School's out

POLSON - After 15 years of diligently compiling information from countless contributors, Joyce Wegner and a dedicated team of volunteers can finally enjoy the fruit of their labor, upon the recent publication and release of Lake County School History, Volume II.

“I promised myself when I left office that I would get this project finished,” said Wegner, a retired superintendent of Lake County Schools, who has spearheaded the ambitious undertaking.

Though Wegner and many other members of the Flathead Reservation Area Historical Society did the heavy lifting to bring the book to fruition, the finished product is the result of a groundswell of support from seemingly the entire community. Wegner estimates that “over 1,000 people have contributed” to the book that includes more than 500 historical photos and a multitude of stories documenting the history of Lake County schools.

“This project has been a collaboration of schools, county government, everybody,” said Wegner.

“It was a joy to work together on this project,” Wegner added appreciatively.

During last Thursday’s book release, Wegner and others present showcased the knowledge and passion that made the book a reality, casually mentioning many fascinating anecdotal bits of information.

For instance, Wegner said that early in the County’s history, “there were schools every four miles” - hinting at how many schools the society had to research for the book. Additionally, Ronan was once the largest school district in the United States before dividing, said Wegner.

Glenn Timm was another key individual behind the book’s production who shouldered a considerable share of the workload.

“I made the mistake of (telling Wegner), ‘Well, if you can’t find anybody else...’” Timm joked about being roped into helping with the book.

An avid history buff, Timm was up to the task.

For more than the last decade, Timm has helped with the project by spending long hours sifting through old Flathead Courier newspapers to glean information fit to print. Timm also co-authored one chapter of the volume.

“There was a lot of stuff on the early years, but not a lot in between,” Timm said.

So Timm went digging. Timm said that by looking very closely at the history of area schools, one is also able to get a sense of broader trends that have shaped the big picture.

“When you’re doing the research, what I was seeing was a snapshot. You see the trends and where education is going.”

While the book stands as a testament to their rich history, schools in Lake County could face an interesting future, especially with many small, rural schoolhouses becoming something of an endangered species.

Fortunately, Wegner says that the County’s three small schoolhouses in Valley View, Dayton and Salmon Prairie all benefit from their recognition as cornerstones of the community.

“When I retired, it was pretty slim that we were going to hold onto them,” says Wegner.

“(At Dayton School), they were down to just eight kids. Now they’ve expanded,” Wegner said of the turnaround that came about after faculty and the general public rallied behind the school.

She says a similar sense of togetherness and community involvement is present at Valley View and Salmon Prairie, as well.

“The immediate future is good for those three schools.”