From the Archives-March 30, 2023
The Southside Grade school, previous a high school for Boundary County students.
(Courtesy Photo)
Which New High School?
Between 1915 and 1923, high school students of Boundary County attended the brick school next to the wooden grade school on upper Oak Street (Cemetery Hill). That brick school became the Southside grade school when a "new high school was constructed on lower Oak Street in the Eaton Addition. "A large crowd attended the dedication of the new high school" on March 30, 1923.
The cost of building the structure was $70,000.
On the north side of the "new" high school, tennis and handball courts were created in 1931. The courts were enclosed with a fence to keep the "stray" tennis balls from hitting homes in the neighborhood.
In 1937, the county was awarded a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant in the amount of $33,545 to build the Fry Auditorium with a gymnasium. It was completed in 1939.
The tennis courts were removed in the mid 1950s, and the Vocational/Agriculture building was constructed.
With the opening of another "new" high school on the South Bench in 1970, the "old" high school on Oak Street was closed. Removal of the main building began in 1972. Fry Auditorium was still used for extracurricular activities. In 1978, the vo/ag building was used by the school district administration office and the senior center. For several years, it was also used by Riverside High School. Today, the school district administration office continues to operate from the building.
During the removal of the 1923-1970 high school, many people from the community were able to gather "remembrance" bricks. This brick was donated to your Museum by a former student of the historic "new high school" seen in this photograph.
Your Boundary County Historical Society and Museum, 7229 Main, Bonners Ferry, Idaho sponsors this column. Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., and you can visit the website at www.boundarycountymuseum.org or the museum’s Facebook page for historical photos and stories, and to see upcoming events. Or we can be reached at doyouremember@meadowcrk.com or telephone 208 267-7720. Thank you for your continued support!