Elkins Elementary

So Long Elkins Elementary, Little School of the West

Tehama County history would not be complete without mention of the area west of Corning and the hardy people who have made their homes there. Raising kids and livestock in those bald hills amongst the rattlesnakes and star thistle makes for some tough parents, tough teachers, and ties that bind. One family tied to this rugged area is the Weston family. The name Weston means from the western town, and there remains a whole passel of Westons connected to Paskenta, Lowrey, and Flournoy. One teacher who has taught her share of them is Marla Katzler of Elkins Elementary in Paskenta.

According to local author Dottie Smith, a woman known as Little Miss Harris operated a private all-boys school out of her home west of Paskenta from 1864-1867. She charged nine dollars for three months of schooling per year. It is uncertain who corralled the boys in the interim, but in 1872 Elkins Elementary School, named for the first postmaster, Henry M. Elkins, opened. Current teacher Marla estimates Paskenta’s population at about 100 and she says, “That’s counting every dog and cat!” After commuting there for 41 years, Marla sounds just like a local.

In 1978, Marla, a hopeful 22-year-old teacher, first met with the locals when she applied for the teaching position at Elkins Elementary. Reportedly, if there was a good turnout for the school board hearing, it was a bad sign that the locals were rallying against her. The room was packed, and Marla was nervous! She soon learned that the locals had come in droves to rally for her and she was hired. It’s said that if you gain a Weston’s approval, you have it for life, and the Westons approved of Marla.

Young Marla quickly learned what it meant to teach school in the Wild West. One morning a mom called and said, “Please excuse Robert from school today, we have to butcher the hog.” Marla scrambled to ask if that was indeed an excusable absence. The answer, “In Paskenta? Yes.”

Another day Marla faced a skunk who was intent on entering the school, causing the school’s first and only lockdown. She thought the skunk was rabid as it methodically tried for entry at every door. Marla unsuccessfully called for reinforcements learning she should be “tough enough to handle such situations on her own.” She was greatly relieved when the skunk finally left for a nearby ditch.

Marla is especially nostalgic these days, knowing that her days in Paskenta will soon end. Elkins Elementary will shut its doors permanently in the spring of 2020. With such a small population and Flournoy School nearby, Elkins is losing its small school funding. Similarly, small schools in both Mineral and Manton have already closed.

Although staff and student numbers have steadily dwindled, the school is thriving within its one-room schoolhouse environment. Marla currently serves as secretary, principal, and teacher for nine children who make up almost every grade level. The kids are thriving in the family atmosphere that has long been a vital part of their school.

I spoke with Marla in December and enjoyed hearing about her special holiday activities with her students. One was Christmas Around the World, where every two days the class imagines they are embarking on a journey to a different country with homemade suitcases and passports in tow. Marla hands out the boarding passes, and they’re off! The kids enjoy the mock plane ride and the exotic foods as they learn about their destination. Traveling does suit Marla, given that she has never officially lived in Paskenta. For many years she commuted from her home in Paynes Creek, and currently, she is staying at a Corning hotel.

Marla’s students took a pretend journey to Mexico and left notes for the mythical gift-givers, who would traditionally leave gifts in the children’s shoes. One of Marla’s students left a note that reads, “I have been pretty bad and don’t deserve toys or candy, but if you give me any, give it to my teacher. She does deserve it. She is the best.”

Those words make Marla’s years of commitment well worth it. She also loves to hear from former students, some of who are now school board members. They enjoy sharing memories and are thankful for the education they received at Elkins Elementary.

Marla’s current Weston family students are keeping up the family’s ranching reputation by participating in the local Agribee, an agricultural spelling bee open to six northern counties. Dakota and Landen Weston came home with 9th and 10th place this year.

Out west of Corning, there are too many rattlesnake stories to tell, but Marla laughs when she recalls a visit by a school safety inspector. He asked, “Why do you allow rattlesnakes on campus?” Some things just can’t be explained to those city folks!

I hope you’ll take a Sunday drive to Paskenta. Imagine Marla, the treasured teacher of the West, and give a hearty wave so long to the little but mighty Elkins Elementary.

The ancient word “Tehama” once meant a place where rivers could be crossed. With our county’s rich currents of history, happenings, and hope, this is our crossing place today — where we meet to celebrate our beautiful Tehama County.