(Photo courtesy of Clearwater Historical Museum)

In his book, Early Days in Big Canyon Country, Marion Kayler describes the two-story school built in Peck at Elwood and Marion in 1910-11 to house students in first through twelfth grades. The building had no electricity for 30 years, so during the winter hours were shortened to have the children dismissed before dark.

The first few years there was no functional indoor though they were built in when the school was constructed. Kayler said that poor plumbing design of the time and use of wood heat made it impossible to prevent freezing pipes and fixtures during the winter. The children used outhouses on a bench below the school. There was a perfect spot by the boy's privy for them to hide-out and smoke. When the whole plumbing system froze solid, a family nearby allowed the use of their hydrant so the students and teachers could get drinking water.

During the Depression education was cut to the barest necessities and teachers were unable to cash their warrants for two or more years except at a discount of 20 or more percent . However, that did not seem to lower the quality of education provided.

The high school was accredited in 1923. Between 1927 and 1944, 152 students graduated. Many of them came from surrounding towns, some even by rail.

In his book, Kayler goes on tell about some of the teachers and other individuals who made the education system in Peck a good place for students.

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