Our School's History
Come with me on an exciting trip! I'm in the school library paging through a scrapbook of memories lovingly pieced together by one of our talented church members, Judy Wright.
Many Years Ago
The history of our school starts in September of 1952 and spans 57 years. The first page of the book depicts teacher Mildred Perry, wife of Pastor Elder Carroll Perry, opening school with 9 children (more were soon to enroll). The 42 church members had collected a globe, blackboards, donated reference books, and personally refinished turn-of-the-century desks. Each Thursday afternoon the Junior Missionary Volunteer society met to dedicate their time for missionary service. Later, the school served as a nucleus for an active Pathfinder unit.
Enrollment rapidly increased to 15 as the church school drew other families to church. Scrapbook snapshots tell of a variety of social and education events including the whole parking lot becoming a skating rink, Christmas parties, field trips to various museums and state parks, locally developed plays with moral values and musical programs presented by students just having learned to play. Collecting food from the surrounding community for Thanksgiving baskets began 30 years ago and continues each year.
More Recent History
Currently, nature and field trips comprise a unique part of our curriculum that is made possible by a smaller student body. In this album you'll see photos of many of our current church members as students, taking part in school activities. One, Sharon Karr, returned to teach. A special reunion was held at graduation time May 26, 1984, where many former teachers and students returned to fellowship together.
Pastor Richard Wright, a former student, presented the keynote message. All together, 22 teachers and 83 students had attended school up to that date. The history of our school has been filled with some surprises along the way.
Smoke poured out of the school room the morning of Sept. 21, 1995 as teacher John Baker opened the door to begin another school day. The school was on fire, speculated to have started from an egg incubator. The fire was rapidly extinguished, but the school and the church suffered heavy damage.
The Lord's presence must have been there, because ultimately, the church, school, and kitchen were completely restored to better condition than before the fire.
Sir Isaac Newton once remarked that his accomplishments in science were possible only by standing on the shoulders of those who had gone before. This is particularly true of our church school. At times the church members cut lumber to pay for the school, tore down a house in MacIndoes, built a garage on the church parsonage and held countless yard and bake sales. Bernice Kaiser taught school and one year returned her entire salary to the church.
Many others, most of them unknown, truly sacrificed from home budgets to support the school. At the end of the scrapbook, one contemplates: was it worth it? What are the results? There are pastors, engineers, business men, lawyers, teachers, physicians, and most importantly, just good Christians that have found life's true values here. And, yes, there is a ripple effect, an exponential of logarithmic multiplication, as those Christians have entered a life of service, transmitting values learned here to others who in turn minister to the world.