The High School Built of Logs Poem

We are grateful to Bill Gates ‘37
author of this poem for sharing it!

Where the Indian met the Klamath, and the Klamath flowed to the sea,
Through the canyons and the chasms full of magic mystery
Where old Preston towered o’er Baldy an Baldy towered o’re Cade
And Cade looked down on a little town in a lovely little glade.
There in the summer sunshine and in the winter fogs
Was the most wonderful of high schools, entirely built of logs.

Still the Klamath meets the Indian where the float is flecked with foam
And the salmon and the steelhead search the shallows for a home
Still the pines and fir and cedars cast their cooing, soothing shade
On the hamlet queer and the high school dear in that lovely little glade.
Now I am old and far removed and my reverting memory fogs
Built I still return affection for my high school built of logs.

For Information on the Log Memorial Building that was built with community effort in 1933 see Community page.

Sarah’s Poem About Our Log High School

Songbird

From “Before The White Man Came”
by Charles S Graves c1934

Composed by Sarah Barney and sung by
Sarah and Mae Barney during the ceremony
of dedication of Happy Camp High School.

Down in a valley
In Happy Camp,
In our log High School
A tribute by all;

Willing hands lended
Lumber was bought,
Logs brought from mountains
To our School lot.

Community Spirit
Labor and toil
Community Spirit
For our High School.

Indian Creek murmurs
Down ‘neath the bank,
Whispering a message
As it goes by.

We’re proud of our High School
Our vision came true,
That we had pictured
From years before.

It’s through our efforts
Burdens and trials,
That our log High School
Stands here today.

Community Spirit
Labor and Toil
Community Spirit
Made our High School.

Editor’s Note: See more information on the Log Memorial High School in Happy Camp and how it was built on the Community page.

Early photo of little log high school & students.