GRANDVIEW HIGH SCHOOL GREYHOUNDS
Memory's of Our School Days
Grandview, Washington
This page is for nostalgia and great memories. We all have at least one great memory of growing up in Grandview, Washington. If you are willing to share with your classmates, please send in anything on life in Grandview.
RAYNETTE "COOKIE" KLASHKE SHANNON
CLASS OF 1960
I felt fortunate to grow up in Grandview. On Saturday afternoons, we packed the theatre to see that week's serial presentation. Sometimes, we went in the evening and walked home at midnight along the railroad tracks. We were 10, 11, and 12 years old, but no one worried about us. People left their doors unlocked. Many evenings, the neighborhood kids gathered in Morris's pasture to play baseball. If it got dark, the older kids would take turns turning on their car lights so we could keep playing. Mom would holler out the back door across the canal when it was time for us to go home.
We traded clothes back and forth. You usually borrowed someone else's gown to wear to the prom. The money just wasn't there to get a new one (we didn't feel under privileged either! ). It was a slower, simpler time, and one I cherish. Many of those friendships I formed all those years ago are still an important part of my life today. Our past is our present and our future. Maybe that is why it is so important for me to keep in touch with all these GHS students.
ROBERT "BOB" CLAYTON
CLASS OF 1957
I lived in Grandview from 1949 till 1957 when I went in the Navy. I remember halcyon days of carefree living. When I was a boy, I used to float down the river in a rowboat. Once while floating along, listening to the hum of insects and birdcalls and gazing at eternity through the clouds, silver laughter looped across the water and laid a smile on my lips. Looking up over the edge of the boat, I saw an old shack leaning on the rivers lip. Wild roses climbing its sides were lit by golden shafts of sunlight streaming through gaps in the trees almost obscuring it from view. Standing in the door way was a young girl in blue jeans rolled halfway up to her knees. Long hair framed a dazzling smile. Cheerily she waved as I drifted by, stunned by the vision of loveliness. Try as I might, I could never find that place again. The adult in me says it was only a midsummer's dream. But the boy in me is still looking for that girl of long ago. Perhaps it is you?
LEE JOHNSON
CLASS OF 1955
Grandview was a fantastic place for growing up and going to school. I am sure it is still a super town and a place of great memories. I remember when a siren at the fire station signaled the 10:00 p.m. curfew. And all children had to be off the streets unless accompanied by an adult. Might be a good idea to reinstate that custom. Many still can recall when there was no dial on the phones and the caller just told the operator what number they wanted? Later when the system changed over to dial phones, we just hated the automatic cut off after three minutes.
Remember Kuleza's Shoe Store, the Bright Spot Cafe, Trimble's Monarch Station, Haskin's Variety Store, or Tresner's Harness and Shoe Repair Shop. Oh yes, and dragging Division Street on Saturday night or going to the Juanita Grange dance. Yes, there are some great memories there. The summer days working for farmers who still used horses. We were a fortunate generation in many respects; we experienced many things others can only read about. If I was not limited by space I could write a book of good memories from Grandview.
THE OLD ONE ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE
By The Alumni Reporter
Not many residents can recall the days when the Euclid, Belma, Weneta, and Bethany schools served the ruralites who farmed the soil of the Lower Yakima Valley. And there are even fewer who can proudly say they attended one of these schools. One such person is Irene Hintz-Johnson ; who attended Belma, a one room school house, during the waning days of its existence. There were no buses to take the children to and from school in those days, so the students either rode horses or walked. Irene recalls walking along part of the Old Inland Empire Highway holding her older brother's hand on cold winter days. Girls were not allowed to wear pants, even on cold blustery days. So, one of Irene's best memories was how nice it was to gather around the cast iron stove before class started in the morning. It was the duty of the teacher to arrive at school before the students, unlock the door, and start the fire. It was also up to the teacher to bring drinking water for the students and this was kept in a crock in the back of the room. This worked well until one very cold night it froze and cracked. After that they drank from Mason jars until someone donated a water bucket with a dipper.
None of the schools had organized sports programs or provided any sports equipment to the children. However, the students themselves did have some spirited games. Baseball was always popular and this writer does remember a story told by a former attendee of the old Bethany School. I do not recall the man's name, but I can almost relate to you his story as told to me word for word. The farmers were just beginning to recover from the depression and not all families could give their sons things like baseball mitts, bats, and balls. So, in order to have a baseball game they pooled their equipment. The team that was up to bat gave their mitts to the team in the field and there was usually only one bat. The ball was used until the cover was beaten off; then it was wrapped with electrician's friction tape and pressed back into use. This story is about an important baseball game and the only bat the two teams had was fashioned out of a handle from a logger's peavey. It was the 6th inning and the team at bat was trailing by two runs and there was one man on base. The next man up was not a good hitter, if he even hit the ball the pitcher or one of the basemen usually snagged it. As the pitcher was winding up the outfield moved in. "Ball one," was the call. The pitcher wound up and burned in two more pitches..."strike one, strike two," called the ump. The pitcher was confident the next pitch would send the batter to the bench. Then suddenly there was a loud Wwwwwwamp, the ball went flying over the pitcher's head, it went flying over the second baseman's head, and had the center fielder been on station it would have went flying over his head as well. The man on base ran for home plate and the hitter jogged around the bases amidst the cry's and cheers of his astonished teammates. The score was now tied and the team was ecstatic with joy.
An alfalfa field bordered the school grounds and the ball landed well out into it. The umpire called time out, so both teams could hunt for the ball in the farmer's field. After a half-hour they gave up and the umpire called the game a tie. They only had one ball and it was not until after Christmas they were able to play again. One of students was given a brand spanking new bat and ball as a present.
THE WANETA SCHOOL
By The Alumni Reporter
The Waneta School house was originally built as a one room rural school on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Ole Washington. For those who would like to see this grand old building, you can view it at what is now the corner of Waneta and Braden Road near Grandview, WA. Please keep in mind this is now a residence and respect their privacy. The school was constructed as a one room school in 1901 and designated Waneta School District #35. By 1910 the building was expanded to three rooms to accommodate the growing population of the district.
Waneta School faithfully served the area children for forty-three years and was closed down in 1944. The building sat on the Leon Peterson farm until 1952. When Mr. and Mrs. Juarez purchased the old school along with 1 1/2 acres and made it their family home.
Those of you who once attended Waneta or any of the many rural schools built at the turn of the 20th century. Can drive by and take a trip back to those days when rural life was slow and easy. Waneta School has passed its 100th birthday and there are still those who can recall the ringing of the school bell beckoning the children to class. If you once attended one of the old rural schools in the Grandview area. Please send in your recollections of how life was during the era of the one room school house.