On April 14, 1896, a group of miners filed a mining claim with the Stevens County Court House; they called it the Never Tell Mine. Two years later in 1898, they sold their mining claim to the Townsend Brothers who renamed it the Orient Mine and Milling Company. In the next few years, a few others came to the area...
By 1908, there were 12 fully operating mines near Orient. By 1910, Orient was busting at the seams with a population of 450. Because the educational facilities in Orient were considered sub-standard, many families chose to live elsewhere. [Alex] Anderson, who published The Kettle River Journal, wrote an editorial that started a rally cry for better educational facilities.
...“Sealed bids will be received by the clerk of School District No. 11 Ferry County, Washington, whose post office address is Orient, Was, up to 5 o’clock p. m. June 25, 1910, for the construction of a two-story brick building with basement. Plans and specifications on file at the office of said clerk.
...“The contract for the construction of the Orient school building was let last Saturday by the directors to J. J. Lohrenz of Spokane, his bid being $7,195.00. The building is to be two stories with full basement, each floor to contain two rooms, besides library and closets. It is to be constructed of red brick with white trimmings.
...“J. J. Lohrenz was not long in starting work on the construction of the new Orient school house. He came up Monday from Spokane accompanied by Lee Dysart, his Foreman. The excavating is finished and considerable building material is already on the ground.” (Alex Anderson, The Kettle River Journal, August 1910)
By October 1st 1910, the school was completed and ready to open its doors. Parents were reminded that new books were needed for their children. Parents were able to trade old books in good condition for new books at 10 cents each. Parents were also reminded that it was mandatory that children between the ages of 8 and 16 years must attend school. The Kettle River Journal ran the following on October 1st 1910:
“The Orient public school opens next Monday with Ms. McQuirk and Miss Wheelock as teachers and it will open in one of the most handsomest buildings in the northwest, where a pupil should be proud to attend.” (Alex Anderson, The Kettle River Journal, October 1, 1910)
The new Orient School was indeed the pride of the town and the envy of all neighboring towns, students who started that day in 1910, had the unique experience of sitting at a new desk and engaging in what promised to be an amazing educational experience for all who attended The Orient School. Discipline was strict and a student was expected to follow the rules. Daily lessons were taught by a variety of methods and subjects included: reading, grammar, mathematics, history, writing, science, music, and art. Students were encouraged to study hard and succeed. By 1912, The Orient School had made a name for itself by holding concerts, debate tournaments, and a variety of other programs that entertained the community. Students rehearsed in the basement. Every year, the students participated in a holiday program, a tradition that continues to this day.
Read on at the Orient School District