There Are Still 23 One Room School Houses in Wyoming
Last week I came across this PBS video about The Valley School in Cody, Wyoming. The
Valley school is one of 23 one room school houses still being used in Wyoming.
I was SO excited to see this sweet little school being featured. Back in the day, I was a student teacher in Cody, and I actually spent a few days at Valley school. I even had dreams of being a teacher there someday...but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
My mother in law, Connie Webb, attended this school in the 1950's and used to ride her horse (along with her brothers) from their ranch to school when the weather allowed. It was about a three or four-mile ride. The horses were kept in a barn and corral at the back of the school. There were outdoor toilets, and the class size at the time was 7, with 4 of the students being herself and her brothers.
This is what my mother in law's brother, Harry Deter, remembered about his experience at Valley school.
The last 2 years I attended Valley the teacher I had was Mary Smith, a recent graduate of Boston College with a pure Boston accent to her speech. Her husband David, was also from the same college and ran the marathon for the college. He was hired at the same time to teach at the other country little school about 15-20 miles downriver closer to Cody. On a good day, he would RUN (instead of driving) to the school and back at night. We were really out in the boondocks!!! The state furnished a home on site, where the teachers lived year round while teaching.
I always say that Wyoming is what America was, and that's not a bad thing.
Take a moment to watch this video and feel some of that good old fashioned Wyoming pride.