"If These Walls Could Talk"

Clear your calendar August 8 or 9! 

You are invited to the premier of the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation's new, original musical: 

"If These Walls Could Talk."

         When a grandfather trying to connect to his digitally-minded grandson, a father hoping to inspire his rambunctious young family and a young man in love trying to share a meaningful secret with his sweetheart, unexpectedly meet in the Oneida Stake Academy building, they discover that sometimes walls can talk.

            The Oneida Stake Academy Cultural Center debuts its first ever musical pageant on August 8 & 9, at 8:30 p.m.

            “If These Walls Could Talk” is a clever musical written by local writer, Cecelie Costley. Director Dani Dunn, of Franklin, brings together professional music written by renowned composer, Tyler Castleton, snappy dancing choreographed by Paula Lemmon, Taessia King, and Autumn Coats, local voices under the direction of chorister Karla Gundersen, colorful costumes assembled by Pat Moses and Glenda Swainston, Joe Ward’s horses and antique cars gathered by Doug West for a wonderful evening of song, dance and storytelling the whole family will enjoy.

            The elegant 124-year-old Oneida Stake Academy building itself will star in the show, as the pageant will be held in the intersection in front of the OSA, at 8:30 p.m. both nights.

            The production involves dozens and dozens of local actors, dancers, costume directors, prop and scenery builders, musicians, staging, light and sound experts, singers, make-up artists, and committee members.

            “I am thrilled about storyline and music,” said Oneida Stake Academy Foundation board member, Necia Seamons, who has been dreaming about the idea of a pageant since the OSAF was formed a decade ago. “Cecelie, Tyler and Dani have captured the essence of the academy’s story to be able to share it in an entertaining and uplifting manner.  We are thrilled to share the production with the descendants and beneficiaries of the people who built the magnificent Oneida Stake Academy building 124 years ago.”

            On the evenings of the performance, the public is invited to bring a donation to help with the building’s restoration as a cultural center/museum of local history. Bleachers erected in the intersection of Oneida and First East will be open for seating at 7:30 p.m. People may also bring blankets for seating to the sides of the bleachers.

            Parking will be available at the South Stake Center and the alley behind the business district in Preston. First East and Oneida will be closed to through-traffic for about one block in each direction from their intersection from 6 p.m. to about 10:30 p.m. both nights.

            Sponsors of the event are the Preston School District, Franklin County, Preston City, Mary Heers and the F. M., Anne G., and Beverly B. Bistline Foundation. 

(The Oneida Stake Academy is the alma mater of Ezra Taft Benson and Harold B. Lee, both presidents of the world-wide Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other alum of note are LDS general authorities, Richard Edgley, Joe J. Christensen, and Spencer J. Condie, first agent inducted into the FBI Hall of Fame, Samuel Cowley, and Utah State University president, E.G. Petersen. Of almost 40 academies built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the end of the 19th Century, the OSA is one of just five that are still standing. It is in Preston, Idaho, and is being restored for public use by the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation.)

Essay on the OSA

This essay is taken from the Peter Simon Jensen, 1872-1896, collection at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Note: This article has been typed in using the grammar and spelling used by the author. It is hand written on three sheets of paper, a sample of which is pictured above.

Essay on the Oneida S. Academy and its founders

Church Academies are constructed according to divine revelation, given to our beloved Prophet Brigham Young, in making special reference to the O.S. Academy and its founders I will give a few items gleaned from the minutes kept by the secretary of the Board of Education of this Stake, which reads as follows.

            This was done in accordance with instructions in circular No. 1, issued by the general Church Board of Education. Our first Stake Board consisted of the following named Brethren.

            Geo. C. Parkinson, Wm. H. Parkinson, Chas. M. Squires, Jas. Chadwick, and Parley P. Willey. Among the first moves made by the Board was to plan for a suitable school Building. Public meetings were held to determine when to build it in the several Wards. Delegates were elected to meet in convention and decide the matter by majority vote. This convention met in Franklin Tithing office July 27, 1889. Several Wards were voted upon as suitable place for the erection of the building. And while there were a majority of the Delegates perferred other Wards to Preston it was thought those in favor of Preston represented a majority of People.

            In order to avoid any ill feelings whatever in this matter it was decided to have the judgment of the first Presidency of the Church.  Prest. Lorenzo Snow was sent to visit the different wards and investigate in behalf of the Board and soon after his report it was decided Preston was the most suitable place in the Stake. Through the kindness of Pres. Wilford Woodruff and councilors the church architect D.C. Young was instructed to draft a plan. This he did and the plan was highly recommended by Dr. Carl G. Mayer and others.

            Desiring the hearty support of all the people throughout the entire Stake. Letters were sent to the Bishops of different wards requesting that from three to five men be appointed to represent the subject in a general Priesthood meeting held in Preston. At this meeting wich occurred July 7, 1898. The Plan drawn on paper By Bro. Young was fully exhibited to all present; and all were in favor of accepting it, contribute there means and use their influence with others to contribute their means to this worthy enterprise. Prest. Solomon H. Hale was engaged to supertend the job work wich was soon commenced. The basement excavated and on July 2^nd 1890 late in the afternoon Prest. Geo C. Parkiinson dedicated the corner Stone wich was laid by himself and others under direction of master mason ??? Sommars. From that time the work steadily progressed and in Dec. 16, 1892 they commenced or was in the act of putting on the roof. the dimensions of the Building are 48X60 on the inside. Three stories high including the basement. The present condition of the School is favorable the last winter it has had an average attendance of about 200 a quite a large pescent of those being Academic Students. Owing to busy times wich come on in the spring season the amount of students have greatly decreased.

            By close observation we ned not be left in doubt as to this and similar Institution being of a Divine origin. As the sole object of building them is that all of a moral chacter who wish and are able to persue its courses with profit may be benifited and develop their mental facilities in every direction. Everything that terminates to elevate us originates from God our Eternal father, development of the head and mind is necessary. And Church schools are the agency wich this shall be brought about. We shall in some future time head the world in Education. While we do not wish to ignore the district School in any way, we hold the Academies in preference as we firmly believe they are conducted more in accordance with the principles of revealed religion. As for instance we have among the other branches of study one half an hour devoted to the study of Theology and all are requested to participate.

            A student is capable of learning more easily under the influence and guidance of the Spirit of God We hold that those who attend these schools are under a better influence than those who attend schools that are not conducted upon this basis.

            Great credit is due the People of this Stake who have so Liberally appropriated of their means to complete this Building. When taking into consideration that it has or will when comp finished cost in the neighborhood of $40,000. For all this I do not think for a moment that People feel any the poorer.

            What are the worth of the means contributed to compare with the Blessings that will be derived from this Enterprise. Yes we can already see its blessings being showered among the Youth of this Locality who attend this School. I will also add that the teachers employed are good energetic workers who work for the advancement of those in attendance. The last winter five teachers have been employed including the Music Teacher.

            May God bless and prosper this institution and increase in the hearts of the young the desire to attend it. And may the Parents see its necessity of encouraging their children to this effect.

Hale to lead OSAF

Following his grandfather’s lead, Hale heads OSAF

Over 120 years ago, Solomon Hale encouraged his neighbors, friends and residents of what is now parts of Oneida, Franklin, Caribou, Bear Lake, and part of Bannock County in Idaho, and Star Valley, Wyoming, to give all they could and more to the construction of a grand new building that would house the education of their children: the Oneida Stake Academy (OSA).

Today, his grandson, Nathan Hale, is doing the same thing as the new chairman of the board of the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation.

In order to accommodate the progress it is making towards a complete restoration of the OSA building as a community cultural center, the board of the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation (OSAF) recently reorganized itself, electing Nathan as its new chairman. He assumes the position held by Necia Seamons, who chaired the board for the last eight years, and who continues to work as a member of the board. Seamons will focus her efforts on public relations and writing grants for the foundation.

Nathan and his wife, Sydney, have been serving as members of the board for three years.  He has focused on the physical needs of the building and Sydney has served as the board’s secretary. They were instrumental in coordinating the Antique Fashion Show co-sponsored by the OSAF and local chapters of the Daughter of the Utah Pioneers in 2009.

Nathan is also featured in a promotional video produced by the OSAF last year that focuses on the value of restoring the building and its future role in the community. The video is available to the public through Adventure Video in Preston, and can be checked out for free.

Nathan and Sydney are natives of Franklin and Caribou Counties. They are long-time residents of Preston, where they serve in various capacities in their church and in the Boy Scouts of America. After he retired in 1983 from Utah Power and Light, Nathan and Sydney served missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and in Africa. They are presently serving as missionaries at the LDS Employment Center in Logan, Utah.

“It is a privilege to serve the community in the restoration of the 0SA building to its past grander and its future beauty and splendor.  We are going to see this transformation occur before our very eyes and it is the hope of OSA Board of Directors that the community will see the Historic value of this preservation and become enthused with the value it will bring to our community.

“You are very important to us and we are committed to continue working very hard to make this come to fruition, please help us to make it so,” said Hale.

Also elected as an officer of the board was Preston attorney Lyle Fuller as vice-president. Fuller joined the board of the OSAF last summer. A resident of Franklin, Fuller is an attorney in Preston and advises the board on legal matters. Fuller and his wife, Valicia, are the parents of two boys and two girls.

Elliott Larsen remains the foundation’s treasurer, and Sydney Hale the secretary. Other current board members are Larry Bradford, Paul Judd, Joseph Linton and Kim Wilson.

To date, the foundation has raised over $2 million towards the restoration of the academy as a cultural center for the area. Upon completion the academy building will offer the public an elegant ballroom for events such as weddings, reunions and conferences. It will also feature a museum of local history, an turn of the century classroom, and courtyard for entertainment.

As Hale steps into his new position as chairman of the OSAF, he seeks to reclaim what Solomon and his contemporaries accomplished in founding the Oneida Stake Academy in Preston 121 years ago.

 Solomon was the first counselor in the stake presidency of the Oneida Stake in 1887 - a time when federal agents were chasing polygamous fathers from their homes and Mormons were not allowed to hold public offices due to the Edmunds-Tucker Act.

To counter the devastating effect the act had on local communities in ing the affairs of their schools, the Mormon Church authorized its stakes to organize their own schools. Oneida Stake started its school in 1888 in a room over a store in Franklin.

As enrollment increased and pressure to hold classes in Preston intensified, local authorities deferred to then LDS apostle Lorenzo Snow, whose report on the situation resulted in the decision to build the three-story, handsome rock academy in Preston.

“Through the kindness of Pres. Wilford Woodruff and councilors the church architect D.C. Young was instructed to draft a plan. This he did and the plan was highly recommended by Dr. Carl G. Mayer and others,” states an essay on the building of the academy written by Peter Simon Jensen between 1872

and 1896. (See this blog for the entire essay.)

Solomon encouraged everyone in his stake to contribute in order to provide a first rate education to the children of this pioneer community.

They did. Some gave cash. Some gave time. Some raised livestock and upon selling it, gave the profits to the fund. The construction of the Oneida Stake Academy garnered headlines in every newspaper in a 150-mile radius from Preston.

For just over a century, the building remained as an institution of some form of education until it was abandoned by the Preston School District in 2002 in order to make way for its bulging enrollment. At that time, several residents of Franklin County organized the Oneida Stake Academy Foundation to facilitate raising funds to restore the OSA building for public use.

The Forgotten Voice of the Oneida Stake Academy

A glimpse into the early days of classes held in the Oneida Stake Academy is featured in pictures and a story written by Fred Woods for the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation in 2003. It can be found here:The Forgotten Voice of the Oneida Stake Academy

Once at the site, look for the article in the index displayed on the page brought up by the link.