OPINION: Flathead High is more than a building; it's home

My Aunt Mary (Monk) Lavin is 99 and 3/4 years young. She will be celebrating her 100th birthday on Dec. 7 of this year. She graduated from Flathead High School in 1935 and served as class secretary and member of the Marionettes. We also believe she is the oldest FHS graduate currently still living in the valley.

When I asked Aunt Mary if she would like to be interviewed for an article about helping the voters understand the need for supporting the school bond in October she replied, “Well of course I would. It’s for the children, isn’t it?”

We stopped at Flathead High School where we met up with her great-granddaughter Cassidy Lavin who will be graduating in 2019. Cassidy will be the fifth generation graduate from FHS from our family. We are not the only family with generations of Flathead grads — Conrad, Boveng, Hammett, Treweek, Grosswiler, Brist, King, O’Neil, Siderius, Tutvedt, De Young, Linrude, Calbick, Johnson and Siblerud are just a few others who have believed in and supported this great school over the decades.

As we headed to the front entrance Aunt Mary noted that the landscaping was very welcoming and beautifully done. I explained to her that Mr. Peter Fusaro (principal of FHS) took it upon himself to supervise the plans and construction of this area. His team, as well as student clubs and other staff members, volunteered their time and efforts to plant shrubs, trees, flowers and construct benches in order to make students feel they were entering a well-tended home instead of a sterile institution.

Once inside the commons area, Aunt Mary wanted to sit and take it all in. There were a few students milling about and chatting with their friends along with student athletes heading to their practices. Aunt Mary was impressed with this “new look” and admired the food court and airy ceiling along with balcony area which were added when the two high schools split. “My, this is all so cheerful and bright,” she said.

I agreed with her, but sadly explained that this is where the “new look” ended. I am a 1978 graduate of FHS myself, and I also taught social studies there from 1991-2007. I explained to her I could not take her on a tour of the entire school due to the lack of handicap facilities (she uses a walker) nor did I have the key to take her to the second floor in the archaic and claustrophobic freight elevator. Granted many of the teachers have used their own resources to paint the walls, put up blinds and curtains, add bookcases, floor lamps and even in some cases wainscoting; however there is nothing they can do about the stifling heat in fall and spring or the cold drafts in winter.

Our conversation reminded me of a comment one valley resident made on a local news program. He stated that all of the district’s educational needs could be solved with “better budgeting from the school board and administrators.” Believe me when I say administrators in this school district are doing all they can to take care of our kids. Realistically, examples of better budgeting can be thoughtful textbook adoptions and printing-cost reductions. Better budgeting is not eliminating storage closets as resource rooms. Better budgeting is not repairing a faulty balcony being used as a running track. Better budgeting is not ridding eight classrooms of mold and asbestos nor is it buying new lunch tables so kids don’t have to sit on the floor to eat their lunches.

As Aunt Mary and I slowly made our way back to the car, she told me the story of riding her horse from the north side of town down Main Street to the stables on the south side of town; which wasn’t unusual 80 years ago. I was struck with the amount of memories my lovely aunt has made in her century of living and how similar this elegant, elderly building was to her.

Imagine the thousands of students who have walked through these hallways and all of the firsts they have experienced — from playing in their first varsity game to acting in their first play to falling in love for the first time. And even more amazing is how those same students have been blessed to share those same life experiences with their children and grandchildren.

Flathead High School celebrated homecoming last week, and that is what it truly is for so many of us in the valley — coming home. Supporting the bond will support the continuance of tradition, connection and family in our schools. As Aunt Mary said, “It’s for the children isn’t it?”

Morin, of Kalispell, teaches social studies at Glacier High School.