Teachers: 1939 to 1945 Ada Barber - primary grades Floyd R. Barber - principal
1945 to 1947 Velma Martin - primary grades E. Laverne Martin - principal
During the late 1930's and before consolidation of the school districts, the State Board of Education required all rural students to take a Physiology Test to pass the seventh grade and an Idaho History Test to pass the eighth grade. Then they found out that the city school students didn't take Idaho History until the ninth grade. All students had to take a Stanford Achievement Test and average a certain level for each grade. As a general rule, the rural students averaged higher then the town students.
During the war years, everyone bought War Stamps for $1.00 each. When you had 18 of them you got a War Bond that matured in ten years to $25.00. A York student was the first one in Bonneville County schools to buy a stamp.
The Barbers emphasized music -- singing and rhythm band in the "little room" and tonette band in the "big room". A Christmas play was performed each year, and every child in school had a part and a costume. The plays were held in the grange hall on the stage. There was always a visit from Santa Glaus, and each child got a sack of peanuts, candy and a big orange.
The gymnasium was the envy of all the other rural grade schools. The boys loved playing basketball and usually beat the other schools.
Winter was as much fun as Summer at York. They had plenty of room for snow forts and snowball fights. For several winters, Mr. Gray and Mr. Lindburg flooded their field by the school so they could have ice skating and sledding down the hill. One girl remembers her father walking them to school in the snow by tying a rope between him, her brother, and herself. You just didn't miss school.
Horses were a big part of the school years, too. There were often two, three or four children riding one horse. The last one on the rump really hung on and got a rough ride. One horse, "Curley", was even given a graduation certificate in 1939 after going to school for 12 years. He carried children at least three years after that.
One boy was run over by a horse. He was taken home, but no one was there, so they took him back to school. Mrs. Barber took him in the girls' restroom to clean off the blood and dirt. He was most upset and embarrassed being in the girls' restroom.
Arbor Day was the traditional "clean-up day". Everyone brought rakes to clean the yard, and they burned the old grass and trash. The girls got to wear slacks that day which was a special treat. Otherwise, the girls always wore dresses or skirts.
The 1940 eighth grade class of six students went to the Barbers' home in Pocatello for the weekend.
Besides being a very popular teacher, Mr. Barber was also a noted author of several books and pamphlets about Idaho.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin continued most of the traditions. Operettas were put on at Christmas and in the Spring. Usually, the biggest eighth grade boy played Santa in the production.