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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