History

Early School at Sunny Slope

In 1909 so many people were after homesteads on the Flathead Reservation that numbers had to be drawn. Lars T. And Olga Caroline Larson won land in the Sunny Slope area. In the spring of 1910 with their little son Lee, they moved to the Sunny Slope homestead site where two daughters, Mabel and Helen, were born. It was soon apparent to Flathead County that new school districts would need to be established in the newly settled lands. The Sunny Slope School District #46 began March 1, 1911 with trustees Thomas Bare, L. T. Larson, and Dr. Earl Bobb appointed by Flathead County "on land never previously part of any school district." Trustee Lars Larson helped build and maintain the first school in Sunny Slope on James Parson’s northeast corner of the NW 1/4 of Section 30. The school was located about a quarter of the way up Sunny Slope Hill along what later became the old highway. The 1912-13 teacher Mrs. Gadow, lived with Larsons. The Larson supply of water was some distance from the house and it was shared with buffalo belonging to the Allard herd. Stories were often told of skirmishes with the buffalo. Larsons lived on the Sunny Slope homestead until 1916, moved to Canada and returned to the Flathead Valley in 1918 buying and building in the Mountain View areas south of Polson where they farmed for 25 years. Lars drove a school bus to Pablo and Polson from Mountain View.

Mrs. Virginia Kermode also came as a child with her family from California in 1910 to homestead in the Sunny Slope area. She probably attended the new school at Sunny Slope. She remained and married in the Polson area where she owned and operated the Kermode Hotel in Polson. Virginia Kermode died in Polson in 1955. About ten additional sections not in any district to the north of the original district boundaries were transferred into the district in 1914 which included some islands of Flathead Lake. Few other memories, records, or stories remain of those early years at Sunny Slope before Lake County was formed in 1923 but we do have these student lists from Flathead County:

Sunny Slope School in Lake County

Ross E. McAlpin wrote that his mother Lottie Leah Thompson came to Polson around 1922 after completing Normal School Training in Iowa. Her parents, Frank and Hora Thompson and four brothers, had arrived in Polson earlier and settled on a homestead west of Polson on the eastern edge of Irvine Flats. By the time Lottie came to Polson, her folks were living at the Stiles Place in the neighboring Blair School District #45, which was located on what is now known as Toner Road. Lottie began teaching eighteen children at Sunny Slope School in 1923 for $900. She rode a horse from the Stiles place to the Sunny Slope School. Ross thinks she taught there for at least two years before moving to Bigfork to teach. Lake County Records begin with her teaching the 1923-24 school year. While teaching at Sunny Slope, she used to tell her own family about the visits to the school of Patrick BigBear. He would come to the school to speak to the Indian children in sign language. He was very courteous to Lottie and was very respectful of her teaching abilities. Lottie taught at Bigfork until 1926 when she married Robert H. McAlpin and they returned to Villisca, Iowa to farm. In November of 1941 they moved back to Polson with their three children, Ross, Neil, and Alice, as new owners of the old David Polson/Governor Joseph Dixon Ranch on the south shore of Flathead Lake. The three children still claim Polson as home with Neil and Randa at the Old Dixon Ranch, now operated as the McAlpin Dairy Farm.

Fred J. Gentner from Santa Rosa, California revisited his early Sunny Slope School site the summer of 1998 to find only a blackberry bush remaining. Fred’s mother Beulah K. Gentner taught at Sunny Slope from 1924 to 1926. She rode horseback with her little boy, Fred, from their Polson home within two blocks of the Baptist Church in town to the Sunny Slope School. Fred doesn’t remember much of those early school years, but he remembers, "My mother was a pretty tough task master!"

Irene Hafdahl, later Daley, taught the 1926-27 year for $900. Today she lives in Kalispell and at 92 years of age she writes that she still remembers all of the students: I was only 18 years old the year I taught Sunny Slope. Since the Padgette’s were very active in school affairs that year -- and many more -- I thought you might like their pictures. I lived with them on the Jim Parsons place, a short distance east of the school.

Miss Hafdahl also taught at Loon Lake, Garcon Gulch and Pablo. L. M. Padgette served as a trustee for three terms from 1921 to 1924. Dr. Estella Padgette was district clerk from 1922 to 1930 when she died. Mr. Padgette then became clerk for two years.

 

 

The Fox Johnson girls, Helen, Lillian, and Gloria provided wonderful and vivid memories. Lillian recalled Helen McCann, 1930 to 1933 teacher, who wore "silk stockings", or rayon, to school regularly and the boys loved to see them "run." She also remembers "being pushed behind the stove by Rose and getting in a fight!" Rose must have had a temper as Helen remembers her fight or "physical altercation" with the teacher. "We all sat petrified as we saw the teacher’s glasses go flying. The struggle ended with Rose running home." Helen remembers her teachers as "very dedicated and much loved and appreciated." Teachers sometimes rented a room and boarded at a nearby farm house. Besides teaching they had to keep the school clean, build fires, and maybe shovel snow. On really cold days students sat with them around the stove to study and eat sack lunches. When newly married Helen Robertson Stenseth taught in 1933 to 1936 the young girls often wanted to stay late to clean erasers on the Friday afternoons her "cute, young husband, Ole, came to pick her up for the weekend."

Schoolwork was hard with older students often helping younger ones. There was no homework as most of the kids had chores to do such as milking cows, sawing and chopping wood and carrying or pumping in water. Fifteen minute recesses were filled with softball, pump pump pull away, crack the whip and hide and seek as well as berry fights and sliding down the steep little hill on cardboard or whatever was available. Faithful trustees Cochran, Derrickson, and Davis go three tall telephone poles and installed two gigantic swings which were used with great creativity. Helen remembers:

Some of our best times were spent working on music, poems and plays for various holidays. The Christmas program, which we worked on for a month, was given in the evening by gaslights. Sheets were put across the front of the room for curtains and the boys and girls cloak rooms used for props and changes. Our enactment of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" was especially memorable. The schoolhouse was used for events such as dances with the talented and handsome Simonson brothers playing guitars, violins and other instruments.

Earl W. Jenson’s mother, Grace M. Jenson, taught all eight grades at Sunny Slope School from March 1937 to May 1939. "Ethel Terry, who was County Superintendent of Schools, hired my mother to replace Flora Barnard who had resigned." Helen Johnson recalls Ethel Terry as, "The well-dressed County Superintendent who visited once in awhile to check up on things. To us country kids she seemed to have a high faluting air. After she was gone some of us got a kick out of imitating her." Lillian Johnson Stephenson remembers Mrs. Jensen as her fifth grade teacher who "made us stand up front of the class and give speeches. I was scared to death, but later happy she made us do it. She was a good teacher."In addition, Earl wrote: I went to Sunny Slope during the seventh grade and was taught by my mother. Glen Derrickson and six brothers all rode horseback from a ranch about two miles west of Sunny Slope. The George Davis, Stewart Kinch, and Maier families lived within a half mile as well as Gloria, Helen, and Lillian Johnson (Fox Johnson).

Gloria Johnson Violette remembers her years at Sunny Slope from 1935 to 1942:

Our school boomed in enrollment during the years Kerr Dam was being built--we were only 4 miles northwest of Polson. Most lived within _ mile but several families had a hiking horseback riding or sometimes, skiing, trek from 3 miles away from the north and west foothills.

It seemed each teacher, most stayed 2 years, had their own specialties. One brought loads of books from the Polson City Library which expanded our list of books from our 4' x 6' bookcase. Mrs. Jenson stressed music, my sister played the piano and all had a great time singing the old favorites each morning. One year we were encouraged in athletics and actually went to a field day in Polson--farmer kids feeling very out-of-place with the city kids! One liked art and our scrapbooks started me on a career of art. Can’t forget my 1st grade teacher who brought a guitar playing, singing husband who performed for us many afternoons when he came to pick up his new, young and pretty wife.

One of the special days I remember was when there was a storm that prevented the teacher from coming and there was no way to let the parents know (no telephones). A majority of the kids did show up as the nearby weather was not bad and we of course didn’t let our parents know. An older boy or perhaps a parent had come in early to unlock the door and start the fire in the big iron stove to warm up the large room. All decided it was wonderful to stay indoors and play games with our friends. Looking back I am amazed how orderly everything went along--no arguments or fights. Either we were exceptionally well behaved or had exceptional teachers. After lunch one got bored and went to his nearby home. Immediately his horrified mother came and sent us all home on the double.

One interesting recess the older girls decided we should kiss all the boys. The boys were so indignant and the teacher so horrified--it was very gratifying, even with the scolding and staying in the next recess.

I remember getting a bloody nose when red-headed Dallas Cochrane in my class decided he was "king of the hill" and no girl was getting on the porch to go in the school even though the bell had rung. The two younger than I girls thought I was brave to challenge him; the older girls thought I was stupid but I got a lot of sympathy from the teacher. I was happy with me.

I remember how good it felt for all when we were allowed to "give" spelling words to another class, help check papers, clean erasers, bring in wood or anything to help our school work. We had a woodshed next to the school, a big iron stove to cook our lunches on and a barn up the hill for the horses.

It was perhaps a microcosm of the outside world and the way it should work, generally.

School ended in 1943 when students were bussed into Polson. The district was officially abandoned July 1, 1947. Earl Jenson thinks the school was destroyed by fire.

 

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BLAIR SCHOOL

March 11, 1911 to February 28, 1914

Following the influx of homesteaders and settlers into the newly opened Flathead Indian Reservation, Flathead County records show Blair District #45 and Ralph Tower, John Foulkes, and E. E. McKelvey appointed as trustees for Blair in March of 1911. B. F. Kashmer is shown as district clerk, but no school was opened. The Blair district was located west of Polson, originally covering 18 sections. Neighboring districts of Spring Hill, Loon Lake, and Sunny Slope already had schools operating by the fall of 1911. By July of 1911 former trustee John L. Foulkes and family petitioned to transfer their territory to Polson District #23. A new trustee, W. F. Millar was appointed May 23, 1911 to replace him. Foulkes lived on the north half of section 12 along the Irvin Flats Road over two miles to the south of the Blair property. They wished Donald, age nine, and Dorothy, age seven, to attend Polson schools. The road into Polson was probably much superior and perhaps closer to any road winding around the ridge between their home and the Blair School. Today the Irvin Flats Road heads west over a mile before connecting to the Camas cutoff going North and then back East on Tower Road to where the Blair School was -- perhaps over four miles of winding road. The transfer was made without protest. In September of 1911, six sections were transferred to newly formed Spring Hill School District #53 to the west.

We have no official record of a school building but can logically assume school was held on the Blair property registered to Sarah E. Blair on the East _ of SE 1/4, SE 1/4 NE 1/4 of Section 35, Township 23, Range 21 June 12, 1912. The property was registered in clear to Ralph R. Tower in May of 1940 and is owned by the Glen V. Vergeront family since 1992. Records indicate Daniel E. And Grace Blair has a daughter, Iris M., who was born May 5, 1905 and would have been of school age in 1911 through 1914 when the school existed. Nearby residents in those early years were Harold E. Tower, Roy F. Stiles, Francis M. Ellsworth, Daniel H. Davis and Joseph E. Glessn seemed to have proved up homesteads on the same section of land. Later the Skabronskis and the Iva L. Newby Nunnally family lived nearby. Ralph R. And Mayme Tower had three children Leslie R., Harold E., and Ruth M. born July 25, 1911 and said to be the first white child born since the opening of the reservation. These were the children who likely attended school in the Blair District. For school years 1911-1912 and 1912-1913 no school was held on site and tuition was paid by the district to Polson by district clerks Sadie Blair and Lee Freuch. Daniel Blair served as Trustee. The record is blank for 1913-14 year other than trustees recorded as Ralph Tower, C. C. Hern, and E. E. McKelvey. It seems the little district never got going and there are no memories of any students ever attending any Blair School.

The people of the area, including the Towers, referred to themselves as from "Sunny Slope." The Tower children may have attended Sunny Slope prior to 1914-15, but do not show up on Sunny Slope Student Registers thereafter. Bonnie Tower Eddy remembers her father Harold speaking of attending the Sunny Slope School. Obviously some Blair district children attended Polson and the district paid tuition for them. From the sounds of the consolidation efforts below the people probably wanted to be joined with Sunny Slope District # 46 and not Polson District #23. The end of Blair came about when this district was consolidated to Polson School District #23 on February 28, 1914. The ending of the district was controversial. Ross McAlpin brought in copies of letters of "Remonstrance against transfer of Dist. 45 to Dist. 23" These two letters were received at the office of May Trumper, Flathead County Superintendent of Schools on March 28, 1914:

March 26, 1914

Miss May Trumper

Kalispell

Dear Madam,

Yours of the 23rd at hand. I am a little surprised that the county attorney did not understand just what we desired in this matter. But by fall there is but little doubt but he will be able to interpret a voters wish without any communication whatever. He informed me, that if it was your wish you could reconsider the matter which would give us the desired delay until we could find out just what the Polson Dist are willing to do or we could appeal to Co. Commissioners by serving notice through your office. Now Miss Trumper I would very much prefer to comply with your request and drop the

matter for the time being. But as we understand the matter that if we should allow the two Districts be consolidated and then have to start a new Dist again in fall. We could not lawfully expect to get back the money we have in our treasury at this time. Now we are not asking for a hearing in the matter and prefer that it should be delayed until we see what can be done. If you can assure us of the transportation you suggest I believe the people in my Dist. Would be willing to drop the matter. But we would not be satisfied with only mere promises for the future. Awaiting an early reply.

Resp yours

Ralph R. Tower

Sunny Slope

and also:

Miss May Trumper County

Superintendent of School

Flathead County Montana

We the undersigned residents and tax payers of School Dist No. 45 said county and State appeal from your action in transferring said Dist. No. 45 into Dist. No. 23 Polson Dist. To the Board of County Commissioners of said county and State and request that you transfer all papers pertaining to the same to the Clerk of said Board.

Dated March 25, 1914

Ralph R. Tower

T. S. Stiles

Lake County does not have records of the appeal proceeding but the transfer to Polson School District No. 23 went forward as granted by Flathead County Superintendent May Trumper in 1914.

By Harold Tower’s high school years, 1917 to 1922, he drove the school wagon that picked up the Sunny Slope high school students and took them to Polson. Harold and Leslie attended school in Polson in the little building on the corner of 5th Avenue and 2nd Street across from the courthouse.

The Stiles children on Lake County records were all born after 1922 when the school was already closed. Nunnally’s children on Lake Census Records were also born after 1923. From the neighboring Sunny Slope School history we know that Lottie Leah Thompson’s family moved onto the Stiles property in the early 20's and she rode horseback from there to teach at Sunny Slope in 1923.

According to Bill Smith, who has been doing some of the researching of Blair School history, all that remains of the old Blair home site south of Tower Road is a large tree isolated in the midst of the Vergeront gravel pit. Blair School District #45 seems to be a district that never had a school.

Consolidated with District No. 23, February 28, 1914.