Some people in Lewiston and elsewhere who are older than 75 years of age (getting close to 80), were in Sacajawea Junior High School’s first class in 1959 in the Lewiston Orchards.
Also new that year was Jenifer Junior High School located in downtown Lewiston next to Bengal Field. The two new schools for grades seven, eight and nine replaced the 1914 Lewiston Junior High School building located across the street from Lewiston High School’s 1928 building.
Construction of the two new schools was financed by a $1,500,000 bond issue passed by 85% Nov. 14, 1957. The site for Sacajawea’s 15 acres was purchased in 1955 for $26,500. The new Jenifer JHS was led by Harvey “Slug” Walker, a longtime teacher and coach in Lewiston, including my B squad football coach in 1948. Don White was my B squad baseball coach in 1949, and I played town team baseball with Ed Williams in 1953. The two “new” junior highs still seem like new to me, but they are now 66 years old.
Ever since the new Lewiston High School was opened in 2020, the two junior highs are now middle schools and include grades six, seven and eight.
The May 23, 2010, Lewiston Tribune had an article called “Back to the future.” It said Sacajawea was celebrating its 50th anniversary as a school. When it opened Aug. 30, 1959, the school had 488 students and 21 teachers. I was one of those 21 teachers and may be the only one still alive. Clarence Booth was Lewiston’s school superintendent and Clen Wallace was Sacajawea’s principal. Wallace had been my principal the year before at the old Lewiston Junior High School.
The 2010 article has some comments from a few of us on the 1959-60 staff. The late Fred Schmidt remembers having 36 students in a class once, and teachers did not have preparation periods at the time. Schmidt also said, “It was a great place to work, and I had a wonderful 28 years there.”
June Moulton taught physical education and also enjoyed her 28 years. Kay Kalbfleisch taught eight years at Sacajawea and remembers teachers could use the paddle with discretion, and it was mandatory that teachers read the Bible to their classes first thing in the morning.
I am quoted as saying I was the assistant football coach and the head baseball coach. In football, the team had to practice on the grass a block away at the Orchards Grade School because no field was ready yet at Sacajawea. The article has pictures of class officers Steve Olson, Kathy Poleson and Steve Gabby and cheerleaders Linda Nordby, Nancy Taylor and Julie Williams. There wasn’t a baseball field, so we had to clear out the bushes and make one.
Each teacher who taught at the old Lewiston Junior High was assigned to either Sacajawea or Jenifer. A few I taught with at Sacajawea were Jewell McIlhargey, Cletus Sarbacher and Harry Warren. Mrs. McIlhargey had been my sixth grade teacher at Garfield in 1946, and Mr. Warren had been my government teacher in grade nine in 1948. Mr. Sarbacher was a World War II veteran who died young.
I had a morning three-hour block and then the same in the afternoon with a total of 59 students. The classes I taught were English, reading, spelling, history and geography. Besides coaching for $180 for each sport, I was the unpaid director of the girls drill team. I had been given the job because I had been in the Army. I will never forget watching my girls march in the Lewiston Roundup Parade.
Some of the handwritten positive student comments made me very happy then, 65 years ago, and still do now that I am 92 years old. The students knew I was moving to Seattle and wished me luck there. Here are parts of some of the comments that make me smile:
“I wish you could be my ninth grade teacher.” “You are the nicest teacher I have ever had.” “I loved being in your class, you are a big hearted and great guy.” “Good luck to a swell guy. I know you will go far.” “Good luck to the best teacher I had in the eighth grade.” Even though it was 65 years ago in 1960, I still hear from Carol Brigham Latta, an honor student in my class. Her handwritten note to me says that she immensely enjoyed my class and felt that it was the best class she would ever have, and that I have a good sense of humor. She ends her note with a poem that says, “Just two little words, remember me.” I received her 2024 Christmas card from Vancouver, Wash., where she is a retired college director of nursing students.
As for me, I loved being a teacher more than being a school administrator.
Riggs, 90, is a lifelong Lewistonian. He’s an avid Warriors fan, a retired educator, coach and school superintendent and volunteers his time at the Nez Perce County Historical Society. He can be reached at bdriggo@gmail.com.
