We have Winners!!

John Werner a graduate of Orofino High School who now lives in New York, contacted a couple of local folks to see what they might know about last week's Orofino Trivia contest.

Myrna Alteneder Grasser wrote, "Yes, John it was the school building. It was stolen and taken to the Glenwood area ("yellow dog"). My father attended school at both locations."

Harriet Walrath Reese wrote, "It was an old school house. One time I interviewed Eunice and Ralph Merrill and they told me about it. I also remember my mother talking about it. However, I'm afraid I don't remember the details. It seems that parents wanted the school closer to their home so their children wouldn't have to walk so far and they moved the school a ways up Orofino Creek--not far.

"There are old time stories from people in the Cavendish and Teakean area about schools being moved in the dead of night for the same reason. Apparently it was not that uncommon in early days."

Ron and Shirley Purcell also emailed the answer. We also had a humorous reply that suggested that it was an outhouse that was stolen.

According to information in Orofino, Idaho: The Preservation of a Cultural and Historical Past by Katie Eichert, Orofino's first school was built in 1898 on a site across from the present day Orofino Builders Supply where the first railroad station was. Mrs. Charles Moody was the first teacher and Miss Mary Tierney the second. A paper by Ralph Shriver in 1960 says that one night the schoolhouse was stolen and moved a mile up Orofino Creek by a few people who felt their children had to walk too far to school.

Photo courtesy of Clearwater Historical Museum

Monday: Bells were heard.