Ida Oerdling

Hello, Nelson Olstead here. Today's story points up the importance of a first-grade education. Now here's Clint Gruber with a few words from Pacific Power. Welcome once again to Stories of Pacific Powerland, a presentation of Pacific Power and Light, the company that has been serving the electric needs of the region's homes, farms and industries

through more than half a century of progress and growth. Let's return now to Nelson and another chapter from his storybook. When the Auding family came to coke keel in southern Oregon in 1907, Ida Auding was only seven years old.

Just before she enrolled in first grade, her father told her, now you'll go to school with your eyes and your ears wide open Ida. You'll be surprised how soon you'll be reading books and writing letters. The years you spend in classrooms will be the most important years of your life.

And so Ida Auding went off to the small coke keel school house. Little did she dream that she would return as an adult to spend many years of her life in the very same school room.

After high school, she went to work in the office of a local transfer company for a year and later worked for a time in her father's murderwood factory. Then she decided she wanted to teach, and in 1923, off to the Oregon College of Education she went.

Four years later, she emerged with a college degree and embarked on a career in education. back on her thirty-eight years in Coos County Schools, Miss Ording recalls a multitude and a variety of experiences. Early in her career, she undertook to instruct young people in the 4-H club work in addition to her regular teaching. One of her young 4-H members said,