This classic looking rural one room country school sits as a rejected, lonely image of education in simpler times. Lynn School sits along East Lynn Road in rural Garfield County on a ridge south of the Snake River. In 1910, this land was owned by Verena Lynn. Still standing with straight lines, this school house would have been lovely in its heyday. Flanking the double front doors, are two coat closets, where boys and girls (on opposite sides) would have hung their coats and placed their lunch boxes. Nestled among the wheat fields in the beautiful, bountiful premier wheat growing region of Eastern Washington, the Palouse, its siding so weathered it is hard to tell if it ever saw a coat of paint. These old one room school houses are disappearing quickly. One in particular, Skeen School, is leaning precariously to the south and east and will probably succumb to gravity after a few more winter snows. Most were abandoned during the mid 1940s when consolidation of school districts occurred in the United States. I would have loved attending a rural school like this, what about you?
Nice picture Madge – they really should do something to preserve these old one-roomers, they epitomize their era.
Nice shot Madge…I have a couple of these in my area that historical committees maintain. Its definitely takes you back to a simpler time.
Lovely old schoolhouse, love the colours here Madge. My first school was pretty small in a rural village, but it was made of brick and stone and much bigger than this one. I have fond memories of feeding the goldfish and looking after a few chickens out the back in those far off days.
Looks like a real fixer-upper! Love the colours in your pic!
This is a stunning photo, so well captured
Oh I love this old school house! I love buildings with history and age… I’m sure the photo opportunities here are endless!
indeed, this structure looks old and dilapidated.
you captured it well despite its deterioration.
well, i hope someone refurbishes this place sometime.
Is this heritage rated,, or are they just waiting until it ashes-to-ashes itself?
@ Julie – No, unfortunately it is not on the National Register of Historic Places, and eventually it will collapse and disappear. Too bad… to lose pioneer heritage like this.
When I was about five years old, perhaps six, the girl who lived next door to my Aunt Esther took me to school for show and tell. I was her “show and tell” because I lived in the city and a lot of the children had never seen a city girl before. No kidding! This was back in the 1950’s, very rural West Virginia and in a two room school house. The school house was heated by a pot bellied black stove and, in one room, grades 1 through 5 and the second room, grades 6 through 12. Older children helped younger children, school teacher taught them all. When water was needed, someone went to the outside pump and pumped water into a bucket; when the room needed heating, coal was added to the stove by one of the larger boys. Everyone had a lunch bucket or they ran home for lunch.
Good times, good memories.
Thanks for visiting Thistle Cove Farm, it led me here.
Thanks Sandra for sharing your lovely ‘rural school’ memories… I think about those scenes every time I find and photograph another one/two room school…
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