Work together for change

Many years ago, I worked with Bill Lincoln, Bill Sutton, Tony Dawson, Mark Agather and a few other folks on a high school committee. At that time, we had only one (bulging at the seams) high school in Kalispell.

We proposed one new high school and a renovation of the Flathead High School campus and shared uses for both schools on some facilities. 

Our proposal, along with several other committees differing proposals, was presented to the public. Ours was chosen by the public but the school board rejected it in favor of the proposal for one larger new high school for all our high school students.

The late Sutton argued eloquently on the negative impact a one large high school scenario had on those students feeding in from the districts outside of the city. He had done the statistical work and research with hard evidence on how many of those students dropped out of high school.

Lincoln, known for his famous Bulldog restaurant and other eating establishments, had a doctorate in education and brought insight into national trends and data on the size of successful high schools.

Dawson, an entrepreneurial cabinetmaker and manufacturer, brought strong financial and diplomatic marketing tools to our committee.

We all gathered at my home after learning the school board had rejected our proposal to strategize on what we could do to change their minds.

Agather, a fiscal conservative with a talent for writing skillfully, brought his thoughts on paper to the meeting which upon reading we all agreed it must be published and we would all sign our names to it. 

I have always been grateful to former editor Frank Miele who published our column length letter which was so over the allowed word count for letters to the editor. 

We decided we needed to not only let the public know their choice of direction for the high school problem had been rejected by the school board; we wanted them to know some members of our committee and other like-minded people would seek the seats of school board members at the next election.

Sutton, Dawson and others won their school board elections. The vote to proceed with the one giant high school scenario was reversed and the course was set for the renovation of Flathead High School and the building of a second high school (Glacier) with some shared facilities.

I am writing this to remind the citizens of our city and valley; when you see something you know is or will cause harm, waste money and not move our neighbors or community forward work together and have the courage to do something to change the outcome. 

I am sure a betting person would not have put their money on our committee succeeding but we did because we weren’t afraid to try. 

— Karlene Khor, Kalispell