There was a long-time reunion atmosphere on Saturday, July 19 in the tiny community of Burr as over a hundred area residents, current and former, came to celebrate school days of yesteryear.
The dedication of a beautiful iron marker sign for Willow Ridge School drew everyone out to gather, reminisce and celebrate the remembrance. The last of the two school buildings itself has long been removed; only a red painted capped well marks the site of the original building. Many formers students and their families were in attendance, as were three of the teachers.
Kathy Maier was the last teacher at Willow Ridge School at its closure in 1972. She recalls the tightknit feeling around the school and the community at the time.
It was an awesome community,” Kathy recalled fondly, as she laughed. “Half of the kids there I was related to. It was a fabulous place.”
She reflected on the sense of continuity there was with the smaller schools, the local participation in the school as the hub of the community, and the sense of responsibility the kids learned as they progressed from Kindergarten through Grade 8.
“Let’s face it, the country schools were the backbone of our education system," Kathy said. “They put out doctors and lawyers and nurses. If a child, say in grade 4, didn’t understand a concept in phonics, they could leave their work and come to a lesson in grade 2 and pick up what they needed. That was what was really amazing.”
Similarly, kids in older grades could help support the younger ones in their learning.
In fact, two of Kathy’s own teachers were at the gathering, Joe Diakow who now lives in Humboldt and Ozzie Lutz who lives in Lanigan.
For this part, Diakow remembers those days in Willow Ridge fondly, acknowledging there were good times and bad times.
“The students were so polite and cooperative,” said Diakow, just after the three teachers unveiled the beautiful iron marker sign. “It was a pleasure to teach them.”
He recalls the demand of teaching every subject there was available to students in grades 1 through 8 and all the organizational work that entailed.
“You had to prepare all those lessons for the next day, and that took a lot of work.” said Diakow as he reflected on the days gone by, and on the visiting going on following the unveiling. “Brings back all kinds of memories and it’s nice to be back.”
Diakow went on to both Lake Lenore School and then to Muenster School where he retired as principal.
Diakow joined Kathy Maier and Ozzie Lutz in signing the back of the sign, followed by all the others at the gathering who had attended the school.
Kathy Maier’s husband Garry was the main organizer for the project. He said it was the first time he’d been involved in this kind of commemoration.
“The turnout is awesome, the weather is on our side, and the response to the initiations was amazing by young and old,” Garry observed. “We going to do it again with another school in our municipality, so I’m glad with how things are unfolding today.”
Humboldt Watrous MLA Racquel Hilbert brought greetings and reflected on the importance of the education and the heritage represented in the one room schools and the commemoration of their importance.
The gathering retired to the Burr Community Hall just across the road to continue the celebration with a video presentation, an extensive silent auction, lunch and more conversations and reminiscing on the storied history of Willow Ridge School and its alumni.