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Beaverton Schools

History

 

Bethany School First School House

Bethany students in front of the first schoolhouse,  1895

The Bethany School District #74 was the eighth public school to be established in the area.  The Bethany School house was built on property donated in 1888 by Casper Bauman, at the Northeast corner of his farm.  It began as a one-room country school, but soon became one of the larger rural schools in the area.  By the 1890s it was employing two teachers.   The District reported that $405.51 was the total amount of money spent for all purposes for the year 1894-1895.  By 1897 replacement of the first building was considered. 

 

Bethany School Building in 1900

                   Bethany School,  in 1948.  

Bethany students  picture in 1934

                    Bethany class photo in 1931

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property for the second Bethany school building  was donated by Johann & Elise Graf in 1898.  The building was completed in 1900 near Springville Road,  east of today's new THPRD Sports Complex.   Specifications called for the building to be constructed,  "26 feet wide,  40 feet long,  12 1/2 feet high between floor and ceiling."  The school house was rebuilt into a residence and still stands today east of PCC Rock Creek Campus.

After operating for 61 years,  the Bethany School closed at the end of the 1947-48 school year.  In June of 1948 Bethany School District merged with Union District #6.

Bethany School . 1970

 

The current Bethany school building was constructed by the Beaverton School District in 1970.   Bethany celebrated 50 years in the current location in 2020. 

 

 

 

1948 Bethany School Building

The school bell from the 1948 building was graciously given to Bethany by the Graff family, in 2011.   The bell rang for nearly half a century in the second Bethany School. (Please see the photo with the bell to the right)

The bell is currently in the school lobby and the 5th graders ring it on the last day of school. 

School Bell