by Eleanor Deckert
History was made on March 28, 1983. The decision to close Avola Elementary School, first opened around 1929, was finalized.
Disbelief and disappointment flooded the hearts of the parents. The school in any rural town holds high value and deep meaning to all residents.
What happened to the children when the school district closed the school? What became of the buildings: a three-room portable, set up in the mid-1970s, and the Avola old log schoolhouse, built about 1939?
Grades K-4 were offered for one more year, with the older students bussed 70 km south to Raft River Elementary and Clearwater Secondary schools. The following year a second school bus was provided to take the younger students 40 km in the opposite direction to Blue River.
Parents were so concerned about the length of time their children would be away, the distance parents would have to travel to stay in touch, the condition of the winter pass over the Messiter Summit, the effort it would take to volunteer and attend school functions (not to mention the dilemma of having children attending schools over 100 km apart!) that many chose to home school.
Others simply moved away.
After one year of government correspondence, most families enrolled their children in Blue River, Raft River or Vavenby Elementary. Kindergarten continued to be a popular home schooling choice and one family tallied up 15 years of home schooling their four children.
The Community Christmas Concert, the highlight of the year, was still put on with help from the Ladies Auxiliary. At first it was in the larger old log community hall, and later in the Avola log schoolhouse.
The public library continued to use one of the three rooms of the portable, until the school district removed the units from Avola. From 1989 – 1992, the Avola log schoolhouse was used by the public library out of Kamloops. Later, when their services withdrew, a community non-profit society looked after the building and ran the library until about 2005. Spelling bees, reading programs, and challenges to exercise children’s research skills were designed by the volunteers.
During this time period the Avola log schoolhouse was available for a variety of other gatherings: Halloween costume parties and Christmas skits, Bible study and a square dance club, Brownies and home schoolers, Sunday School, an art club, music practice for five local singer-guitarists, hosting visiting musicians, and welcome-to-town and good-bye parties. Great effort from Bob and Colleen Jensen brought old-timers to town for homecoming reunions in 2003, 2005, and 2008. What fun to see displays, and old photos, familiar faces and places, tell stories and catch up on the news!
Provincial Emergency Social Services has registered this location as its evacuation centre, should the need ever arise.
Time marches on. The children grew up and graduated, enthusiasm waned. At last even the volunteer library faded. The building was left empty many days of the year.
By the time 2005 rolled around, it was suggested that the Thompson-Nicola Regional District apply to the school district to transfer title of the Avola old log schoolhouse to the TNRD on behalf of the citizens of Avola. Various meetings, agreements and changes left former users a little confused and, because of insurance requirements, the building was seldom used except for the occasional government meeting, Avola Improvement District annual general meeting, forestry presentation, or provincial or national election.
A new chapter began in the history of the Avola old log schoolhouse under new ownership and decisions made by the Thompson Headwaters services committee – which is made up of the local area’s TNRD director plus several members appointed by the TNRD.
In the spring of 2009, 18 community members attended a Thompson Headwaters services committee meeting to discuss possible uses of the community hall and Avola log schoolhouse. In the fall, 30 questionnaires were sent to every mail box, gaining eight responses. Of these, five were for using the 
Avola old log schoolhouse, but with questions that indicated confusion on the part of some residents such as, “What right does TNRD have over the community hall and Avola old log schoolhouse?”
The members of the THSC indicated that they would like to establish the Avola log schoolhouse and community park as a draw to entice travellers off of the highway.
In May, 2013, Avola Book Club, which previously had met in homes and the Log Inn Pub, held its first meeting in the Avola log schoolhouse (with support from Blue River Community Association with regards to insurance). Work bees each week since then have resulted in cleaning, sorting, and rearranging the book collection, so long unattended.
In the summer of 2012, renovations authorized by the THSC began. Windows, doors, railing and front step were completed. Recently work began to improve the look of the exterior with a power spray applied to the logs with crushed walnut shells, new patches, chinking and stain. A wheel chair ramp and other details will bring the building up to safety and accessibility code.
Some controversy lingers about the proposed renovations, however.
As Avola residents wait to view the results, one realizes: Today is a day in history.
