Historic Hood River
Rose Hill Class of 1917-17
7-21-2020
Notes
You may remember a year and a half ago we learned about a small schoolhouse called “Rose Hill” up on the ridge east of Pine Grove. This is the only other image we have from Rose Hill: the class of 1916-17. The kids with x’s under them are named: Ida Trout, Ralph Trout, Elferd Trout, and Henry Trout. Any Trout relatives out there?
Buck Parker
I love the smiles. We don't see many pictures where everyone is smiling, and it really brings the kids to life.
That's a pretty substantial schoolhouse. Do we know where “on the ridge” it was?
Charlott
Yes, Trout's went to Rose Hill. Their parents were Charles and Anna Theshia Trout. Charles, naturally was a farmer, but probably if on top of the mountain didn't do well, due to not much water up there and the strong winds drying everything out. The parents remained in the Hood River area all their lives. Children were somewhat spread out. Son Ralph went to Glenwood and Henry ended up in Kalama, Washington.
I have a photo of Rose Hill School taken in the winter. I have a photo that I took, showing exactly where the school was.
L.E.
Yes, Ralph Trout came to Glenwood. He and his wife are buried here in the Mt Adams Cemetery. He probably came, to work in the saw mill here. Ralph was actually born in Husum, Wa. so at one time his parents must have been living in this area before moving to Rose Hill.
Ida was born in Minnesota and the other two boys born in Oregon.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in Mosier picking cherries and thought of the Rose Hill School photo. I wondered what it must have been like traveling those hills between Hood River, Mosier and The Dalles. Lots of hills and gullies to go up and down.
JKG
I have a very vague memory of hiking up on the hill from my parent's house with my dad as a kid and finding the remains of an old schoolhouse. Likely the very one…
L.E.
Parents Charles and Anna are buried in Hood River's Saint Marys Cemetery. Ida married Lee Clifford Jeffries in 1923. She died in 1927 and is also buried in the Catholic Cemetery.
Ralph married Lourina Cress of Glenwood. Her parents were sheep herders in Mt Adams country. Her mother Lucy Kessler Cress wrote an interesting autobiography of her life here in the Pacific Northwest.
Elfred lived here in Hood River. His family is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery and Henry was buried in Kalama where, as Charlott says he moved.
Hopefully some of the Trout family will add some more information.
Tennille Sauter
Ralph Trout was my grandfather! Very cool to get to see this!
L.E.
From memories of Henry Trout.
He was born one mile south of the Old Dalles Road, an area called Rose Hill. Four families lived up there. Dr. Dumble drove out there with horse and buggy for the delivery.
Parents had cows, horses, pigs and chicken. It was dry land farming. They had 2 hand dug wells which was ample for house and stock water.
The schoolhouse was one mile south of farm. Snow got deep in the winter time.
Teachers were: 1st grade Sylvia Elder, 2nd grade Alma Annala, 3rd grade Helen Brosie. The school was a one room school with a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the room. Packed water from a spring about 200 yards from the school. Nine children is the most he can remember.
In 1920 the Mufford family moved. Ida and Ralph were through the eighth grade, leaving only Henry and Elfred so they closed the school. The district paid for the boys room and board to go to school in Portland.
In the summer time they would herd the cows out from the farm a mile or so. Rattlesnakes and gray diggers were damaging to the crops.
In 1920 the Trouts sold their Rose Hill farm and bought a farm in Glenwood.
In 1928 the parents moved back to Hood River.