What’s in store for this old brick school on Alder Street? Many of us, who were among the thousands of students, that spent our days in those class rooms are wondering if this building can be saved.

Of course, that now is in the hands of the taxpayers. The long, ranch style school that stood on the better part of a city block is now out-dated and needs a major renovation to be a functional part of the school district again. This is a very young building if you compare it to the 400-year-old brick structures in many parts of the world but as times have changed, so do the needs of the students.

When Sequim Elementary opened its doors in September 1949 to welcome the K-6 grades, it was “state of the art” with  its long hallways, gigantic multipurpose room in the center and the newest class room furniture of its time. The smell of “new” was everywhere and we were the first of many to be introduced to education within those brick walls. Riding the big yellow school bus as the “farm kids” did or walking to school as the “town kids” did, we all experienced the fear of new friends and teachers on that first day.

Dignitaries, the school board and a huge crowd of parents turned out for the opening of the newest beauty in District 323. With the consolidation of many of the local area schools, this building would soon be filled. The old two-story Sequim Elementary, located near the current FFA complex at the high school, was a poorly insulated, wooden square structure, with the kindergarten classes held in the dark cold basement. Gregg Stone remembers when the big oil furnace kicked on, it was so loud you couldn’t hear the teacher. So the move was a welcome event for everyone.

Principal Helen Haller ran a disciplined outfit with her office about a foot from the front door. As girls, we were born better behaved than boys, so just the look on Mrs. Haller’s face reminded us of our manners, but the many boys occupying the chairs outside of the principal’s office apparently didn’t get the hint.

With the closure of the Dungeness School in 1955, each grade had three classes and Sequim Elementary was a busy place with more than 600 students. Of course, security was unheard of back then, so you could step out into the street if you wanted to but we didn’t because of our fear of getting in trouble. We all covered for Harry Reed when he left the playground after lunch to catch fish in the irrigation ditch to take home to his family. We called him “Worm” because he carried worms in his pocket so no fishing opportunity would be wasted.

Strangers or “bad people” never entered our school to do harm. Safety is a factor that didn’t matter then, unless you count those killer metal monkey bars or a concussion delivering tether ball that smashed you in the face (depending on your height).

Twenty-nine years after opening day, the school was renamed Helen Haller Elementary upon the retirement of a very dedicated teacher and principal, who spent her life educating Sequim children.

Judy Reandeau Stipe is a graduate of Sequim High School, Class of 1962.