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According to the written records it was not yet called Bayview School. The first pupils in this school were: J.L. Weedin 13, S.E Weedin 10, () Peterson 9, Abbie Peterson 5/ Willie Johns 5, James Johns 5, Florence Johns 7, and Eddie Oliver 5, On June 25, 1886 the school district decided to have 2 schools in district 8, one at Lyons place (Maxwelton) and one at Deer Lagoon, Weedin’s place. Nov. 6, 1886 Thomas Johns was elected at the annual school elections as school clerk. This made three school locations altogether on South Whidbey. In Jan. 1887 the directors’ hired Miss Katie Humes to teach school for 3 months at Mr. Benjamin Stafford’s house school. The Stafford’s lived between Clinton and Sandy Point near where Waterman Mill Co chip dump was ‘later located. The pupils in this school were Elsie Stafford 13, Ethel Stafford 1.1, Guy Stafford 6, Freeman Brown 14, Joseph Brown 12, Mary Brown 10, John Brown 8, Marion Brown 6, School opened Feb 1, 1887
School was held in Joseph Browns house in 1889 or 90. In 1890 a schoolhouse was built at Sandy Point. School opened there on May 27,1890. On Sept. 29, 1890 John and Annie Dahl deeded one square acre of land in the SW corner of the SW 1/4 of Sec 8 TWP 29N, R3E. This was on the adjoining property north of the present Bayview School. I couldn’t find any record of when they started building a school there, but it was completed, by May 9, 1891. It was a log building with a shake roof. Those helping build it were, Thomas Johns, W.L. Weedin, Wm Kohlwes, Fred & Henry Tiemeyer, Otto and Anton Olson and John Thompson. This information was mostly taken from Cliff and Beatrice Thompson’s four-part Bayview school history in the 1941 Whidbey Record.
The M. L. Lyons family sold their large holdings on South Whidbey in April 1891 and moved off the Island. As near as I can determine the Lyons school ceased to exist after they left. The next school to come into being: was at Clinton or Deer Lake. I have been unable to find the exact location of this school in the newly formed district #11 which was taken out of district #8 on ‘Aug. 1, 1891. It consisted of sections 23,24,25 and 26rof T29N R3E.
A new school was built and dedicated on Aug. 30, 1891, but no record of any land deeded for school ‘purposes in district #11 until 1900. The first directors of district #11 were, clerk, Amos Brown, directors Ole Bue, Henry Stevens and D.L. Ballard. School started in the new schoolhouse on Oct. 19, 1891, the teacher was Miss Anna Murray. I could find no list of the first students of this school but a possible list taken from the 1892 census is: Ruth Ballard 12, Achille Ballard 6, Constance Street 10, John Street 8, Wm. Street 7, Andrew Peterson 15, & Julia Peterson 9. None of the Hinman or Simmons children were old enough for school in 1891. (Editors Note: It is believed that the old cabin on Cultus Bay Rd north of French Rd is this building and was moved to this location by the Brown family to serve as a their residence when a new school was built at Deer Lake between 1901 – 1903)
In 1892 Jacob Simmons became one of the directors.
The next school to be formed was Langley district #12. Here is a quote from the Superintendent of school records. Nov.26, 1892 “In the matter of a petition for a new district filed in this “office the 17th of Oct. 92, a meeting was held at Langley and boundary was extended so that as amended, embraced territory as follows; Beginning at the NE corner of Sec 32 on Saratoga passage, south to corner of Sec 16-17, 20-21 thence east along this sec. line to the shoreline of Possession sound, thence following the shoreline to place of beginning thus including sections 1-2-3-4-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16 TWP 29N R3E and sections 33 & 34 TWP 30N R3E.
Now therefore I Newberry do grant said petition and establish boundaries herein before mentioned and unless an appeal be taken within 20 days from date this action shall be final.” The first directors of district #12 Langley were, clerk Mrs. Lou Smith, directors J.C. Smith, Joseph Brown, J.S. Cattron. I have been unable to find a list of the first pupils but I am presuming a number of them were Browns as with Joseph Brown a director it would seem his children would be attending the Langley school rather than the Sandy Point one which may have been temporarily discontinued. Mabel Anthes has a good account or her first school days, but she was not old enough in 1893 to be one of the first students as she was born in 1890. Mark Cattron possibly was one of the students. The clerks report showed there were 27 children in district #12 of school age in 1893 (5 to 21 yrs)
C.W. Chaffee first teacher in #12 Langley. Mabel Anthes mentions that the first school she went to was about 2 miles east of where she lived. No deed records as to any land donated for school purposes in Langley until 1900. Here is the Superintendents report of her visit to the Langley school April 19, 1895. “This day visited the school in district #12 Miss Mabel Bavis teacher, total number enrolled 12, schoolhouse in very shabby condition and on an inconvenient location.”