Anchorage Denali Elementary Memories
Where did you attend elementary school?
In the photo above, Mike and Mary of the Anchorage Memories Club are standing in front of the old Denali Elementary School circa 1990s.
You, and well, most all of us, remember where we attended the first grade.
Mike and Mary, pictured above, have a unique memory. Both began their education as first graders in Anchorage’s Denali Elementary School.
“We didn’t attend at the same time. I began some years ahead of Mary, and after the first grade, our family moved to the Mountain View area of Anchorage, where I attended Mountain View Elementary,” says Mike.
In the photo above is Mary of Anchorage Memories. She is posing with her third-grade class at Denali Elementary. Her teacher (left side) is Mrs. McGraw.
Fire Trucks and Ice Skates at Denali Elementary?
by Mary of the Anchorage Memories Club
I was in the third grade in 1960. I was so excited on that dark, cold, crisp morning as my classmates and I stood in the playground watching the firemen. They were filling the previously prepared ice skating rink with water from the fire trucks hoses.
Finally, the day came when we could ice skate. It was very cold; however, I was wearing my mittens and scarf. And after skating several times around the rink, I warmed up.
I started ice skating at the age of four. I was the youngest of eight, and ice skating was a sport my mother wanted her children to do. So, I was an experienced skater and helped my classmates who had never skated before. I felt a deep sense of pride helping them.
As spring came, the ice skating rink melted, and we hung up our skates. At recess time, my friends and I grabbed jump ropes and ran around in our sneakers, having loads of fun.
I went to Denali Elementary School from first grade through the sixth. Walking from 2nd Ave to 9th Ave with my family and friends.
Denali Elementary School was damaged in the 1964 Alaska earthquake, and all the students had to finish out the school year at Mountain View Elementary. That was the first time I rode in a school bus. We were the second shift that started around noon.
I was truly thankful for the firemen and their bright red fire trucks for coming back year after year to make us a really “cool” ice skating rink.
BONUS
Take a look at My Green Double-Bladed Ice Skates by Mary Jane Dougherty
Yes, You Can Share This Edition
And when you do share this, your friends and family will be so happy that they will gift you with the largest flat-screen TV (292 inches) for your home theatre. Wow.
Mike Recalls His First Days at Denali in the 1950s.
We lived on Fairbanks Street, just a couple of blocks from Denali. On my first day, Mom walked with me to school.
My teacher’s name was Mrs. Rauch. She was a very nice lady.
While at school, I discovered that those leather-looking airplane pilot caps were the cool thing for boys to wear to school. A little too cool in Alaska’s colder months.
In the photo above is first-grade Mike, wearing his pilot hat with borrowed goggles. In the background, Mike’s dad and friends work on their race car.
The hat was actually a dumb-looking skullcap with snaps to hold your goggles in place, should the wearer happen to run into bug-infested skies on his way to school.
Mom and Dad bought me the hat but declined the goggles. I proudly wore my hat to Denali. My taste in hats aside, I was off on a great adventure. The first grade in Anchorage, Alaska, is where I was introduced to Fun with Dick and Jane, Sally, Puff, and Spot. Those five characters would, along with Mrs. Rausch, teach me how to read and write… So I guess I have them to thank for the Anchorage Memories Club.
Fun Lunch Boxes
Back then, Denali didn’t have a lunchroom, so we brought our lunches from home in brown paper bags or lunch boxes.
Girls often had Dale Evans, Tinker Bell, or Alice in Wonderland lunch boxes. The boys favored Roy Rogers, Peter Pan, or Superman. For the record, I was a Superman lunch box guy.
Recess
After lunch and a last gulp of hot chocolate, we headed for the playground.
Of course we had oodles of fun on the swings, slide, and merry-go-round. Plus, we met kids from the other classrooms.
One of the other kids, Bobby Kallander, would become my brother-in-law around 15 years later.
Mike's mom just happened to take the photo above. About 14 years later, Mary was looking at the picture and said, “Hey, Mike is standing right behind my brother Bobby.”
In the red circle, Mike is on the left and Bobby is on the right.
Anchorage Elementary Schools
What elementary school did you attend?
If you lived in Anchorage, you might have attended one of the following:
Mountain View Elementary first opened in 1956
Northern Lights Elementary first opened in 1959
Ptarmigan Elementary first opened in 1967
If you don’t know, a ptarmigan is an Alaskan bird, pronounced “tar-mi-gan.”
And, if your parent was in the Air Force or Army in Anchorage and serving at Elmendorf Air Force Base or Fort Richardson, you may have attended elementary school on one of those military bases. We thank your parent(s) for their service.
Memories
What elementary school did you attend in Anchorage? What are your memories?
From Our North Stars (that’s you)
From our Star the Reindeer memories.
Gary has this memory:
“The reindeer was always in their yard on 10th and D. We could go by and pet him when we were out that way.”
Jackie remembers:
“My husband, Bob, rented a basement apartment from the Stewarts in the mid-60s, and several times was allowed to take Star for a walk. Great memories of both Star and the Stewarts!”
Claudia’s memory:
“I remember walking by Star's home and sticking my little fingers through the chain-link fence for her to lick them. It was such a magical experience for a little girl. Each time I visited Anchorage, I would go and see Star.”
Cindy had this comment:
“My late husband, Bob Pendleton, came to Alaska in 1962 and went to work for the Stewarts, who often took young aspiring photographers under their wing, giving them a job plus a great start in learning how to be an Alaskan. Star was an integral part of it all. What a delight she was for the children of Anchorage, as well as all the big kids (like me)!”
In the photo above is Bob Pendleton with Star the Reindeer.
The above is a watercolor of Star the Reindeer by Alaskan artist, Cindy Pendleton.
Connect with Mike and Mary
It’s been a “few” years now since we were all in elementary school. But it’s fun to remember those times we shared as we began our academic careers.
And as Sherlock Holmes says, “Elementary, Watson.”
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Until Next Time
Mike and Mary
The Anchorage Memories Club
Primarily Nunaka Valley and then Chester Valley. Then, on to Clark in 1973.
I attended Denali from 1961 to 1964 (first to third grade). We left shortly after the earthquake. I remember going to the second shift at Mountain View as well. One of my fondest memories was racing to school in the morning to be the first to slide down the icy snow covered slides. Great times.