Ezra S. Stucki (January 15, 1972)

              Voices From the Past
Ezra S. Stucki
By Ezra S. Stucki
15 January 1972
Tape # 140
Oral Interview conducted by Harold Forbush
Transcribed by Wendy Crofts December 2006
Edited by Niccole Franc April 2008
Brigham Young University- Idaho
The facilities of the Upper Snake River Valley Historical Society, located in Rexburg, Idaho, is pleased to now transcribe from reel to reel tape onto a C- 60, the following interview done heretofore and now placed on cassette this 28th day of July 1984.
Harold Forbush: Oral history of the Upper Snake River Valley. The date is January the 15th, 1972 and it’s my opportunity this mid- Saturday afternoon to welcome to my office Brother Stucki. Would you kindly state your full name, Brother Stucki?
Ezra S. Stucki: Ezra S. Stucki.
HF: And the date and place where you were born?
ES: I was born in Paris, Idaho February 25th 1885.
HF: And what is your present address?
ES: My present address is 243 South 1st East, Rexburg, Idaho.
HF: I think it’s rather important to get a little background of those whom we interview and in order to do this I would like first to ask you will you state the name of your father and just briefly something somewhat of the Stucki name and its origin and perhaps when your father came to America. And incidentally will you first spell the name Stucki?
ES: S- T- U- C- K- I is the way we spell our name. My father was John U. Stucki. He always went by the initials J. U. I scarcely ever heard my dad called John, but his name was John Uric Stucki. He was born in Switzerland in the area of Suri, in Switzerland. He— I just don’t recall the date of birth now of my father, but he was going to be a tailor. He was apprenticed by his father to learn the trade of a tailor. And while he was on his way to Paris, France to pick up the trade he met the Elders and was converted to the church and never did go to France. But he was later made an elder in the church and then made Branch President and the little branch where he lived and became very active. And then he immigrated to America. And on the way over to America he and his first wife were married on the ship as they were coming over. The ship caught fire and it was thought that they’d all be lost and maybe that was one thing that induced them to get married. But the fire was finally extinguished and they arrived okay. Father spent a little time in New York and then came as far as Nebraska and worked in Nebraska for a time. He brought with him a little plough and a pitch fork and a shovel. And began his farming operations in Cache Valley, when he got to Utah, he moved into Cache Valley and settled in Providence, Cache County, in Utah.
HF: And about what year was this?
ES: That was in about the year 1855, somewhere along there, somewhere about that.
HF: Now, your mother’s full name and something briefly of her background please.
ES: My mother was Anna Clara Spori. She was a sister of Jacob Spori, who was the first President of Ricks College. She came to America, not as a member of the Church; she didn’t belong to the church when she came, but her sister- in- law, Jacob Spori’s wife, was coming to America and she was pregnant and in poor health. Mother came with her to assist her in coming to America and she lived here with the Sporis’ for a time. Libby Stole, of Rexburg, was the child who was born just after they got here. They lived in a granary the first year they were here. Then Mother in lived in this area for two or three years and then went down into the Bear Lake area. Bear Lake is the south eastern corner of Idaho. And there she met my father, married him, and I was born and raised in that area.
HF: Were you the first child out of that marriage?
ES: No, I have an older sister. My mother had only two children but my father had three wives and my mother was the last of the three wives.
HF: I see. This is very interesting and I might comment that it’s been my opportunity to talk with these two wonderful Spori sisters and to interview them and I have a marvelous interview of those two ladies.
ES: How wonderful.
HF: Now, what were the circumstances that brought you first here into the Upper Snake River Valley and when?
ES: After I was married, I taught school for a few years, but I didn’t have my degree. And then I decided to get my degree and so I moved with my family to Provo, Utah where I attended school for two years and obtained my degree in 1927, bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. At that time Dr. Adam S. Bennion, who was the church superintendent of schools, asked me to go to Burly and begin a Seminary in Burly. But about that time the Board of Trustees of Rexburg was in search of a superintendent and they came to…
HF: Now would this be the Board of Trustees of Independent Class A…?
ES: Number one.
HF: Number one.
ES: Yes, that’s right. They came to Provo in search of a superintendent and they interviewed me and a few days later sent me a contract to come here as a school superintendent. And that was the reason that I came.
HF: Who was the superintendent at that time?
ES: Ezra Lindquist was the superintendent. George Arthur Harris was the Chairman of the Board, and William E. Gee was the Clerk of the Board. And they were the three men that came to Provo to interview me and subsequently offered me the job to come here to Rexburg.
HF: Now you came here to Rexburg in 1927?
ES: 1927.
HF: And you were married at the time?
ES: Married and had three children.
HF: And had three children. Now just, rather quickly, can you recall by way of reminiscing, what was your recollection and first impression of Rexburg?
ES: Course, my mother had told me quite a number of things about Rexburg because she had lived here early in her experience after coming to America. Then I had my two cousins, who were here, Mrs. Stole and Mrs. Kerr. And the first few days— my family didn’t come with me— and the first few days I lived with Mrs. Stole and I was favorably impressed. I liked Rexburg. I thought it was a fine place in which to live and finally secured a home to live in, rented the home. We later bought it and we’re still living in the same home.
HF: Isn’t that interesting? At the time were you impressed with the layout of the city, its cleanliness, its location and things like this? Did these seem to be significant to you?
ES: I liked that, I thought my home was right on the outskirts of the town. In fact, early in my experience I was asked to give a talk in a scout banquet and the Master of Ceremonies introducing me said that I lived in the outhouse of Rexburg. I lived way out. In fact, when my mother first came to see me she said, “ Oh my you live way up here on the bench.” So I lived out but I liked it. I’ve always liked to live there. It’s right directly across the street from the Kirkham Auditorium on Ricks College campus.
HF: And that brings me to another inquiry. What were your impressions of the Ricks College at that time?
ES: Ricks College was small then and it was conducting the two upper years of high school, the Junior and Senior years of high school. And of course I had some contact with Ricks College. We used to have our dances together and some of our other activities. I was made to feel very welcome. President Romney was the President of Ricks College and he made me feel very welcome. In fact, they had socials for their faculty about once a month and he always invited me to join them. Those socials were held in the homes of the members, usually in President Romney’s home but sometimes in others. So I was made welcome and I felt that Ricks College was a great asset to Rexburg and the surrounding areas. HF: Did it seem to have quite a predominant influence on Rexburg, even then?
ES: Very decided influence.
HF: Now another reflection, to which ward were you a member and can you recall your first church assignment here in Rexburg?
ES: I was a member of the 4th Ward, it was known then as the 4th Ward made by the dividing of the 1st Ward. And the first assignment, as I remember, was to teach in a Mutual class. I might say, however, that when I came to Rexburg, I was a member of the Stake Presidency in the Bear Lake Stake. And I was in Provo for two years and they still retained me as a member of the Stake Presidency in the Bear Lake Stake. I went back once a month there to the stake meetings and then when I came to Rexburg they still retained me as a member of the Stake Presidency. And for two years after I was here I was a member of the Stake Presidency of the Bear Lake Stake. And then finally was released by Brother Ballard. Melvin J. Ballard was the General Authority there when I was released and he said, “ We’ll pick you up wherever you are.” And the next conference in Rexburg he was here and set me apart as a member of the High Council of the Freemont Stake.
HF: Now, I have down here in my note, what was your first employment here at Rexburg, and you’ve already alluded to that, but you might illuminate somewhat as to your duties and just what you were hired and employed to do?
ES: I was employed as the Superintendent of Schools. At that time they had a two year high school here and then there were the two elementary schools. The Washington School had twelve teachers and grades one through eight. And the Adam’s School, which was up in the east part of town, had eight teachers and grades one through six. And I had charge then of those two elementary schools and the high school which consisted of the first two years of high school. And my responsibility was to look after that organization. The school was quite heavily in debt and of course my first desire was to get the district out of debt and I worked at that very vigorously.
HF: Now did you serve in a dual capacity at that time as the Principle type of part of high school?
ES: Yes, at that time I was the Principle of the high school as well as the Superintendent of Schools.
HF: Of course, you mentioned that the high school in ’ 27 was just a two year school.
ES: Yes, that’s right, just a two year school.
HF: And the students would complete their, well I guess they would complete their high school work by attending Ricks. Was it called Ricks Academy? ES: It was called Ricks Academy then, yes. They would either go to Ricks or if they chose they could go to Rigby or to Sugar City or St. Anthony or to any other school and the district was obliged to pay their tuition wherever they chose to go.
HF: You recall just how the students did apportion themselves? Were there some that went to these various three choices, these three alternatives?
ES: Yes, quite a number went to these other schools. And that was one of the reasons that— it became very expensive to the school district to pay the tuition for these students, and that was one of the inducements to cause them to put in the third and fourth year of high school.
HF: And when was that done?
ES: The third year was put in 1928 and 9, the second year I was here. Then the fourth year in ’ 29 and ’ 30 and the first graduating class from the Madison High School, and the four year Madison High School was in 1930, the spring of 1930.
HF: How large a group graduated that year?
ES: As I remember it there were about 78 graduates.
HF: That’s quite amazing.
ES: Quite a sizable graduating class.
HF: This would mean that your whole school enrollment— this was all four years, then. I mean the senior high school was the four years— you would have possibly four hundred students or so wouldn’t you?
ES: Somewhere in that neighborhood. This was an interesting thing to me, the most advanced group, of course, was sophomore group when it was a two year school. Then when we put in the third year that same group became the most advanced group and called themselves seniors for second time. Then the next year we put in the fourth year, they were the most advanced group, and called themselves seniors again. They were a little hard to live with after they had been seniors for three years.
HF: I would think. Brother Stucki, where was the high school located at the time?
ES: The high school was located on 1st West and Main Street in the building which is now the junior high school. That building was not completed, just a few rooms completed when I came here. But that was the building that was used as the high school building.
HF: And how long did you continue to serve in this dual capacity as superintendent of the School District Independent Class A and also the principle of the high school? ES: As far a I can remember I was the principle and the superintendent for about ten years. And not only that but the second or third year I was made the clerk of the Board so I was the superintendent, the clerk, and the principle of the high school.
HF: Now was this a six man Board of Trustees?
ES: It was a six man board.
HF: And as clerk you, of course, didn’t have any right to vote, you were just the clerk to the board?
ES: That’s right.
HF: And you were superintendent to the board and so on, I guess?
ES: That’s right, yes.
HF: Now your jurisdiction, as superintendent, involved just within this district?
ES: That’s right, just within this district. It went slightly out of Rexburg on each side, but just within this district.
HF: And now at that time as I understand it, Madison was still electing every two years what we called a County Superintendent of Public Construction.
ES: That’s right.
HF: And what was his primary function?
ES: His job, by the way, it was a woman at that time, Arnetta Goodliff, was the County Superintendent of Schools when I first came here and her job was to supervise the schools of the county who were not independent districts. The districts that were not the independent districts were directly in her supervision. She assisted in the hiring of teachers, of course the boards hired the teachers, but she assisted in recommending. Then she had charge of the distribution of the monies from the county and the state that was apportioned to the county were distributed through her office.
HF: To these little common school districts.
ES: Common school districts, that’s right.
HF: Can you give me an idea in 1927, about how many there were of these little common school districts in Madison County?
ES: Yes. At that time, there was one Independent Class A school district and that was in Rexburg. And there were in Madison County four Independent Districts. One was in Cedar Point. George Marler was the principle and Fred Fischer was the clerk. And one was in Sugar City. Eldon B. Sessions was the superintendent and Frank L. Davis was the clerk.
HF: And now there in Sugar City you call this an independent, is this a joint independent? I mean they refer to Sugar as Sugar- Salem, don’t they?
ES: Yes, it included the Salem and the Sugar Districts.
HF: I see, but it was an independent district.
ES: That’s right.
HF: Did Cedar Point, either one of these, have a number assigned?
ES: Yes they did. Independent # 3 was Cedar Point and independent # 4 was Sugar City. Then there were two other Independent Districts in the county. There was one in Teton, Independent# 7, with Lucas Clark as the principle and Mary Anne Riggins as the clerk. And one at Newdale, Independent # 9 and D. H. Cutler was the principle and Francis Swenderman was the clerk. Then there was one rural high school in the Edmund’s- Plano area. Leon Evans was the principle and Ernest Blouser was the clerk. Then there were fifteen common districts in Madison County.
HF: You want to enumerate those?
ES: Yes. Some of them had three or more teachers. # 10 was Thornton and Ed Anderson was the principle. # 12 was Archer and Mariner Morell was the principle. And # 27 was Hibbard and H. Lester Petersen was the principle. And # 43 was Burton and Edmund O. Smith was the principle. And # 56 was in the Edmund’s Area and Arthur Wilson was the principle. And then the smaller districts were # 9 was Clemensville, # 11 was Independence, # 14 was Teton, # 16 was Moody, # 30 was Lyman, # 39 was Sunnydale, # 44 was up on the hill— I don’t remember what it was called—# 46 was out in the Plano area, and # 73 was Herbert up on the hill, and those were the common school districts.
HF: Now, each of the common school districts was governed by a three man Board of Trustees.
ES: That’s right.
HF: Now with reference to these independents, they each had six trustees.
ES: Six trustees
HF: Now by reason of them being called independent did this mean that they had a little more authority to govern their own affairs?
ES: Yes, yes a little more authority they were not quite as restricted, that is, they could govern their affairs more readily than the others. I wondered, Brother Forbush, if these things would be interesting to you. I have a sort of a summary of the school districts then. There was one independent class A in Rexburg and then the four independent districts that I have mentioned, fifteen common districts, one rural high school district. There were 1,550 boys and 1,654 girls, for a total of 3,204 students in the county. The average length of the school year in the district was eight months. There were 187 eighth grade graduates.
HF: Now this is 1927, the year that you came.
ES: The year that I came. There were 29 men teachers. There 57 women teachers, for a total of 86. The average salary of the men teachers was $ 1,499.00 and the average salary of the women teachers was $ 1,058.00.
HF: Isn’t that amazing? Brother Stucki, as superintendent in 1927, of course you must have had some predecessors. Would you call to mind the first who filled this particular office as superintendent of Class A # 1 in Rexburg?
ES: As I understand, George A. Hooves was the first superintendent of the schools. When I came here he was a dry farmer in this area, a very successful dry farmer. He later became a member of the school board and so I worked under his direction as a school board member. He was later the postmaster of Rexburg. At the time of his death he was the postmaster here in Rexburg.
HF: So he was the first who held this position of superintendent of the district?
ES: As I understand itt. Then Ezra Lindquist followed him as the school superintendent. And I believe Ezra Lindquist was made superintendent in ’ 23, but I am not quite sure of the date of that. When he resigned he went to accept the position of superintendent of Independent Class A school district of Rigby. And he served there for several years as superintendent of that district.
HF: Had this man been in the Madison County School System prior to him being a superintendent of Class A # 1?
ES: I believe prior to that time he taught up at Ricks College. He was a mathematics teacher and I believe he taught at Ricks College. And it seems to me he was employed to be the superintendent, probably from Ricks College.
HF: I see. Well, then you became superintendent in ’ 27 and how many years did you hold this position as the superintendent of Class A # 1?
ES: I was the superintendent of Class A # 1 until the reorganization of schools in Idaho when Madison County was divided into two school districts, Independent Class A 321 and independent Class A 322. And then I was elected the superintendent of independent Class A 321 and remained in that position for two or three years until I was employed to teach at Ricks College.
HF: Do you have at your finger tips some dates in there? For example, when you became the superintendent of 321?
ES: It seemed to me that when I talked to you the other day, Brother Forbush, that that was in 1946, but it may have been in ’ 48, I’m not right positive. I should have looked that up but I didn’t do it.
HF: I think that they must have been organized— the two districts— somewhat paralleled.
ES: Yes, they were.
HF: And the note of Sugar City has it that Class 322 was organized on the 26th of March in 1948.
ES: That was probably the time.
HF: And at that time Mr. J. Kenneth Thatcher was employed as the first superintendent of 322.
ES: Yes, that’s right.
HF: And so the board would have chosen you then also as the first superintendent of 321.
ES: That’s right.
HF: Can you recall who was on the Board of Trustees at that time? Now this is, maybe I’m asking something that’s too hard to remember.
ES: Well I remember most of them. I believe Jeff Stephenson was on the board, Alvin Andersen was on the board, and Raymond Hill— is it Raymond?
HF: Senior, yes, I image.
ES: It was Mr. Hill who was out of Archer. I don’t think it was Raymond but I’ve forgotten his first name for the moment. And Lenard Smith from Burton was on the board, Fellow Rock was on the board.
HF: Now then did you also act as the clerk for the Board of Trustees?
ES: No, Willis Lyman was the clerk then. They elected Willis Lyman to be the clerk. HF: I think at that time he was more or less finishing is years as the county superintendent and public construction and that would have been the last year that he had been elected.
ES: Yes. Then he was the postmaster following, yes.
HF: That’s my understanding too. Well then you became employed there at Ricks College following your release, as it were, from 321 as superintendent.
ES: That’s right.
HF: What were the factors that involved you as a member of the faculty or association with Ricks College?
ES: Before I left the employment of the school board, while I was still superintendent, I taught one class a day early in the morning at Ricks College.
HF: And in what field was this?
ES: That was in the Methods in Teaching Arithmetic, I taught the Methods class in teaching arithmetic for two years before I went up there permanently. And then I was offered a position to go there permanently as they were looking forward to a four year program up at Ricks College. That was the program that I was to work in so I was employed to go there and teach in the field of education. And my assignment was largely in the field of secondary education training teachers for secondary education. However, I had charge of both the elementary and secondary teaching program during all of the years that the program was enforced at Ricks College while I was there.
HF: And now you mention that you went up there, did I get the right date, about 1952?
ES: About 1950, in the summer of 1950 or the fall of 1950 was my first full time.
HF: Full time.
ES: Yes.
HF: I see, at Rick College. I see. And at that time how large was the faculty? Now this was before it started on its four year program.
ES: This was before started on this program. It must not have been, I should have looked up the number, but I would think maybe a 20 member faculty, something like that. We use to hold our faculty meetings in one of the classrooms and there were just a few people in the classroom. I imagine 20 people maybe 25 people.
HF: And about how many in the student body? I can appreciate that these are rough numbers.
ES: 350, something like that.
HF: Now at that time, 1950, the physical plant of buildings and facilities consisted of— you describe what was there at that time.
ES: There were three buildings that were in use at that time. The present Spori building, or called the Administration Building at the present time, it was the building where most of the classes were held. The gym building was there, however, and there was an auditorium and a stage. And many of the pubic meetings were held in that auditorium and the second floor of the gym building. Then there was one other small building that housed the heating plant and some chemistry laboratories.
HF: And did the college provide dormitory space for the students at all?
[ End of tape 1]
HF: Side 2, continuing the interview with Ezra S. Stuki.
ES: Well about that time they secured this building which is presently across the street from the Chevrolet garage and used that as the dormitory. That was the only dormitory that I recall that they had.
HF: That was for girls, was it not?
ES: Yes, I believe it was. I believe it was for girls.
HF: They had nothing for boys at that time.
ES: That’s right.
HF: Now you inferred a few moments ago that about this time or ensuing years, immediately the college was looking forward to going into a four year program. Can you tell me just what they had in mind and how far they progressed? Did they actually graduate in four year classes and what would be your comment?
ES: Yes, they had a four year program, a full- fledged four year program, and were accredited as a four year school. And for several years, there must have been three or four years that they graduated students with a bachelor’s degree. I’m not sure on the number of years but I think three or four years they graduated students. Many students now look back and say “ I got my bachelor’s degree at Ricks College.” So it was a degree granting institution for four or five years, I’m not sure of the number.
HF: And were these degrees principally granted in the field of education? ES: Well I guess principally the field of education; however, there were degrees in other fields also. There were degrees in some of the science areas and so on and so there were degrees in other areas. But I guess principally in education.
HF: And during these years you were involved in the department of education?
ES: All of my experience at Ricks College has largely been in the department of education. I’ve always taught a religion class each year but that’s been aside from the regular education classes that I’ve taught.
HF: Let’s see, and during these years that it was a four year school and degree granting college, let’s see, President John L. Clark was of course the president.
ES: He was the president all during that time.
HF: Now about 1958- 59, it’s my understanding that it was made known here in Rexburg that the church was giving some thought to moving the institution to Idaho Falls. Now these were days of great trauma in the minds of the men and women, not only at the college, but of the city. And if you will please, I would like to have you comment on this thing as it developed and how it was eventually concluded and terminated? I think in doing this, Brother Stucki, we should try obviously to avoid mention of names wherein any comments you might make might, you know, reflect and we wouldn’t want to do this. But obviously this was a period of great turmoil and feeling and insofar as you personally can reflect it as you experienced it, I would much appreciate having you relate your understanding how this thing developed.
ES: Course the first disappointment that we experienced, I think, was the announcement that Ricks was to be cut back to a two year school. And then came shortly after that the announcement that the school would probably be moved to Idaho Falls. And land was purchased there upon which to locate a campus for Ricks College. And of course many of us felt that we would prefer to have Ricks College remain in Rexburg. It was started here, we liked it here, and many of us would prefer but I think the general feeling was that if the church decided to move the school that we’d go along with it. But the feeling was pretty general that they hoped that something would come so that the brethren would decide to leave the school of Ricks College. And it seemed never to have been definite that it was to be moved, it was a proposal that was made. It seemed never to have been definite. Some of the people here were invited to come to headquarters of the church and express themselves and tell why it shouldn’t be moved, if they thought it shouldn’t be moved, and seems to me the thing was carried forward in an orderly way. And then finally the president of the church announced that Ricks College would remain in Rexburg and immediately a building program was initiated and since that time a great many buildings have been built on the campus.
HF: Would you care to go just a little bit deeper and maybe suggest some of the steps that the business houses or the public officials took to lend their influence to seeing that the campus remained here? I don’t want to get too touchy, because this is quite a touchy subject, I realize that.
ES: Some of the men were very active in trying to build a case for the retaining of Ricks College in Rexburg. Some of the businessmen were very active in that and the President of the church invited such action. They invited them to come to Salt Lake and present their case. And so there was a committee organized that worked on that and they built up a case and took to the brethren in Salt Lake. It seemed to be the general opinion, the united opinion of the businessmen and the community of Rexburg and I think of the surrounding communities that they would prefer to have Ricks College remain in Rexburg. But it was a heated issue for some time. There were some, particularly I think in the Idaho Falls area, who would very much liked to have it come there. But there were many in this area who preferred because it had been established here, because the tradition of Ricks College in Rexburg preferred I think to have it remain here. And so finally that’s the way it turned out.
HF: Does any fixed date come into your mind as to when President McKay made the concluding decision that it remain here?
ES: No, I don’t remember. I don’t remember when, Brother Forbush.
HF: Now when this decision was made of course it’s my understanding that the towns people, the residents here, kind of pledged themselves that they would do all they could to provide housing for and increased enrollment at the college, isn’t this so?
ES: That’s right. And that was done, the people just went all out, it seemed to me, to support the college and provide for it in whatever way. And since then the business houses have been generous in there support through scholarship funds and things of that sort so they supported the school. But then many of the people opened their homes and provided living quarters for students and it began to grow quite rapidly from that time forward.
HF: Upwards of what, ten percent? It seems like every year it’s increased something like this.
ES: Yes, I think that’s right.
HF: Changing our pace just a bit, Brother Stucki, you mentioned when you first came to Rexburg in 1927 that your first appointment to public service in the church at least was to serve on the high council. From that point what assignments have you filled?
ES: I’ve been a member of the high council for a long period of time. At one time I was a bishop of 4th Ward. That is I was released from my position on the high council and made the bishop of the Rexburg 4th Ward. Delbert D. Taylor was my first counselor and John Porter was my second counselor. I was the bishop for two years and then some people, some who were not LDS, rather objected to their school superintendent being a Mormon bishop. And the brethren thought best to release me and I was released as the bishop of the 4th Ward and then was made Chairman of the Scout District of this area and served as the Chairman of the Scout District and was a member of the Teton Peaks Council for three or four years then was made a member of the high council again.
HF: Now in your scouting experience you were in charge of this county or does it extend beyond the county lines?
ES: This county, Madison County.
HF Was it referred to then as the Targhee District?
ES: That’s right.
HF: Strong was the…
ES: Scout Executive
HF: Yes. Brother Neil Strong
ES: Yes, that’s right. I did some scout work prior to that when Alwar was the scout executive. But not as active it was more restricted but I did some with Harold, I believe Harold Elward was the Scout Executive proceeding, Brother Strong. I was a member of the high council in the Freemont Stake and then the name of the stake was changed to the Rexburg Stake and I was retained as a member of the high council. And then the Rexburg Stake was divided into the North Rexburg and the Rexburg Stake and I was again made a member of the Rexburg Stake high council. And presently I am serving as the member of the high council of the Ricks College 2nd Stake. So that for quite a number of years my experience, my service has been with the high council. I was a bishop prior to coming to Rexburg, just a young man, just after I was married. I suppose, I was told anyway, the youngest bishop in the church.
HF: Now this was in where?
ES: In Paris, Idaho. I was made a bishop when I was 23 years old.
HF: Were you married at the time?
ES: Just married, the stake presidency called me into a meeting one afternoon and they said “ The Lord has blessed you with a good wife and now we want you to be the bishop of a ward.” So it was just after our marriage that I was invited to be the bishop of the ward.
HF: Now Brother Stucki, how many years did you serve as bishop there in the Paris Ward?
ES: About three years and a half, as bishop of the Paris 1st Ward and then was made a member of the presidency of the Bear Lake Stake.
HF: Who was the stake president at that time?
ES: Roy A. Welker was the stake president. Roy A. Welker is still living. He’s 93 years old.
HF: Isn’t that amazing?
ES: I talked to him on the phone the other day. He buried his wife the other day and took her back to Bear Lake— they were living in Boise— took her back to Bear Lake to bury her and I called him on the telephone and talked to him the night they had the viewing down in Montpelier.
HF: Now are there still Stucki’s in the Bear Lake area?
ES: All of my brothers and sisters are dead except for one full sister who lives in Logan. She married Wilford Richard, who was director of the Institute of Logan for a long time. Then I have another sister, a half sister, who lives in Paris presently. She was married to Daniel C. Rich who taught in the high school at Paris until his death. Those are the only— there are just three of us left in my father’s original family. But some of the grandchildren of my father are living. Quite a number of them live there in Paris.
HF: This is the fitting time to pursue your own personal family now a little bit and in this I would like to ask you to whom were you married and when and then as you would like, comment about your own boys and girls, your children.
ES: My wife was Irma Cook, also of Paris, Idaho. We were married in January of 1919. We had four children. Our oldest boy was named Lund. The second child was a girl named Anna. The third was a boy named John Richard and the fourth was a girl named Lila, who lives in Rexburg presently. She is the only one of our children living here.
Our oldest son filled a mission in the North Central States and when he was released to come home the second war was one. And he immediately volunteered for service in the Air Corp and was accepted after passing is examinations. He was taken to Texas for his training program and after being in the service for eight or nine months he was killed in a training flight in Lovett, Texas. Lund was killed in 1943.
Anna married Leyland Wakefield. Anna was a member of the faculty at Brigham Young University for a time and she was the secretary to President Howard S. McDonald, who was President of BYU. Then she married Leyland Wakefield and they live in Provo now have a business, a music and appliance store.
Our son John lives in St. Louis. He also enlisted in the service during the 2nd World War and was in the navy. And during his time in service he got his commission in the navy and he also received his bachelor’s degree in engineering. And he’s an engineer presently working for the American Corpse and Foundry Company. And he’s stationed in St. Louis, Missouri.
And our youngest girl married Westin Lawrence. They live here in Rexburg. They have six children. Our daughter Anna has three children, our son John has three. So we have twelve grandchildren.
HF: Isn’t that wonderful? And your wife is still living and has good health?
ES: Yes, yes my wife has good health. She was involved in a car accident about six- seven years ago and for a time she was in rather poor health but she’s regained her health fully and she’s in good health now.
HF: Brother Stucki, as we close this little interview, having lived here in the Rexburg area since 1927 become involved, of course, in church and civic work and community affairs and so on, maybe you would have a little comment as to your reaction as a Rexburgonian, I don’t know if that’s a very good name or not, but anyway, one who has resided in Rexburg all these years, what would be your comment?
ES: This has been a fine place for us to live. We’ve enjoyed it so much. It’s been a good place to raise our family and we’ve appreciated that so very much. I’ve been a member of the Rexburg Rotary Club since 1927. I was invited to come into the club just a couple of months after I moved to Rexburg and have been a member all the time since then. At the present time I’m honored by being an honorary member of the Rexburg Club. I was a member of the Chamber of Commerce all during the time that I served as superintendent of the schools and served as one of the officers and the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce on various occasions. I like Rexburg. We like the people here, we like the community, we like the atmosphere that’s here, and we think it’s the finest place in the world for us to be.
HF: Well that’s really wonderful and I know that you’ve made a tremendous contribution, you and your family, to the Rexburg area to school particularly having served either publicly in the public schools or at Ricks College for, let’s see that would be 44 years if my arithmetic is accurate, which is a tremendous record. I want to thank you so much for the opportunity of visiting with you this afternoon.
ES: Thank you. Thank you really.