I taught in Juanita from 1925 to 1927. I taught under Mr. Brewer in 1925 in McHenry and he introduced me to the Juanita school. Salary, $140. At that time people enjoyed having the teacher for the extra income‑ and Mrs. August Hoefert prevailed upon me to come and board with them. Mr. Hoefert was the blacksmith at that time; he also had charge of the electric light plant.
Some of the teachers during this time were: Florence Kinney, Anne Kjelland‑ 7th and 8th; Margaret Kinney, primary; Miss Kappel, intermediate. Janitor: Mr. Keene (he enjoyed conversing with himself); Bus driver: Patty Ryan.
Some of my pupils were: Arnold and Beryl McDaniel, Elsie Ravendal, Delphine McDaniel, Vera, Edith and Ray Harrington, Lucille Jones, Myrtle and Erling Omdal, Ernest and Hilda Pewe, Doris Christianson, Martha Hegvik, Raymond Dreher, Dale Potter, Mary Koenig, Deana Vining, Georgia Otto, Geraldine Burleson.
Extra‑curricular activities of that day: County declamation contest, one‑act play contests, play day.
Two churches were started in Juanita, the Congregational and the Methodist. The Congregational Church was short‑lived. This church building later became the Community Hall.
Some of Juanita's early inhabitants listed in the Juanita Methodist Church History are:
Hazlettes - Uncle Billy was the first postmaster.
Polings‑ Mrs. Frank Hazlett's folks. They left on the first Great Northern passenger train for Indiana.
Gus Raibels‑ he was the first cashier of the bank.
Bud Free, John Pewes, Louis Anderson, Parkers, Potters, Burks, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Willows, Harry Andersons, Frank Cooper, Grandma Cooper, Lunds, Mullendores, Jim McDaniels.
Greenheck‑ started the first general store.
Jim Sloan‑ had the hotel.
The first Sunday school ever held in Juanita was started by Amos B. Poling, Mrs. Frank Hazlett's father. Sunday school classes were first held in the granary on the Forquer place just south of town (Harringtons lived here and later McDaniel). Poling was superintendent. Pastor Harry Hines served the church from September 1, 1909 to September 10, 1910. Listed as probable value of the church at this time ‑ $75. Amount spent for building and improving that year ‑ $75. The Sunday school had 5 officers, 21 scholars and $9 in expenses.
Rev. Hines came from Kensal and helped select the site for the church; he helped get it started. At this time competition was strong among some of the churches‑ Methodists, Presbyterians, and Congregationalists‑ all trying to get a head start in new communities. According to History of Methodist Churches in North Dakota, Rev. Hines was a good man. He left the ministry to get his brother out of debt, and then returned to the ministry. Joseph Chester, the next pastor, served only from June 1, 1911 to September 1, 1911. He started the church building campaign.
Services were held in a temporary church. The picture gives you an idea of the building and shows the beginning of the church. The digging of the basement was voluntary labor. Rev. Armstrong drew the blueprint for the church. Mr. Sorvick built the church
Rev. Armstrong and Mr. Dahl, a deaf man who worked with Mr. Sorvick, helped. Rev. Armstrong served as minister from 1911‑October 1914. W.W. Hazlett, Uncle Billy, served as janitor, and did everything else that had to be done.
Later a parsonage was built by Mr. Sorvick. It seems that Juanita was trying to be first in providing a home for the minister. In addition to serving Juanita, Rev. Armstrong was also preaching in Brantford, and then drove thirteen miles to Tiffany for evening services. He was living in Grace City during this period. Rev. Armstrong and Mrs. Roy Spickler succeeded in borrowing money for the parsonage from some fund.
The first trustees were:
R.H. Spickler, appointed in 1910
James McDaniel
Frank Brown
W.D. Mullendore, appointed in 1915
W.W. Hazlett.
Stewards were:
H.L. Free, appointed in 1915
W.D. Mullendore
Ernest Cooper
Mrs. Roy Spicker
Mrs. W.W. Hazlett.
According to church records kept by R.H. Spickler, the community must have been canvassed for money for the church building. Names included on these lists are: Frank Brown, H.S. Free, John Pewe, Lewis Anderson, R.H. Spickler, Howard Spickler, Posey boys, Ole Peterson, A.K. Phileo, E.O. Johnson, Walter Willows, Lee Dunbar, A. Berg, W. D. Mulledore, John Brown, Norman Sloan, Charles, Frank and Howard Hazlett, C.A. Parker, Frank Ayers, H.C. Barber, Daniel Tschantz, Oscar Solberg, James Potter. There are two listings of contributions. Duplication of names indicates that some contributed twice. The list dated July 16, 1912, amounted to $510; and the other list, $530.
The Ladies Aid held a chicken pie social in Greenheck's building in the spring of 1912 to raise money for the church. Mrs. Roy Spickler was the first Ladies Aid president.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 284