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The following news items were drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago. May 23, 1918 SCHOOL BOARD SHIES ON CLOSING JACKSON SCHOOL The school board last night decided to abandon, for the present at least, the proposal to close up Jackson school next year and parcel its pupils out to the other school buildings, and instead will consider a plan by which the school will be kept open through the shifting of grades at the various buildings and the dispensing with the services of four teachers. The board also disposed of another embarrassing problem by refusing to take any action towards prohibiting or sanctioning the holding of the Junior “prom” before school is out. The board after discussing the question for some time decided the best way out of the dilemma was to ignore it. This means that the annual Junior “prom” will not be interfered with by the board and will be held commencement week. The matter came up in the shape of a request by the Junior class of the high school for permission to hold the prom before school closed. Last year the board refused to allow the prom to be held until after the school year was ended. This action resulted in much bitter feeling and split the high school student body into two factions. The dance feature of the prom is the root of the trouble. Since the board forbade school dancing, there has been more dancing than ever — a students’ club holding them regularly. The proposed closing of Jackson school for next year was contemplated by the board as a war measure. The Medford school district is $125,000 in debt, and by closing up the school and expense of $5,500 a year could be saved. Due to the removals of many men and their families from the city to work in the ship yards, lumber camps, etc., the attendance has fallen so low that it numbers only from 95 to 105 pupils. Besides there have been removals from other school districts and none of the schools had anywheres near a capacity attendance. It was thought that by closing Jackson school, which had by far the lightest attendance, and distributing its pupils to other buildings, the problem could be met and the resultant big saving would be a boon to the taxpayers of the city. Some of the rooms of the Jackson school have only five or six pupils. However, the board members felt reluctant to make this radical change and was only giving it consideration. But when the residents of the Jackson school district heard of the proposal, they arose in arms. At a mass meeting of the district held at the Jackson school Tuesday night, and at which President Palmer of the board outlined the board’s contemplated action and the reasons for it, the assemblage voted unanimously to protest against the closing of the school. For more stories like this, check out “The Archive,” a weekly podcast series at mailtribune.com/podcasts