hurting or needing help or advice; but it sure wouldn’t be easy to look into them if you were figuring on telling a lie.

Frank was about my age, maybe even a year or two younger, but already he’d been principal at Yelm. going onto ten years. Standing beside him, talking to him, I got the sudden feeling—Maybe I should call it a premonition—that I had got into the right school system, that with Frank running it, everything was going to go smooth as silk.

He took me over to the high school—Like I said, it was practically a new building—and showed me the room where I would be teaching for the next twenty-two years.

It was a big room with windows running along one side and end and the other two walls with blackboards and cases of maps which pulled down on rollers like window blinds. There were maps of every continent and country. They were practically new, but a lot of them were already obsolete. No map maker could hope to keep up with what was going on in Europe and Asia and Africa. There were maps marking the routes of armies and the sites of battles for almost every war except the one that was going on right then. On the front wall, above the blackboard, were two framed portraits, one of George Washington and the other of Abraham Lincoln.

Frank took an armful of textbooks I would be using during the first semester out of a bookcase and gave me a schedule of classes. I spent most of the days that were left becoming familiar with them and in outlining courses and making lesson plans

But driving the bus made for a long day. Each trip, going and coming, took more than an hour. And I had seven different classes, one of them in general science— I had no background at all in science—and one in Washington history, which I knew less about when I started than the kids I was trying to teach—and not one minute of school time for preparation or grading papers.

No teacher anymore would stand for such a schedule. He’d be out on strike in a minute, and who would blame him?

But things were different back then. There was a war going on. There were only six teachers and a couple of hundred kids to teach. All of us had a lot of classes, and if any of us needed help or inspiration or an example, we had Frank Bower to look to.

It was Frank who got me started off right in that general science class. He taught me how to set up those experiments, and how to prepare slides for the microscope. He lent me his rock collection and his biological displays.

Frank was not only the principal—He had no secretary—he was also coach, football, basketball and baseball, and he taught all the math classes, and the science classes—chemistry and physics—with the exception of the general science class I was teaching.

And that wasn’t all! I was never more surprised in my life than on that Saturday morning when he rousted me out of bed and asked if I would like to help get the field ready for next Friday’s game .

Good Lord! I thought. Saturday too! But I went. I wasn’t the only one either. Bill Thun was there—He was principal of the grade school—and Clancy Jean, the ag man.

We picked the rocks off the field—It produced a new crop every season, Frank said—and we lined it with lime. Then we put up forms for a set of steps and a sidewalk leading from the gymnasium to the field.

The next Saturday we mixed cement, in a box, with shovels, and filled the forms. Working Saturdays got to be a regular thing. Before basketball season started we painted the inside of the gym as well as doing a lot of other little jobs that needed doing. There wasn’t any fooling around like you might think, working without remuneration the way we were. Frank kept us at it. He had everybody’s job laid out and everything ready to go; and he did a lion’s share of the work himself.

But it wasn’t all work with him either. There were Friday evenings when he invited the faculty men over to his house—There were only four of us, including Bill Olson who was the principal of the grade school at McKenna a couple of miles down the road toward Tacoma.

After I’d been teaching at Yelm for a spell—the same room, the same classes, the same maps and pictures on the wall—1 realize looking back that the days and the years somehow got mixed together like they were poured into a blender.

Everything is still up there in my head, bright as a dollar, all the kids-No teacher is ever going to forget kids he’s had in three or four different classes—but it’s almost impossible to fit them into a time frame or even to guess at the order they came in. When I meet one of them on the street these days, sometimes with their kids or grandkids, and he asks, or she asks, “Remember me?”—and he or she tells me what the name is, or used to be, I remember all right, just what each of them looked like back then and where he or she sat in the room, but always I have to ask, “What year did you graduate?”