Historic Hood River
Back to School
9-6-2017
Notes
This photo is labeled as “Frankton School, 1903-1906.” They sure have a lot of books. Where are the laptops?
They are identified as: Wade McClair, David Byerlee, Helen Boorman, Lizzie Eby, Nina Noble, Idell Woodworth, Paul Blaylock, Florence Byerlee, Mr. Brown, Albert Garrabrant, Lena Isenberg, Pearl Isenberg, and Maude Merrell. An additional note says, “center table second from right– Mrs. Earl Ordway, mother of Irene Brooks who donated picture.”
L.E.
I bet their penmanship was legible and they knew their times tables.
Oh well, some would tell me I am old and those things are history.
I think Mrs. Earl Ordway was a Blaylock. Lots of history in those two names.
Didn’t some of the Frankton School students hike up the bluff from the flats on the river down below?
L.E.
I was wrong about a lot of history connected with Ordway and Blaylock names. It sounds like this Ordway family were fairly newcomers to the Hood River area and I don’t think Blaylock is the same family as Blalock Canyon.
The name Jones came up with some of these people so maybe Charlott will have some more information and I might have some mistakes here.
Middle table, second from the right is Pearl Evedna Blaylock, mother of Irene Ordway Brooks. Pearl’s father passed away when she was one year old in the wheat country of Sherman County. Her mother remarried and they moved to the Frankton area. Pearl married Earl Ordway.
According to the Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Lena and Pearl Isenberg were the youngest of 10 children, but I think there were actually 12. Their father was a member of the G.A.R. He owned a farm on Belmont and was supervisor of the Cascade Forest Reserve. Their older sister was a teacher in the HR Valley and a brother was principal of schools at Cascade Locks.
Florence Byerlee McLane passed away in 1917. I think possibly Wade McClair could be Wade McLane. He and Florence were married in 1910.
The Dec. 10, 1903 HR Glacier, Frankton News Notes, written by the School Children, says Wade McLane of Nicolai has entered the Frankton school., Roy Woodworth’s cow caught on a root in a large spring on his place and died and Ward Tompkins is a guest of the Scott Boorman family.
In the November 1904 Frankton School news, G.W. Brown is principal. 51 students are listed on the honor roll, which includes most of these names.
Helen Boorman’s grandparents were William and Lucy Rand Boorman.
Maude Merrell married Lena and Pearl’s brother Elmer Isenberg. And Albert Garrabrant’s sister Margaret married Elmer’s brother Walter Isenberg.
I don’t know who Albert Garrabrant married, but his other sister Edna May, married Thomas Calkins, whom we have seen here at HHR.
I’m not finished yet….Nina Noble married Lena and Pearl’s brother, Marshall Isenberg.
Like Florence Byerlee, Idell Woodworth Dean, married, but passed away at a young age in 1914.
Lizzie Eby married Alvin (Roy) Eastman in 1911. "The bridal party was attended by Miss Nina Noble and Mr. Marsh Isenburg."
The property for the Historic Lakecliff Home east of the Columbia Gorge Hotel, was at one time owned by the Byerlees.
charlott
Pearl and Earl Ordway were the grandparents of one of my cousins, also named Earl Ordway. His father was Arlo Ordway who worked at the bank in downtown Hood River.
These Blaylock’s didn’t have any connection with Blalock, Oregon. It was named for a man from South Carolina named Nelson Blalock. Not the spelling is different
L.E.
In photo #572 https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=572
of the Frankton School, Bill Pattison says: "Arthur, I have written the history of Frankton School, which was my alma mater that is on file in the Museum. "
Does anyone know if we can just walk into the museum and have access to that history?
ArthurB
L.E., I will check on that Frankton history next time I’m at the museum. Generally written histories are in file cabinets which you can see on Mondays when the research team is present. It’s not "self service" but there is usually someone to pull the file on Monday. You can call ahead to make sure.
Mandy
Maude Merrell Isenberg is my great grandma, my middle namesake, and I also attended Frankton until it closed in the 1980’s, thanks for sharing this!