WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
HURRICANE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Hurricane, Utah
LOCATION
On the west side of Main Street just north of 100 South.Hurricane, Utah
For a map of the downtown business district in the late 1920's, click here.
HISTORY
The first school in Hurricane was held in the living room of the Ira E. Bradshaw home (later the Bradshaw Hotel) in the winter of 1906-1907. Jake T. Workman taught a handful of students there. By the winter of 1907-1908, the church was built and it was used for the school. In the fall of 1912, the new Relief Society building was used to supplement the church building. And in 1914, they had to rent Rob Stratton's store for addional space.A new dedicated school building was started in the fall of 1916 and finished in December of 1917. It had 10 classrooms and two service rooms. The cost was $32,000, half paid by the school board and half by the citizens of Hurricane. In January of 1918, the students (including some high school grades) were brought together in this new Hurricane Elementary School building.
A new elementary school was built in 1956 to replace the first Hurricane Elementary School.
In 1977-1978, the enrollment was so great that the fifth and sixth grades were moved to the junior high school building.
Principals:
Joseph Wilkenson (1915-1916)
Irvin Harmon (1916-1917)
Vivian Decker (1917-1918)
A. L. Winsor (1918-1919)
H. Val Hafen (1919-1921)
Willard O. Nisson (1921-1924)
Lorenzo Parker (1924-1927)
Milton E. Moody (1927-1928)
Glenn E. Snow (1928-1932)
Leeman Bennett (1932-1938)
Paul Gates (1938-1942)
LaFell Iverson (1942-1950)
Note: Between the 1917 and 1936, Hurricane Elementary School and Hurricane High School had the same principal and building.
Enrollment:
1932-1933 250+
1949-1950 350
PHOTOS
WCHS-04323 Hurricane's first elementary school (and the Relief Society House) (Click here to enlarge)
Other WCHS photos:
WCHS-04324 Photo of an old car in front of Hurricane's first elementary school
REFERENCES
Washington County D.U.P., " Under Dixie Sun - A History of Washington County"pp. 407, 411-414
1978 Supplement, pp. 16