Big Lake School and Students

Big Lake School and Students

If you have any photos or memories of the school to share, please contact us.

District No. 61, Big Lake School
DISTRICT FORMED 1877
YEARS SCHOOLS BUILT 1880, 1890
GENERAL LOCATION North of Scandia
MODERN ADDRESS Located at Mayberry Trail at Manning Ave.
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES N/A
DISPOSITION Razed
NOTES
  • 1877: District established
  • 1877-8: Classes first held at home of John Swenson. In early days, school lasted for a month. Later, it went from April to June.
  • 1879-80: School was conducted in a shed on the John Dalin farm.
  • 1880: School built.
  • 1982: School razed.
  • The average attendance in the early days of the district was only half the days school was in session. Most of the children had to work at home on the farm.
  • Eventually 71 students attended the small school ages 6-17. By 1938, school enrollment was 12 students.
MEMORIES: “The bell in the bell tower had a lovely sound that traveled quite a distance. If you heard the bell, while on your way to school, you knew you had taken too much time exploring all the fascinating things along your pathway and you were going to be late!” -Beverly Wahlquist Smith

Known Teachers:

1878: A.B. Falk
1880-1: Christina Young
1894-5: Adolph N. Toxelle
1895-6: Dr. Seashore??
1896-7: Mary Moline
1897-8: Nancy Weberg
1898-9: Ella Weberg
1905-6: Gertrude Anderson, Emma Erlanson??
1908-9: Eva H. Olson
1921-2: Ruth Swanson
1924-5: Ida Johnson
1938-9: Viola Piculell
1939-40: Viola Piculell
late 1930s: Vinette Abrahamson
1950s: Judith Wahlquist
Other teachers: (before 1898): Mary Hult, Maggie Grady, Nancy Weberg