History of Mt. Tabor Middle School

Plympton Kelly, eldest son of Clinton Kelly, built the first school at Mt. Tabor. It was a one-room log cabin, located on West Avenue and Base Line Road, a part of the Oregon trail. Today, these roads form the intersection of 60th and Stark.

Elizabeth Kelly, Plympton's wife, taught in the school for one year. The next year, the cabin was enlarged to two rooms and a Mr. & Mrs Humphrey taught, with Mr. Humphry teaching the higher grades and Ms. Humphrey the lower. Every morning, one of them rang a hand bell to call the children to school.

The second school was built in 1880. It faced West Avenue (60th) north of Base Line Road (Stark). It burned down on the morning of January 10th, 1911.

Soon after a temporary school was put up on 60th and Ash. (there were already portables there, see holographic account of fire)

A new school was started at 60th and Ash costing $100,369.00. It was two stories high and contained 12 classrooms. There were 450 students. It opened in 1912.

An aerial view of the present school with the position of the former structure indicated on the rise just east, fronting on 60th Street.