The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., March 10, 1938, page 1
LEO BRUNE RECALLS EARLY HISTORY OF OLD ROCKLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
For the sixth consecutive time, Leo F. Brune, Dallesport
sheepman, was elected school director of Rockland district number one last
Saturday. Brune, who was born at Rockland, now Dallesport, attended the same
school he now serves as director more than 50 years ago.
Three of the Rockland voters who cast their ballots for
Brune last Saturday attended the district number one school with Brune. They
were Martin Speedis, Oscar Charley and Mrs. Oscar Charley.
ONLY ONE IN COUNTY
At the time Brune started to school at Rockland, the
district was the only school district in Klickitat county and included much
of Benton county and some of Yakima county. At the time of Brune's birthday
Rockland was the county seat of Klickitat.
The late Leon Curtiss and Lawrence McNary were two of
the first children ever to attend school in Klickitat County. They were students
at the old Rockland school. John and Marion Splawn, who rode more than 10
miles over the Columbia mountains from the Hog Heaven country, also were
among the early students at Rockland.
EASY EXAMINATION
The Bunnell brothers, Andrew and Frank, also attended
the Rockland school in the early days riding horseback from what is now
Wishram.
One of the early day teachers at Rockland, an older sister
of Lawrence McNary, gained her teaching position by taking an oral examination
from the county school superintendent. The examination consisted of answering
a few questions from an old almanac.
The exact date of school district one's organization
is unknown, according to Leo Brune.
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© Jeffrey L. Elmer