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This article has
been handed down over time by Bryan staff members. If
you have information to add, please contact
the webmaster.
The
following information is from a summary of Coeur
d'Alene Public Schools, WA Andrew, Clerk;
written August 19, 1910 states the original
Bryan School was built in the summer of 1905. It
was of solid brick and had four rooms.
In 1923, a school bond election for $200,000
enabled the district to build additions to the
high school, Central School, and to add a
four-room addition to Bryan School.
Local persons have many fond memories of Bryan
School. One girl, who attended in the 1920's and
1930's recalls that the boys and girls were
separated on the playground. Boys had one side
and girls had the other, and woe until anyone
who stepped on another's territory. She also
remembers that she and another girl were dancing
the Charleston on the front sidewalk and they
were reprimanded strongly by the principal, who
said school was no place for a dance such as
that. Another fond recess memory was that some
brave student would "swipe" some chalk from the
blackboard tray, then they would draw lines and
numbers on the sidewalk for their game of
hopscotch.
Former students remember fondly the two special
events of the year in Bryan School as in all the
elementary schools of the area: May dances and
the school picnic on or near the last day of
school. Students would practice for the May
dance for many weeks prior to the occasion. Then
on or about May 1, students from all the
elementary schools would go to the city park and
perform in one grand assembly. The school picnic
was also memorable. Mothers would cook many
delicious dishes and bring them to school, where
all students, teachers, and parents would
partake of the meal on tables set up in the
schoolyard.
Some of
the principals at Bryan School have been Jessie
Adams, Dallas Ator, and Bob Olson.
Superintendent Ator announced in 1963 that the
$348,000 bond issue which recently passed would
provide improvements to Bryan School, which at
the time was under the supervision of Principal
Bob Olson. Also in the same year, the old Bryan
School was razed to make way for the new one at
the same location.
One of the teachers of the Bryan School in the
1970's was Norma Blessing. She said that she
taught in the school when Bob Olson was the
principal, and these few years were highlights
in her career in education.
Another teacher, Jane Rhodes, tells of this
humorous incident. "The superintendent and some
of the school board members were due to visit
our school. As they stepped in my room, I
stepped into the wastepaper basket as I kicked
it over. The children were in control of their
behavior - not so the teacher." . . .
Principals at
Bryan since Bob Olson have been: Dan Hicks,
Linda Glover, John House (1994/95-2002/03), and
Joel Palmer (2003/04-present).
View
the Historic
Photo Gallery for more information about Bryan's
History. |
