In 1955, two Arkansas teachers decided to make a change. They sent their teaching credentials to a town in Alaska called Anchorage and started the long trip north. They packed all their belongings in a half-ton pick-up truck and began their 6000-mile journey. When they arrived in Anchorage that July they decided that while they liked Alaska and were happy they’d made the trip, perhaps Anchorage wasn’t really their kind of town. It was recommended to them that they go back to Palmer and see the school superintendent there. At that time Palmer was so small they hadn’t even been aware of going through it. Since it was July, they were somewhat skeptical about finding jobs still available there. But they needed jobs, so off they went.
When they got to the school they found a distinguished gentleman dressed in a suit out in the hall; assuming him to be the superintendent they were seeking they introduced themselves. It turned out he was the janitor. He gave them directions to the superintendent’s office and when they arrived there they found a man in tar-covered khaki pants. As it turned out, he was the superintendent; he’d just been re-roofing his house, and he did indeed need some more good teachers.
The ladies taught in Palmer for over twenty years. Miss Gaines taught English in both the High School and the Junior High. Along with that came the traditional extracurricular activities of drama and debate. Miss Steele taught science and the occasional math class “to break up the day.” After retirement, the ladies stayed in the area they had come to love so much. Before Miss Gaines’ death in 1998, they decided they wanted to give back to the community. They determined that since they had made their money here through their love of teaching, the very best thing they could do was to help further the education of Valley students through a scholarship. They made arrangements with their lawyer and the Presbyterian Church (USA) to establish the fund and have it administered by the First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla. The arrangements were finalized in 1999 and the first scholarships were awarded in 2000. In the fall of 2004, Miss Steele passed away. The committee feels that it is an honor and a privilege to continue the legacy of these two Christian women.
When they got to the school they found a distinguished gentleman dressed in a suit out in the hall; assuming him to be the superintendent they were seeking they introduced themselves. It turned out he was the janitor. He gave them directions to the superintendent’s office and when they arrived there they found a man in tar-covered khaki pants. As it turned out, he was the superintendent; he’d just been re-roofing his house, and he did indeed need some more good teachers.
The ladies taught in Palmer for over twenty years. Miss Gaines taught English in both the High School and the Junior High. Along with that came the traditional extracurricular activities of drama and debate. Miss Steele taught science and the occasional math class “to break up the day.” After retirement, the ladies stayed in the area they had come to love so much. Before Miss Gaines’ death in 1998, they decided they wanted to give back to the community. They determined that since they had made their money here through their love of teaching, the very best thing they could do was to help further the education of Valley students through a scholarship. They made arrangements with their lawyer and the Presbyterian Church (USA) to establish the fund and have it administered by the First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla. The arrangements were finalized in 1999 and the first scholarships were awarded in 2000. In the fall of 2004, Miss Steele passed away. The committee feels that it is an honor and a privilege to continue the legacy of these two Christian women.
