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Show 4 - GUSTY TIMES - JULY 1992 FOUND: MEMORIES from Page 1 to the various outlying schools. Most of them eventually taught not only in CV. like how he wrapped a couple of collared lizards into his lunch kerchief and set them under the teacher’s desk. After quite an uproar, he was whacked but also in Cisco, Dewey, Westwater, Danish Flats, and: Thompson. By 1916 the county school board wanted to with a slat of wood by the teacher and eliminate some of the smaller schoolhouses to save funds. later scolded by his parents. Then there was the time he and another school road in 1924 (by Castle Valley resident boy, in charge of filling the classroom William Cooley and friends), children water bucket, went down to the spring at the creek. Jack Owens, an older boy near full grown, was down at the creek taking a drink After Jack refused to help the younger boys haul up the buckets, Earl pulled out his Navajo were more easily transported to and from Moab schools. Some families stayed in town for the school year and With the completion of the river spent the summers on the ranch, much as the Taylor family of Fisher Valley does now. and pottery. There have been a couple of other attempts towards C.V. schools, the major hurdle being finances and location. Beginning in 1983-‘84, a small group of parents formed a cooperative school in the old ranch house on Castle Valley Drive. They used the curriculum and supervision of Red Rock Elementary in Moab. Roger and Roberta Lowry had already been teaching their youngest daughter Hannah at home. They soon became the guiding force behind this small school. Academics were covered in the first couple of hours. It was agreed that they would keep well abreast of the sling, placed a nice size rock in it, and aimed for the spring. A splash of water, After several years in search of a rural setting in the Four Comers region, a shaken and angry Jack, and more trouble for Earl. By the time Earl was ready for eighth grade, the CV. enrollment had dropped below seven, leaving them without a teacher. The kids then walked or rode up to Castleton. In Castleton, in the old saloon, room had been made for a school, which was in operation from 1904 until the late ’203 (yes, two schools in the valley). Their first teacher was a woman from Grand Junction (whose the Seventh Day Adventist Church decided on Castle Valley. In 1970 they bought the Martin and Taylor ranches of their students might find themselves commuting to town the next year. After and proceeded with construction of the Castle Valley Academy. School began in one of the old ranch houses with 20 students. C.V.A. is a boarding school enrichment experiences followed—— name has been lost to history), fol- for ninth to twelfth graders, based on Seventh Day principles. The academy has a two-track program which offers college prep curricula (the last two years, 100% of graduates went on to college) and a work/study program. lowed by Ida M. Wells and Phyllis The students spend half day working and half day with their studies. The Gex. Some of the early students were Veda Robertson, Daisy Davis, Jack ticeship opportunities in areas such as Corbin, and the Denny children. In the early 19008, there were quite a few other schools around. The Richardson Place (at the mouth of Professor Valley) operated a school for a few years, and from 1902 until 1914 Dewey had its own, as did Cisco, Thompson, Danish Flats, Dolores, and Miner’s Basin up in the La Sals. And of course Moab, which was in those days a long and difficult trek from our area. In going through the few old records available, I found that there were a handful of teachers who were assigned work/study program provides apprenauto and machine mechanics, farming, nursery and food service, and office work and administration. Not only can students earn a certificate of apprenticeship, but they can also reduce their tuition costs by working. At the same time, a day school for Red Rock curriculum in the event any the basics, a variety of hands-on, nature studies, art , cooking, animal husbandry, for example. That year more than 35 first and second graders came from Moab to the Lowrys’ for a day on the farm. They lined up to milk the goats, helped shear the sheep, and learned about carding and spinning wool. The school disbanded after the first year due to a lack of support. There was a lot of work and not enough workers. In 1984-’85, another attempt was made, the CV. Cooperative Children's Workshop, this time in the basement of what is now the Castle Valley Inn. The Metzlers were living there at the time with their children, Heidi and Carl. A small fee was charged, enough to cover the additional insurance costs and to hire the teacher at $50.00 a month. elementary age children began, Laura Hauke, along with parents, primarily for children of the Seventh Day staff, but it is also open to the public. It operates from 8 to 12 each taught kindergarten through fifth grade from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. The students week day, covering the core curriculum for each grade as well as some enrich- Jude and Emily Tuft, Nicole and Kiri ment programs, such as archaeology were Heidi Metzler, Chloe Hedden, Wagstaff, Tate Rees, Nick Leonard, Caleb Harper, and Marshall and Judd Hotz. Some of the parents had been \- Canyonlands dissatisfied with what the Moab teachers and schools had to offer their children, others were concerned about the long days and the river road bus Llamas ride. The children (all registered as homeschoolers) again used the curriculum from Red Rock Elementary, with academics in the morning and a multitude of creative afternoon Moab, Utah 84552 _ (801) 259-5759 projects. A11 involved felt that their children prospered with the personal Continued—Page 5 |
