Ryder School closes its doors
Ryder School closes its doors
By STU MERRY
It was a sad day in the community of Ryder this past Thursday.
Tears were shed, hugs were shared and good-byes said. The Ryder School closed its doors for good. School is out forever.
Students, patrons and school officials have known since the early part of the school year that the school would be closed at the end of the school year. But that didn’t make saying last goodbyes any easier.
“It’s gotten to be a family,” shared school secretary Dee Larson as she wiped away tears.
To celebrate the last day of classes, students and staff traveled to Minot where they took a train ride to Stanley. One “must stop” was to visit the local pharmacy for a frosty “Whirl-a-whip.”
Upon returning to Ryder mid-afternoon, students scurried about gathering up their belongings, giggling and screaming through the hallways. School was out. Summer was finally here.
But for most, the afterthought of not being together as a class was a passing thought. Larson, observing the excitement, said the reality probably won’t sink in until school begins in the fall.
Come August, students will disperse to other area schools. Sharing where they plan to attend school next year, five third and fourth graders said they would be attending Plaza; two are headed to Max while another will be attending South Prairie.
Braden Janz said that he’s looking forward to meeting new friends. But the consensus was that it is a sad situation.
Of the fifth and sixth graders, five indicated they would attend Plaza; five will go to Max, two to Garrison and one will be home schooled.
Almost in unison the fifth and sixth grade students shared their hurt and disappointment, saying the move by Lewis and Clark School District officials to close the school was “bad.”
Speaking up, Austin Schenfisch reasoned, “We have more students than Plaza … it seems like they (school officials) don’t like us.”
Three first and second graders will attend Plaza; three will go to Max and two will go to Garrison. But with the innocence of youth, knowing their school is closing seemed to be the least of their worries. When asked, students said they would miss “everything,” while Morgan Johansen shared that she would miss math. Four Cedars Standing confided that she would miss the Smart Board, or electronic chalkboard.
