In the early 80s, the settlers of this valley began turning their attention to the children who were growing up without education, and they decided public school was essential.

In 1884, Dawson County was a huge territory bounded on the north by the Dominion of Canada, on the west by Choteau and Fergus counties, on the south by Custer County and the east by Dakota Territory.

School District No. 1 was comprised of all of Dawson County and, as new districts were formed, their boundaries were defined so that the territory they covered was segregated from District No. 1. Glendive being the county seat became School District No. 1. School District No. 2 and 3 were established, and then Newlon School District No. 4 was established sometime in the fall of 1883. District No. 5 (Sidney) followed that next summer and fall, with Fairview District No. 13 in 1909. In order for a new school district to be established, it was necessary that at least one month of school be taught in the neighborhood and contributions be obtained in the neighborhood.

In 1901, George Burgess went to Glendive to organize a school district. District No. 14 was organized by George Burgess, S.P. Howard and Hans Molstad, and they also served as trustees.

The Burgess School started in January 1902 in a ferry building made of logs and rented from Tom Forbes. It was located just west of the Missouri Bridge on Section 16 near a large washout. The teacher was Miss Esther Ward from Glendive. She came to Dore by stagecoach and was met by Burgess. She boarded at the Burgess home, got $45 a month and paid the Burgesses $10 a month for her board.

Pupils who attended this term of school were Mose, Sang, Harrison and Della Howard, Bill Kirkey, Jennie (Burgess) Houchen, Sidney, Bruce Burgess and two Molstad boys.

The next year, Bruce Burgess got out the logs and cut them for the new schoolhouse. He received $23, but there wasn’t enough money in the school district to pay him. The schoolhouse had a sod roof and was located on the flat of the big coulee on the road to Four Mile. This school was also called the Burgess School.

In January 1903, the school was opened again with about the same enrollment. In 1904, the teacher was Mr. Moody.

In 1912, John Seel’s saloon in Java was moved to Nohly for use as a schoolhouse. It was placed in Simon Gilbertson’s pasture north of its present location. The first teacher was Mrs. Bain. She kept several children at the schoolhouse who came from Java. A part of the schoolroom was divided off by a curtain to hide the beds. The schoolhouse did not have siding on it, and though they had a stove, it never seemed to get warm. One night it was so cold that frost from their breath froze Mrs. Bain’s long hair to her pillow.

Children attending the school were Ella (Gilbertson) Anderson, Orpha and William Zoeber, Esther and Rhody Kirkhoven, the Masons, Yadons, Bessie and Elsie Sweley, and Dale, Clinton, Beatrice and Owen Berry. Later, Charlie Sweley donated a shed for a teacherage.

In the summer of 1929, Bert Chase, Fairview, moved the schoolhouse out of the pasture. Leona Young LaBonte was the first to teach at this new site.

When Delbert Dotson was teaching, there was no disciplinary problem. Dotson carried a leather strap, which was fastened to his belt and hung inside his trouser leg. When he used it everyone, was required to watch.

In the 1916 issue of the Fairview Times, requirements for Montana Rural Schools were printed. After visiting and inspecting the various schools, county superintendents were to fill out blanks provided and forward them to the state superintendent. Some of these requirements were:

• Buildings, 15 feet of floor space and 200 feet of air space for each pupil, ventilated by sanitary system, celled or plastered, and no leaks, no broken windows, and windows on the left and rear of pupils only;

• Equipment: patent disk of at least three sizes, teacher’s desk, good blackboard, troughs, suitable crayons and eraser, at least 16 linear feet per room, framed pictures on the walls, suitable dictionary, maps, globes, good water supply and covered water cooler with spigot and individual drinking cups or sanitary bubbler and sanitary towels, U.S. flag not less than 4 by 6 feet, two separate sanitary closets or two clean ordinary privies, fenced playground of at least one acre and suitable supply of fuel and shelter for fuel and horses;

• The school: Full, neat and accurate school register, one teacher for every 30 or fewer pupils enrolled, daily program posted in room, teacher’s manual on desk and the school visited by all trustees, and homes of all pupils visited by teacher.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information compiled from Fairview Times,O’Brien and MonDak Historical Museum