Pringle Elementary Turns 150

A mural that depicts the schools service to the community will be unveiled during the Sesquicentennial celebration.

Pringle School Photo Courtesy: Salem/Keizer Schools

(SALEM) - Pringle Elementary School will be celebrating its Sesquicentennial on Saturday.

The celebration will include art work, a walk through the past 150 years, a carnival, and live music with the Severin Sisters.

The school enlisted local artist Anne Stecker, to work with students over the school year to design a mural that depicts the service of Pringle through the years.

Students worked with parent volunteers to create and glaze the 485 tiles that make up the mural.

The mural will be part of a new welcoming entrance area that will become a permanent addition to the school.

Dedication of the mural and the new welcoming area will take place at 4:30 PM with words of welcome from school officials and a "thank you" to all the community partners that have made Pringle what it is and has been for the past 150 years.

Those attending are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner.

The Sesquicentennial event "Making History" will take place from 3:00�8:00 PM at Pringle Elementary, located at 5500 Redd Lane S.E.

Pringle`s History:

The original school was named for the Virgil K. and Phernie Tabitha Brown Pringle family.

Thanks to 14-year-old man Octavius Pringle, this half-starved but jubilant family arrived safely in Salem on Christmas Day 1846, after a nine-month journey from Missouri.

The Pringles attempted the ill-advised Applegate cut-off near the southern Willamette Valley at winter's approach.

With dwindling supplies and threatening weather, they decided to camp and send Octavius on to seek provisions at a depot 120 miles away.

Virgil and Phernie first took up land near Stayton, then finally settled south of Salem on the creek that bears their name.

They became prominent Salem citizens and educators (Phernie was the earliest known Pringle School 'superintendent').

The actual property for Pringle School was donated by Clark Pringle and Catherine Sager Pringle.

Pringle is among the oldest schools in the Salem Area:

Marion County education records indicate that about a dozen schools sprang up between 1854 and 1856, starting with Witzel School, October 10, 1854. A Battle Creek School founded in 1861, although searches were unable to uncover any history.

The first Pringle School was likely a log structure, built in 1854 on property slightly south of the old school site. Later, the property was commonly known as the Frank Brownell estate.

Early in 1855, locals began to plan a school district and at the February 24, 1855 election, C.A. Reed who built the Reed Opera House), Daniel Clark and John Minto were elected directors.

Other board members included J.E. Parrot and Abija Carey.

A Pringle school district was official established on April 16, 1856 as District No. 21 by William Pugh, county school superintendent.

A one-room structure was built on the old two-acre school site at a cost of $440, raised by subscription of community members. Enrollment records show that 17 pupils attended in eight grades.

Early records show that much planning by the Pringles including Clark and Catherine, went into the two-acre site selection.

Marion County records researched by Superintendent Agnes Booth in 1954 show $38.98 was apportioned from the county school fund education for 33 children in District 21; $34.26 to fund 29 children in District 22; and $31.90 for 27 in yet another district, also mysteriously listed as District 22.

Virgil K. Pringle was listed as District 21 clerk, and William Fullbright was District 22 clerk, and a third clerk was John Force, also for District 22.

Why there were two separate district numbers and three districts is uncertain; however everything was officially changed from District 21 to 22 by J.S. Graham, county school superintendent on March 26, 1894.

Pringle today:

The current Pringle school opened in 1987 at 5500 Reed Lane Southeast the new school boasted 12 classrooms, a gym, music room, multi-purpose room, art room, covered play area, and a large library. Over 34,000 was spent to equip the new library for grades Kindergarten through sixth grade. With the growth in the South Salem area a primary wing with six added classrooms was built in 1989.

For a more in-depth history of Pringle Elementary School visit their Web site at www.pringlepride.com