Criterion Schoolhouse, built and operated from 1912-1925, was passed into private ownership in 1969 and, in 1976, was donated to the State of Oregon. It was moved to the Ore-gon State Fairgrounds that same year. It still stands today as a tribute to public education.
Criterion Schoolhouse, built and operated from 1912-1925, was passed into private ownership in 1969 and, in 1976, was donated to the State of Oregon. It was moved to the Ore-gon State Fairgrounds that same year. It still stands today as a tribute to public education.
Photo courtesy Linda OramWASCO CO. — Oregon Retired Educators Association (OREA), the Oregon State Fair Foundation, the City of Salem, and others continue to provide maintenance and upgrades to the Criterion School — built in 1912 near Maupin and operated as such until 1925 — which has resided at the Oregon State Fairgrounds since 1976.
Now, OREA is looking for volunteers to greet visitors at the 113-year-old, one room school-house during the annual state fair, this year held from Aug. 22 through Sept. 1.
Contact Carla Mundt at mundtc@gmail.com to schedule your time slot: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1-4 p.m., and 4-7 p.m. Hosts receive free admission and parking to the fair.
Last year, 65 volunteer hosts greeted 2,481 visitors, said an OREA press release.
Of note, the Criterion Schoolhouse was placed on the National Schoolhouse Register in 2023, the first in Oregon to receive this designation. This year, the City of Salem approved the school to be listed as an “Official Historical Location.”
Donations are always welcome, said the press release. “You can volunteer your time as a host or monetarily by sending your check to the Oregon State Fair Foundation, 2330 17th Street, NE, Salem, OR 97301; add ‘for the Criterion Schoolhouse Project’ on the memo line. Much maintenance work has been done under the leadership of Oregon Retired Educators’ Association ‘Save the Criterion School Committee,’ but much remains to be done. Fundraising has been ongoing via grants and donations.”
Preparations are currently underway for the 2026 50th anniversary of its relocation to Salem. OREA and Wasco County residents support these efforts.
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