Preserve Montana Workshop Attendees Eye Johnson Schoolhouse Restoration
Author: mt43news staff reporter
Preserve Montana Workshop Attendees Eye Johnson Schoolhouse Restoration
MT43 News Staff Reporter
"It’s time."
That comment from Preserve Montana architect Dustin Kalanick who explained the timing for restoring the historic Johnson Schoolhouse is now. Kalanick spoke to a small group of interested citizens Saturday at the Legion. He portrayed the building as “an ideal candidate for restoration.”
The third Johnson schoolhouse, which is 17 miles from Townsend on Highway 284 near the Confederate Gulch Road turnoff, was built in 1905 to house rural students 1st through 8th grade. The first two schoolhouses in the area were built or moved years earlier. The Johnson schoolhouse also served as a polling place and a community center.
Restoring the deteriorating one-room building is of critical interest to history buffs in the county, including Peggy Christie Flynn and other Flynn family members. Flynn, whose mother, Ruth Christie, was the last teacher at the school during the 1946-1947 school year, emphasized the importance of saving one of the few one-room schools still standing in Broadwater County: “I have a passion for collecting our Flynn and Christie family history which I have done in albums. The Johnson schoolhouse plays a big role in that history since my husband Joel’s mother Rose went to school there.”
Research Specialist Emory Padgett pointed out Montana had nearly 2,700 one room schoolhouses of which there are some 800 still standing. About 50 of those are still in use.
Vic Sample, who, along with his wife Pam, formed the nonprofit Preserve Broadwater History. He is an avid county history buff. He pointed out saving the Johnson Schoolhouse has been a priority of several groups in the county, including Canton Church Restoration board, who considered moving the building to the Canton Church area twenty years ago. He and others covered the broken windows in the schoolhouse at that time. Situations have changed with various building owners so options have opened to either restore it at its current location or perhaps move it across the highway. Diane and Michael Brown, current owners, would donate the building.
During an onsite tour, Kalanick pointed out the building is well built and in solid condition inside. Now it is showing signs of foundation failure and pigeon and bat infestation. Current landowners are supportive of the restoration project.
Kalanick turned the conversation at the workshop from restoring the building, to its use after restoration. He pointed out painting and fixing up the building would be a waste of money if the plans did not include some active use: “If you put the money into restoring the building then it sits empty, in twenty years you must redo all the work again. We must investigate what the building means to the community.”
The group discussed turning the building into an Air B&B, a community center for reunions and fundraisers or as an onsite museum. Brian Obert, director of Montana Business Assistance Connection (MBAC) emphasized the importance of avoiding making the schoolhouse a “public nuisance” and causing it to become a liability.
Next steps for the group will be to talk to the landowners, then begin the arduous process of fundraising, applying for grants and starting the physical work to restore the building to its original form.
The workshop was conducted with a grant from Preserve Montana and donations from Gayann and Bob Masolo and a donation from Dolly McMaster.
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
Image 1 Caption: Preserve Montana Architect Dustin Kalanick explains to group members the work needed to happen to restore the 120-year-old Johnson Schoolhouse.
Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
Image 2 Caption: Preserve Montana's professional carpenter Eli Smith explains restoration needs on the West side of the Johnson Schoolhouse to workshop members Vic Sample, Peggy Flynn and Kevin Flynn.
Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
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