The History Of The Upper Rogue Schools

In the late 1980s, Thomasine(Tommy) Smith and her husband, Stan, decided to make a video showing the history of the Upper Rogue Schools from 1879-1988.  Tommy had been owner of the Central Point restaurant, Mon Desir(which burned to the ground several years ago), and a Shady Cove restaurant, Bel Dis on the Rogue River.  For the project, she and Stan enlisted the help of many citizens, who supplied them with personal photos and memories of the schools.  In keeping with the project, she used music which reflected the times.  Tommy deserves our thanks for creating a video that gives an in-depth look at the lives of schoolchildren and their teachers.  Two things become apparent:  a true community spirit permeated all gatherings, and there was a genuine pride in the schools themselves.  Thanks again, Tommy, for preserving this special part of the history of the Upper Rogue.

 

 

About Robert M. Weiss
From an early age, I've taken great pleasure in reading. Also, I learned to play my 78 player when I was quite young, and enjoyed listening to musicals and classical music. I remember sitting on the floor, and following the text and pictures of record readers, which were popular in the 1940s and 50s. My favorites were the Bozo and Disney albums. I also enjoyed watching the slow spinning of 16s as they spun out tales of adventure. I have always been attracted by rivers, and I love to sit on a boulder with my feet in the water, gazing into the mysteries of swirling currents. I especially like inner tubing on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon. Since my early youth, I've been interested in collecting minerals, which have taught me about the wonderful possibilities in colors and forms. Sometimes I try to imagine what the ancient Greeks must have felt when they began to discover physical laws in nature. I also remember that I had a special passion for numbers, and used to construct them out of stones. After teaching Russian for several years, I became a writer, interviewer, editor, and translator. I continue to delight in form, and am a problem solver at heart.

3 Responses to The History Of The Upper Rogue Schools

  1. pethan35 says:

    Local history is very important for the locals. Great video and one gets the the feeling for the period. Thanks for sharing. Have you any links to the school?

    Like

  2. Thanks for your comment, Peter! I have one link: http://www.greatschools.org Try looking up Elk Trail School.

    Like

  3. rommel says:

    Times are a-changing! So nice to see how it was back then. Crazy eh, just a small confine. Now, we have so much standards for school for “better” education.

    Like

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