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| Our Beloved Prescott School in 2012 |
In 1893, Eastside School was built at the present Prescott School site. It was renamed Prescott School in 1902, but it is unclear whether it was named after William H. Prescott, the famous American historian, or Clarence Prescott, an old-timer that served as Missoula’s chief of police, city marshal, assessor, sheriff, member of the state legislature and county commissioner. The school was rebuilt in 1951-52 and currently has an enrollment of 158 students in grades 4 and 5. Students who attend Prescott would typically attend Mount Jumbo elementary for grades K-3.
Activities include a school ski trip, carnival and the Fun Run. There are also the Chess Club, Stamp Club and two game days each week.More information follows -
Prescott School was originally known as the "East Side School". It opened it's doors in 1891 to provide some relief to the increasing growing pains of the Rattlesnake Valley. Charles Owen purchased the lots at the corner of Harrison and Vine Streets from T.I. Greenough and set about constructing a two-story frame building to be used as a store. He consented to rent the downstairs portion to School district No. 3 for the school. He moved his family into the upstairs quarters.
Fanny Robinson was the first teacher in that school in 1882, with the building being used only one year. Afterwards, the building served again in it's original purpose as a neighborhood grocery until the wheels of progress forced its demise. The site is one block east of the present exit ramp for Interstate Highway 90 West at Van Buren Street.
Prescott School is home to approximately 133 Fourth and Fifth grade students. Yearly events include a school ski trip, carnival and the Fun Run. There are also the Chess Club, Stamp Club and two game days each week.
Historical information from the Prescott School website found on the internet. 11-2012
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Historical information from the Prescott School website found on the internet. 11-2012
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In 2015, I, Jeanne Joscelyn, the publisher of this blog, wrote a letter to the editor regarding the history of Prescott School located in the Rattlesnake Valley in Missoula. Due to technical difficulties and my limited tech abilities I haven't published this info on this blog. So here it is - using copy and paste.
Throughout this year Missoula is
celebrating its 150th birthday.
In its early days a sawmill, Missoula Mills, was built near the Clark Fork, diverting water from Rattlesnake Creek.
Not far from this landmark and Missoula’s beginnings, is another, Prescott School.
In conjunction with Missoula’s centennial, in 1983, the Rattlesnake PTA published a booklet about the history of the area’s schools. Bonnie Malingo compiled Information on Prescott School, some of which follows.
“1891 marked the year a school was provided to meet Missoula’s growing pains in the Rattlesnake Valley.” The original Prescott School started as the East Side School in 1891 in a grocery store on the corner of Harrison and Vine.
In 1893, the school district purchased land for $500 from the Missoula Real Estate Association on which to build another East Side School ( current location at 1100 Harrison) costing $4,000.
“In 1902, the Daily Missoulian reports, ‘East Side School was to be named Prescott School.’”
In 1948, Superintendent Porter, showed preliminary drawings of a newly proposed school building for Prescott. “In the spring of 1951 the new Prescott School was ready for occupancy.”
For many years, Prescott served 1-8th grades. A variety of grade configurations were also used depending on the circumstances.
Prescott, a special school to many, was closed and leased in 2004 to the private Missoula International School. The lease will expire in 2017. MCPS needs to reopen Prescott for its proper use of educating our public school students. Enrollment both in the Rattlesnake and city-wide is increasing and our schools are at capacity.
The section on Prescott history in the booklet mentioned above ends with the following sentence, “In closing, one of the finest things one can experience at Prescott is the tremendous interest and support from the parents and the public in the area.”
In its early days a sawmill, Missoula Mills, was built near the Clark Fork, diverting water from Rattlesnake Creek.
Not far from this landmark and Missoula’s beginnings, is another, Prescott School.
In conjunction with Missoula’s centennial, in 1983, the Rattlesnake PTA published a booklet about the history of the area’s schools. Bonnie Malingo compiled Information on Prescott School, some of which follows.
“1891 marked the year a school was provided to meet Missoula’s growing pains in the Rattlesnake Valley.” The original Prescott School started as the East Side School in 1891 in a grocery store on the corner of Harrison and Vine.
In 1893, the school district purchased land for $500 from the Missoula Real Estate Association on which to build another East Side School ( current location at 1100 Harrison) costing $4,000.
“In 1902, the Daily Missoulian reports, ‘East Side School was to be named Prescott School.’”
In 1948, Superintendent Porter, showed preliminary drawings of a newly proposed school building for Prescott. “In the spring of 1951 the new Prescott School was ready for occupancy.”
For many years, Prescott served 1-8th grades. A variety of grade configurations were also used depending on the circumstances.
Prescott, a special school to many, was closed and leased in 2004 to the private Missoula International School. The lease will expire in 2017. MCPS needs to reopen Prescott for its proper use of educating our public school students. Enrollment both in the Rattlesnake and city-wide is increasing and our schools are at capacity.
The section on Prescott history in the booklet mentioned above ends with the following sentence, “In closing, one of the finest things one can experience at Prescott is the tremendous interest and support from the parents and the public in the area.”
Jeanne Joscelyn
Prescott and neighborhood school advocate
721-9027
Edited on 6/21/23 - Some of the sentences were mixed up. This required some editing.
We loved Prescott school! So many friends, good memories, and good friends!
ReplyDeleteWent there 3-5th :) !
ReplyDelete