Welcome to the Golden Valley Schoolhouse–one of three original buildings this are part of the Frontier Gateway Museum complex. Records show that the school was first petitioned in 1910, and the first teacher was Mabel Huffey. The last teacher was Roy Lukanitsch. The longest serving trustee is Bertal Ekland who served for 21 years. You will notice some of this information is on display in the entryway of the school.

Times were tough, but fortunately the teachers at the Golden Valley Schoolhouse were tougher. Salaries are listed up to 1946, with the highest coming in at $125 per month in 1920. During the depression it is noted that salaries dropped to $66.50 per month, and you can imagine the teachers still felt fortunate to have a job at all. In total, 44 teachers served the school throughout its existence. The number of brilliant minds that came through, along with the occasional troublemaker, is not listed–though it’s easy to imagine the chatter in the classroom when kids first arrived for school all those years ago.

The school was restored in 1972 by museum board members John and Ella Schloss. Ella was a former rural school teacher. Now fully restored, you will notice some original furniture and equipment typical for its time, and hopefully it brings back memories of happy times…