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Monte Dodge | all galleries >> Galleries >> The " 700 Club", ( 700 Or More Hits, Your Favorites) > Govan's " Little Red School House" ( Closed 1942) Six Miles Past Almira
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27-OCT-2006 Monte Dodge

Govan's " Little Red School House" ( Closed 1942) Six Miles Past Almira

Govan , Washington

What a shame to allow this to go to waste. When you think " Little Red School House", this is as good as it gets!! The red paint is almost all gone now. The bell was been stolen, nothing remains inside. Built in 1906. 100 years of history here, WW One, WW Two, ,,, this school has seen alot of change over the last one hundred years. ( This is a " Must" see school house if you are into ghost town history.....

Canon EOS 5D ,17mm-40mm F4
1/8s f/16.0 at 26.0mm iso50 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time27-Oct-2006 15:49:40
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 5D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length26 mm
Exposure Time1/8 sec
Aperturef/16
ISO Equivalent50
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Mode (-1)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

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Paul 22-Jan-2010 02:51
Tania, I really hope you can get that property and restore it. I think the Gov. still gives grants for such. Maybe contact the Historic preservation society.

Oh man I loved reading that story Monte submitted. Just from that little bit of description made a vivid picture in my mind of going to school there. So awesome. Thanks for sharing it with us.
wayazo 15-May-2009 00:16
you can find additional photos of this school house at www.flickr.com/photos/mtn2sndphoto.
Jeff B.17-Aug-2008 20:28
Great photo... feeling of desolation well captured. V
Tanyia 18-Jun-2008 16:35
If anyone has any other pictures of the school house, how it used to look, it would be much appreciated. My husband and i live in Wilbur 5 miles from Govan. We have contacted the owners of the school house and are thinking about restoring it. Thank you thecrazedwife@aol.com
Donny Sorensen 24-Mar-2008 07:14
It is amazing that this school was built over 100 years ago. Now a days, i roam this country pheasant hunting with my dad and brother. My grandparents grew up in Wilbur, just a few miles down the road. I actually shot a pheasant right in front of that School this last November!!!
Monte Dodge26-Nov-2007 00:27
Thanks Russell!!! These days ,there are only 4 people living in Govan. One fellow is " O. J. who graduated in 1938 from there and still lives there. The old school doesn't get any help and is just rotting away. So sad as these was at one time maybe the best example of a " Little Red School House" as you could get... Thanks Russell for all the great info....
Russell Yates 25-Nov-2007 22:36
Just thought I'd write and let you know that my grandmother taught at that school. My aunt graduated from it, and my grandfather went there in 1909. About 10 years ago he wrote a short letter to my nephew's class telling them what school was like while he went to school in Govan. The story follows...

****

...I can tell you what being a kid was like long ago in 1909 when I was your age.

I lived on a farm just at the edge of a small town called Govan, Washington. I had a big brother Dorse, and a little sister, Mary. We could walk to school, but many of the students lived 5 or 6 miles away. They had to ride in a buggy pulled by two horses. It might take them one and a half or two hours to get to school in the morning. The big brothers or sisters drove the horses. During the day the horses stayed in a barn by the school until the kids were ready to go home again. School started at 9 a.m. and was over at 4 p.m. In the winter those who came by horse and buggy would have to go home in the dark.

The school I went to only had two rooms. In one room were Kindergarten and Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4. In the other room were Grades 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Each room had one teacher and about 25 students. Some teachers had older kids help younger ones. In front of the room was a row of desks for recitation. When it was time for the teacher to work with my grade, we would go up to the recitation row for reading or other learning from Mr. Sickles, who was my first teacher. The other kids would be at their own desks doing their work quietly. Each grade took turns.

One of the books I remember is Black Beauty. My parents didn't read to me at home, but our teacher read to the class every morning.

****

I hope this is of interest to you. In addition my mother was born in Govan.
Wolfgang Wander17-Sep-2007 13:47
I like the perspective and the colors of the formerly red school house...
Mindy McNaugher08-Jun-2007 19:14
Fabulous shot! Such beautiful architecture and rich history! You've shown me some new places I'd love to explore!
Lee G29-Oct-2006 18:35
Very nice capture and story line. Dramatic image!
Jola Dziubinska29-Oct-2006 16:07
What a story! How long ago was it abandoned and emptied?
Very nice architecture.
Guest 29-Oct-2006 16:06
Great old building, Monte! Nicely captured with good composition. Too bad you didn't have a better sky that day :(