Former students hope old school, gym can be restored

By Dannie Oliveaux

Driving along state Route 162 between Sumner and Orting, the old Alderton School and brick gymnasium sit quietly near the intersection of 96th Street East.

Since 1958, the buildings have been unoccupied by children being taught reading, writing and arithmetic, and running around the school yard during recess.

But a group of former Alderton School alumni would like to see the building preserved.

“We wish Pierce County would purchase the school building and make a community center or museum,” said Maxine Herbert-Hill, a former Alderton student.

“We were really hoping when the current owner (Steve Anderson) bought it, he would restore it. There are just too many barriers and it’s extremely expensive.”

Herbert-Hill said the group of Alderton alumni are hoping to work with Anderson and apply for grants. The group is working with the county to find sources of grant funding.

She said part of the Alderton-McMillin Plan, is that all historic sites have markers.

Herbert-Hill said part of the problem is the school building needs asbestos removed from it. It was last used as an elementary school in 1958.

She said if the brick school building can be restored, she would like to see the original windows installed. She added the original red bricks were painted white.

She said the stage, cloak room, balcony and wooden floor in the brick gymnasium still remain.

“The building was retrofitted for earthquakes,” Herbert-Hill said. “The building is more restorable than the school house because it wasn’t retrofitted.”

Since 1934, an annual reunion has taken place. This year’s event will take place Saturday.

“We’re expecting about 40 people, but hope more people show up,” she said. “The reunion is for former students from Alderton and McMillin schools.”

Herbert-Hill said the schoolhouse was used for grades one through eight, then grades one through six. She said the school consisted of a classroom, small kitchen and dining room downstairs.

She said when she attended school at Alderton, first and second grades were in a room downstairs, while grades three through six were upstairs.

“It was the neatest building,” she said. “There are so many memories I have attending school there.”

Herbert-Hill said she recalls playing marbles, the swings, Maypole dances and much more.

“We learned to play softball, dodgeball, basketball and other things,” she said.

Alderton School District No. 11 was created Sept. 17, 1871, and was cut from the old Elhi district now known as McMillin. Seventeen years later, the McMillin district was created.

The school districts were later consolidated.

The first school was a one-room log building with 22 pupils when school began in 1872. It had two windows covered with paper to keep the rain out.

The wood building was used until 1915 when a brick school was constructed along with a brick gymnasium. The old wood building was torn down in the early 1970s.

To comment on this story view it online at www.blscourierherald. Reach Dannie Oliveaux at doliveaux@courierherald.com or 360-802-8209.

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