Just 60 years ago, many local students went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. And thanks to many dedicated people, one of those precious schoolhouses, along with many memories, has been preserved.
Willowford #3, as it was referred to, now sits adjacent to the Horse Lake Elementary School just off Horse Lake Road. The original school was built in 1939 and remained open for 10 years.
"We started that year (1939) remembered Irene (Olafson) Kelly who attended the school for four years. Now residing in Peachland, Kelly was here for the dedication ceremonies.
She joked with her brother Orval Olafson of Abbotsford who remembered the strap that hangs in the old school house. "I don't think it was the original one," he laughed. "But I do remember the original one. I felt it a couple of times," he added insisting his brother Ernie, who wasn't there to defend himself, got more straps than he did.
"We had a lot of fun," added Kelly, remembering the games of scrub ball, the one student that had to gather water from a nearby farm and the lack of cars. "You could count the cars in the area on one hand," added Orval.
At the dedication ceremony on May 31, Horse Lake Elementary School Principal Mr. Truant(now retired) had many people to thank. "It's exciting to see this many people here," he said of the close to 100 people plus the school children that gathered for the historical event. He was especially grateful to Mr. & Mrs. Voss who donated the building to Horse Lake Elementary School.
After two years of red tape, a lot of concerns, countless hours of work by the steering committee, partnerships with the Lone Butte Historical Association and others the project was finally completed. "This was a true school and community effort," said Truant. "Everyone came together with lots of community spirit."
Mrs. Graham and her Grade 4 students gave a short history of the schoolhouse… Located at the east end of Horse Lake, the schoolhouse was built in four to five months. As many as 23 and as little as eight attended the school at one time. Although there were no uniforms, the girls had to wear skirts. Subjects included literature, math, art, history, geography, and handwriting... stated the children.
One of Willowford's schoolteachers, Hazel Huckvale, now residing in Williams Lake, had fond memories of the little school. "To the Willowford people and pupils I owe a great deal," said the 87-year-old. "I came to Willowford (from Ottawa) as green as the grass."
"I taught a lovely little group of people," she added. "They knew a lot more than I did about the things that counted." She also said she learned tolerance and forgiveness during her time there. "I've never forgotten the children," she added. "They had such an influence on the rest of my life. And I'm not pulling your leg on that."
She also congratulated all the people responsible for preserving a little bit from the past. "The past is extremely important. If we have no past then Canada has no future. If we remember the past we can all be a part of it."
A variety of speeches and thank yous ensued including letters from the Lone Butte Historical Society and former students. Alex Voss and Franziska Voss, there on behalf of their parents, unveiled a brass plaque and said a few words. The number of people present for the occasion also overwhelmed them. Alex remembered the last time he had seen the old school was when cows were roaming inside the building on his parent's land. They too were pleased that the schoolhouse could be preserved.
Following the dedication the guests were treated to a May Pole dance by Horse Lake Elementary School students, under the direction of Sharon Frasher. Former students remembered with smiles on their faces the May Pole dance that their teachers had taught them.
The rain held off till the end and a tea followed in the gym.
Sisters Joan Law and Betty Johnson (nee Furrer), who still live in the area, have fond memories from their little school.
