In recent weeks we have had the pleasure of learning about Ballard Avenue in its early years thanks to "Passport to Ballard" contributing author Susan Cook. In addition, Dr. Nile Thompson, also a contributing author to the community history book, has told us part of the story of the first known settlers on Salmon Bay, the Shilshole-ahmish people. With school starting up again it is interesting to look at Ballard's early schools.

The historic records reveals that the first organized school in what is now Ballard was the Ross School, located approximately at the corner of Northwest 43rd and 3rd Avenue Northwest. The school was established by John and Mary McMillan Ross, who had a donation claim in that area.

The couple had lived elsewhere in the Puget Sound area for a number of years following their marriage. In the mid-1870s they moved back to their claim located east of Salmon Bay. When they moved onto the claim they had a large family. Mary, the daughter of a minister/sawmill owner, was determined that her children would receive a good education.

In the 1870s some of the women home schooled their children and others received no education.

Mary was home schooling her youngest children and several of the older children commuted daily via canoe to attend the school in Seattle. This commute involved paddling west on the shallow, slough passage to the deeper waters of Salmon Bay, now commonly referred to as "the ship canal" that flows through the locks out to Puget Sound.

Once out of Salmon Bay, the children would paddle close to the shore around Magnolia, and continue on along the shore of Elliott Bay until they reached the Seattle village and school. In bad weather they would not go over to Seattle for school. However, the quickly shifting weather of Puget Sound not infrequently had the Ross youngsters in Seattle facing a tough go to get home before dark.

Often Mary and John stood for hours with a lantern along the shore of Salmon Bay waiting for their children to show up-which they always did-except for the times when they decided to stay in Seattle. Of course, there was no way for their parents to know where they were-in Seattle safe and sound or lost in the dark cold waters of the sound.

After one such long, anxiety-filled incident Mary declared that she was bringing this to an end and was going to establish a school in her own home. John had built a large five-bedroom house for his family and Mary used one of the large upstairs rooms for the school. John, who fully supported the school, made the schoolroom furniture from the cedar growing on the claim: one long table, a matching bench and a teacher's table and chair.

He framed up a blackboard where black paint on wood sufficed until an actual slate blackboard could be obtained. The Ross' advertisement was answered by Miss Lima Penfield who received room and board with the Ross family and $20 cash for a three-month term.

The school is recorded in the Seattle School Histories as the "R" Ross "R" School and officially opened on Nov. 24, 1878. The school was soon moved to a room on the main floor of the Ross home. It is unclear if Miss Penfield stayed on for more terms, however, she did marry Horace Hollenbreck, another settler.

Many parents were happy to have a regular school for their children and attendance grew rapidly until there were too many children to fit into the Ross's home schoolroom.

In 1888 the community of Fremont was platted and a Fremont Elementary School opened. Over vocal protests by the parents, who were loyal to the Ross School, 11 students from that school were transferred to the new Fremont School. In 1891 the Ross School, now a two-room schoolhouse with 37 pupils, became a part of the Seattle School District. On Jan.18, 1941 the 1903 eight-room Ross School building was demolished to make way for a playground.