La Conner Schools' totem poles getting summer makeover

Students and staff vacated La Conner campuses for summer break last week.

They weren’t alone.

The 25-year-old cedar totem pole that is the signature landmark at La Conner Elementary School was removed for summer restoration during special ceremonies Thursday morning.

The weathered but still grand pole will be refurbished by La Conner Schools’ staff member Kevin Paul, who was involved in its initial carving in the mid-1990s.

Paul, a master carver whose work has been profiled on national TV broadcasts, hopes to have this latest project completed in time for the pole to welcome students back to campus next fall.

La Conner Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Whitney Meissner said the totem pole at La Conner High, carved in 1977 by the late Elmer Cline, will also receive a makeover this summer.

That pole is a memorial to John K. Bob, who grew up at Swinomish and was a student leader at La Conner High before enlisting for service in World War II. Bob was killed in action as allied forces advanced through Germany.

Meissner said there are tentative plans to have the high school pole revamped in time for Veterans Day observances at La Conner Schools.

The totem poles have great significance to the school district, said Meissner, as they symbolize the century-old relationship between La Conner Schools and Swinomish Tribal Community.

“It kind of gives you goosebumps,” said Meissner. “Integration here happened 35 years before Brown v. Board of Education.”

Meissner was citing the famous 1954 Supreme Court decision that struck down segregation in public schools, ruling the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place in education.

Meissner and Swinomish Tribal Community Archivist & Records Manager Theresa Trebon credit April Bobb with bringing to light the need to restore the elementary school totem pole.

“She emailed me on April 18 to ask about the pole’s history,” Trebon said. “That started the ball rolling.”

Once La Conner Schools was contacted, District Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and School Board Cherri Kahns was tasked the legwork necessary to remove and transport the pole, and to do so before students were dismissed for summer.

“When I got home from work (Thursday) night,” Trebon said, “I realized all this happened in less than two months.”

That was by design.

“We wanted to try to do it while the kids were still in school,” Meissner said, “so that they could be a part of it.”

Thus, it was a festive mood on Thursday as La Conner Schools Director of Maintenance and Operations Brian Masonholder and a crew from Faber Crane Service dislodged the elementary school totem pole and loaded it on a flatbed for transport to Paul’s work area in Swinomish Village.

Led by La Conner School Board Chair Janie Edwards Beasley, students gathered nearby sang the friendship and goodbye songs in Lushootseed and later spontaneously swarmed around Paul to sing the eagle blessing song.

“I thought it was awesome,” Beasley said, “when the kids joined Kevin.”

Paul was also joined by retiring teacher Mike Carrigan. Together they have taught a popular long-running carving class at La Conner High.

“It’s been a neat collaboration,” said Carrigan. “We’ve become good friends.”

The totem pole restorations further reflect that.

“There’s always an effort here to do more,” Carrigan said. “The relationship between the Tribe and Town and school district is real good. It’s real healthy.”

The evidence is in how quickly and seamlessly plans came together on Thursday.

“Things just don’t roll like that,” emphasized Trebon. “So it was definitely meant to be.”