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History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon.
Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

SCHOOLS IN HOOD RIVER IN EARLY DAYS D.M.C.

For at least eight years after the first permanent settlers located in Hood River there were no schools. The people themselves were educated and enterprising but, at that time, it was a community without children of school age. Henry Coe was the only exception and he had his lessons at home under the supervision of his parents who were thorough going educators. In The Dalles there was no public school until the fall of 1859 and Henry Coe attended that school.
In the fall of 1863 he went to Forest Grove and remained throughout the school year. At a school meeting, held in Hood River in the spring of 1866, it was voted to build a school house.
From the evidence at hand it appears that a school was taught that fall and that William Stillwell was the teacher. Charles Stillwell says his brother taught in Hood River two terms, and he thought it was in the years of '66 and '67. In 1874 William Stillwell stated that he "had traveled on snowshoes to school in Hood River" so perhaps the school extended into the winter.
In the spring of 1867 "Miss Aubright came via The Dalles to teach the school."
(Coe Diary) She boarded with the Coe's a few days and then went to board with Mrs. Phelps, remaining there during the school term which lasted until the last of August.
The Coe diary is silent on school matters in '68, but other evidence shows that Miss Emily Mosier was the teacher. April 30, 1869, Coe's diary says: "Lawrence Chandler commenced teaching schools" Three weeks later the record states "Lawrence quit teaching and went to The Dalles, April 5, 1869, it says, "Burt and Ward elected directors, Charles Coe resigned as clerk." In June we read, "hired Miss Aubright to teach." Her school closed about the first of September. In 1870 Mrs. Armstrong, from New York, had charge of the school, and at its close gave an exhibition which was attended by the entire community. Her work was highly praised. The exhibition was given in the cabin owned by Charles Stillwell at Belmont. Theodore Perkins, whose parents resided in The Dalles, was one of her pupils. He boarded with Mrs. John Marden of Polalla Illahee and climbed the bluff on a trail, in his daily pursuit of an education.
In 1871, Mr. Lillie was the teacher and again in 1873. In 1872 Mr. Armstrong was elected director for three years and Mr. Chipman for two years, Mr. Lillie was elected clerk.
Rev. J.H. Garrison and Miss Nettie Cock were teachers of an early date but I am unable to give time or place. The arrival of the Parkhurst Colony in Nov. 1875 made an important change in the school population. Miss Naomi Wilcox, niece of Dr. Parkhurst, had been chosen as teacher for the school before the colonists left Pennsylvania.
At Ogden, Utah, Dr. Parkhurst was taken sick and died. His wife and niece remained with him while the colonists proceeded on their way to Hood River. The new comers were anxious to have the school begin, so requested Mr. La France to open the school. He complied and taught three weeks when Miss Wilcox arrived and took charge.
Miss Eleanor Smith was the next teacher, followed by Miss Louise Spencer, Mrs. C.L. Henderson and Mrs. Margaretta Odell. Mrs. Odell was, I think, the last teacher in the little building located on the Jenkins place. Previous to this time Mrs. Henderson had taught a select school in her summer home at Hood River.
In 1878 the Barrett school was built and the division of the district took about half the school population. Mrs. C.L. Henderson was the first teacher in the new school which opened in the spring of 1879. The dividing line between the two districts, followed the section line west from Hood River to the Northeast corner of Mr. Potter's farm, thence south to the Southeast corner, thence west, so as to leave the Potter farm in the old district. This division left about the same number of pupils in each district. The old school building was becoming very dilapidated and school funds were not available to provide a new one, so an Educational Association was formed with stockholders contributing. E.L. Smith, C.H. Haynes and James Sanders were among the heaviest stockholders. The new building was erected on land donated by E.L. Smith and was a substantial two story affair. The directors were C.H. Haynes, E.L. Smith and H.C. Coe with Dr. Patton as clerk. School opened April 12, 1880, with twenty seven pupils in attendance and Mrs. Coon as teacher. The names of the pupils were: Lottie Backus - Un. Mollie Coe - D. 1895. Cornelia Coon - D. in Astoria, 1882. Annie Gardiner, Rhoda Gardiner, Lizzie Gardiner - Un. Annie Haynes, m. J.W. Morton, D. 1889. Wm. Haynes, Portland, Ore. Stella Hagadorn, m. Gray, Un. Warren Luckey, Un. Harry Luckey, D., Ella Luckey, m. Jones, Un., Anne Smith, m. Nelson, Portland, Ore., Laura Smith, D. 1883, at The Dalles, Georgiana Smith, m. E.J. Rand, Portland, Avis Smith, m. Wm. Stewart, H.R. Dorrance Smith, Astoria, Wm. Smith, D. Raymond, Wash., Fred Snow, Portland, Oregon, Annie Sanders, m. Ladd, Portland, Ore., Rhoda Sanders m. Godfrey, Portland, Jessie Stranahan, m. Mooney, D. 1904, Bert Stranahan, H.R. Happy Potter, m. Homer McFarland, D. Son. Wm. Potter, Spray, Ore., Clara Plaisted, D. Emma Stevenson, Wn.
Other pupils that attended later were: Ella Hagadorn, M. Un., -- Hagadorn, D., Ida Leedy, Un., Milton Odell, Hood River, Fred Phelps. Ruel Rogers was elected director to succeed H.C. Coe. Other teachers in this district were Mr. Beaton, Miss Annie Murray, S.T. Howe, T.R. Coon, Justus Neff, etc. When the town of Hood River was laid out this district was again divided, the eastern portion retaining the original number and the western district being known as Frankton District. The new district was also extended to take in a portion of the Barrett district on the south, including the farms of C.P. Heald, N.C. Evans, T.R. Coon and W.J. Baker, which thus came into the town district.

NAMES OF PUPILS IN THE BARRETT SCHOOL

Spring term of 1880, T.R. Coon, teacher.
Fall term of 1880 and spring term of 1881, BD.M. Coon, teacher.
Directors: Russell Pealer, Newton Clark and John Wilson.

1. Rose Backus -
2. Julia Barrett - married Mr. Howell. Died Oct. 1892 leaving twin sons.
3. Etta Bell, married, died in Cal. leaving twin children.
4. Ulysses Berry, address: 7119 51st Avenue S.E., Portland, Oregon
5. William Lewis Clark.
6. Florence Grace Clark, married Mr. Dwinnell. Died leaving son and daughter.
7. Jeanette Clark, m. Baze1ton, address 400 East Broadway, Portland, Oregon.
8. Cornelia Coon, Died Sept. 29, l882, at Astoria, Oregon.
9. Prentice Hall
10. Elsie Hall
11. Amy Hall
12. May Hall
13. Clyde Hudson, California
14. Copley Hinrichs, Hood River
15. Linnie Hinrichs, m. Larsen
16. Walter Hinrichs
17. Maggie Husbands, m. Craft. Died at Mosier
18. Edgar Husbands
19. Emily Husbands, m. Howard. Address, Seabright, California.
20. James Ingalls, Hood River
21. Gertrude Ingalls, m. Fred Howe, Hood River
22. Maggie Ingalls, died fall of 1881 at Hood River
23. Luella Jerome
24. Ella Garrison
25. Ettis McKay. Died August 1891, at Hood River.
26. Ettie McKay. Died August 1891, at Hood River.
27. Milton Odell. Lives at Odell, Hood River County, Oregon
28. James Odell. Died at Hood River
29. Alvah Pealer. Died March 1884 at Hood River.
30. Bertie Patterson
31. Vine Phelps, California
32. Fred Phelps, Eastern, Oregon
33. Gilbert W. Phelps, Pendleton, Oregon (Circuit Judge, 6th Jud. Dist.)
34. Thomas Phelps, Eastern Oregon
35. Lida Phelps, m. Frazier, California
36. Henry Scammon, Portland.
37. Sydney Scammon, add. 166 Monroe St., Portland. (Capt. S.H. Scammon)
38. Retta Small
39. Nancy Seymour, m. California
40. James Stranahan, Hood River, Oregon
41. George Stranahan, Hood River, Oregon
42. Charles Stranahan, Hood River, Oregon
43. ------- Thornton. ------
44. Julia Phisterer, m. Wright, Address not known. Portland, Oregon
45. Lovice Underwood, m.
46. Grace Underwood, m. Dark.
47. Lettie Wallace, m. Wayland Perry. Lives in California
48. Albert Wallace. Killed in railroad accident.
49. Charles Wallace, Hood River, Oregon
50. Jesse Walling
51. Austin Wilson, d. 1926.
52. Laura Wilson
53. Henry York
54. Katie York, m. Died
55. Rose York, m. Crapper, Oak Grove Dist. Hood River, Oregon
56. Rika York, Died in 1904 at Bellingham Bay, Washington