School’s Out Forever.: : :
There will never be the sound of children’s laughter, nor the squeak of caulk on a blackboard at this old one-room school house again.
Along Fugate Road a mile or so west of Highway 27 in the Palouse region of southeastern Washington State, sitting askew is what remains of Skeen School.
It is at the edge of a wheat field, it once saw reading, writing and arithmetic, children’s voices and laughter,
but now just baling wire, unused farm implements, quiet and a few field mice.
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At one time, the school house had a bell tower near the front of the building,
but it has been gone for a number of years.
Judging by the distinct eastward lean, it won’t be too many more years and heavy snows before the school will collapse.
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I’ve been traveling around the northwest for quite a few years photographing old one
(and two) room schools and pioneer churches, they are a passion of mine.
I love the history surrounding them.
If you know of any old schools/churches in the northwest, drop me an email
I’d love to find some that I am not familiar with.
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What subject draws you again and again?
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the leaning barn of pisa? it is beautiful, really beautiful
I just love these old schools… my dad and mom both attended and received their entire education at one-room schools in Montana and Nebraska…
What a beautiful image, and such a great history. Education in that kind of structure (before the leaning) must have been a joyful experience, depending on the teacher of course! Perhaps some of those students are left leaning or even perhaps right leaning voters?
I agree Kate… I’ve often thought that education was downgraded when they consolidated all the schools into large districts and large schools. But that’s just my opinion of course! ;-)
Oh, I just want to help it out a little. It looks like it needs a shoulder to lean on. It has had a good life : )
It sure does… I’m afraid it would take a lot of shoulders to help though… lol! ;-)
It looks like a little wind would take this down. Great shot.
I think so… sad though. These little one-room schools are disappearing very fast these days, most have stood unoccupied now for 50 or 60 years…
That’s a serious tilt! Well seen Madge.
I was SO glad to find this school house… I thought I would never find it, but stumbled upon it by ‘accident!’
oh my goodness! great shot!
Thanks!
Good photo subject!
Thanks, Jeannette!
I love to take photos of old barns and old houses. I’ve gotten some amazing shots of houses almost consumed by blackberry vines and barns near collapse. I like to think that I’m saving the memory of the time past when the buildings were in use. I sometimes can hear the voices of the people who inhabited the houses and barns – and so then I’ll write the story down to go with the picture. We were in the Palouse last year and didn’t see this school house – but did see a couple others. Amazing to think of the children making their way to these out of the way schools.
I agree JoAnn… I find that some of these places the presence of children at these schools and saints at the churches is almost palpable… I love it and love being there, saving them in my images for the future.
This is an eye-popping shot, Madge! Clallam County had a lot of one room school houses; I heard a presentation on them last year. I don’t know that many are still standing. Kathy Monds, Exec. Director of Clallam Co. Historical Society was one of the presenters. She could aim you in the right direction (360-452-2662) if you want to pursue it. And I volunteer to be a semi-native guide if you do.
Thanks for the offer Kay, I may just take you up on that! Often I’ve found you do a lot of ‘goose-chasing’ and find perhaps one of every ten schools where they should be. Most of the time you arrive at the appointed spot to find nothing at all… sigh.
The beach is one of my fave subject matters. I always seem to find something new to shoot. I saw lots of cool abandoned homes and barns on the trip east, esp. in Montana and South Dakota.
Yes, I agree, back there it seems people just move out and the buildings stand on…
OH MY! I really like the way this building leans. Super find!
Thanks… I thought the list was extreme enough that I found it odd it was still standing (and not propped up either)…
It’s like the leaning tower in Pisa!
Exactly! ;-)
This is a wonderful photo! I’m so glad you caught this before age took its toll and so glad you shared it. Thanks!
Thanks, Helene!
Amazing capture!
Thank you, Kathy! ;-)
One big wind and I fear this building will be toast! :)
I agree, Nancy… and it does blow in the Palouse!
This is a great picture and scene! But why are you placing such a big text in your photo’s…it’s so distracting!
I’m sorry you feel distracted… I place a large, obvious watermark on my photos to protect them from people right clicking on them, saving them and using them as they please…I hope you understand.
That’s a very cool shot, Madge, of a place that holds a lot of memories. I loved that verse from the Psalms that you put on my blog. Thanks!
Thanks Connie, I love the Psalms, don’t you? :-)
I love old structures. Wish someone could restore this one.
I agree, but I think this one might be a bit too far gone…
I know of several one room school houses around the Woodburn Oregon area. Have you been to any around there?
I actually LOVE one room school houses and churches and old barns! I enjoy nice afternoon drives out in the country and always have an eye for spotting one room school houses. It’s amazing to me how many of them are still standing, you just gotta keep a look out.
My family built the Skeen School house. I do have some other photos of it, with family and neighbor kids in front for their class photo.