The first school in Trout Lake was held in 1887, in a one-room log cabin. Although we do not know its exact location, it was located somewhere east of the junction of Guler Road with Highway 141. The cabin was about 10’ by 12’ and had a dirt floor. It was located on the homestead of John Bernegger, a Swiss dairy farmer and carpenter. It is possible that the cabin had been built in the early 1880’s by the Stoller family, since several of the older Stoller children filed pre-emption claims on parcels adjoining their parents’ homestead and built cabins on these claims.
School was held for three months of the year, from April to June. This allowed the children to be available for farm work in the summer and fall and kept them from having to travel in the deep snow. There were seven students the first year – Elizabeth (12), Joshua (9) and Bertha (8) Aerni, Mary (6) and William Stadelman (4), Carrie Eckhart (9) and Edward Fiene (4). Fiene, who was a grandson of the Stoller’s, was the only child who spoke English (the other children spoke German), and he translated for the rest of the students. Their teacher was Sarah Stevens, and she was paid $25 per month, and boarded with each family (based on the number of students they had in the school).
In 1888 or 1889 the school was moved to another log cabin located on what was called Cutting’s corner (the intersection of Mt. Adams Highway and Sunnyside Road). Mr. Jasper Flannery from Goldendale was the teacher here. In 1892 the school was moved to a log cabin on what was known as Billing’s corner (the intersection of Old Creamery and Little Mountain Road) and remained here until 1896, when a large tree fell across the building. Realizing the need for a permanent school, Charles Pearson and John Peterson each then donated adjoining land on Little Mountain Road for a school site. What was left of the log cabin on Billing’s corner was salvaged and rebuilt in this new location (the present site of Jonah Ministries) in 1896 or 1897 (see first photo above). The building was 16’ x 24’, with a puncheon floor. The first nine-month term of school was held here in 1898.
The log cabin was replaced around 1900 with a frame building, measuring 26’ x 36’. It was a simple end-gable building with a covered entrance, and what was probably a bell tower. By 1902 this building was already too small for the growing number of students, and a two-story addition was added on behind.
During this time period there was a barn on the school property that was larger than the school, built to care for the horses used to bring the children to and from school. These early schools only offered classes through the 8th grade. The first 8th grade graduating class was in 1902. Class members were Amelia Fitchner, James Coate, Effie Byrkett, Mary Aerni, Ray Chubb, Rozella Boze, Dolly Johnson and Inez Gregory. Mr. Frisbee was their teacher.
Beginning in the ‘teens, high school classes were offered. Fire destroyed the frame school in 1918, and a new, modern school was constructed that same year. In 1933-34 a large addition was built next to this school with the help of Works Progress Administration funds. This building burned in 1944. A new school was constructed on the same site, completed in 1948 (often referred to today as the “old school”, the present Jonah Ministries).
The current Trout Lake school, located on Highway 141, was completed in 1993.
