This is the former Balfour Public School. It was built sometime between 1899 and 1910. Other than that, we know very little about this school, or what happened to it. If you know more about this school, we would invite you to click on the photo below and add your comments on the ensuing page. Note the former Balfour church in the background.
We found this postcard going through some old files but we have no record of who sent it to us. Thank you, whoever you are.
Ghosts of North Dakota 
My mom and all her brothers and sister went here. It closed in the 70’s. it’s still standing although the roof is caved in.
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This school is no longer standing. The newer school, abandoned, which is still standing in Balfour can be seen here. http://www.ghostsofnorthdakota.com/2005/06/13/balfour-nd/
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thanks for the picture as well as the thought about the school as my wife and myself went to school there. I went to school from the eighth grade and on as they closed the school in my town Kief. I enjoyed the time spent as well as all the reunions that we came back for as had them every five years. My Father-in-law was the janitor and my Mother-in-law was the cook. We married a year after we left school and moved to Seattle. We now live in Yakima Washington and retired to the fast life of yard, flower, garden, and taking breaks and working on underground sprinklers. Thanks for all the memeories as like to go back in a persons mind and think just what would I do different now.
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The school operated until 1979. Students went different directions to neighboring towns including, Drake, Karlsruhe and Butte. Drake is the only school still operating today. Balfour Public School closed at the end of my Sophomore year but left a lasting impression and warm memories that I still carry with me today.
10256848968PS. Gary, I FONDLY remember Mr. & Mrs. Kuntz (Henry aka Heinie). Such wonderful people!
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My dad went to school there……
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& they (mom/dad) went to the reunions every 5 years as well.
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My dad went to school there…..
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I think this is the school that my grandparents used the bricks when they built there house.
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Maybe that’s not the right building than
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I think the photo on the postcard is of an earlier smaller school building which was replaced by the present building which is in a derelict, near ruinous condition. Here is a photo I took of how the newer building looks today:
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You got it, Colby. We have that school in our other Balfour gallery… http://www.ghostsofnorthdakota.com/2005/06/13/balfour-nd/
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Can anyone help me get a hold of Linda Budeau?
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Can anyone get me in touch with Linda Budeau. Need to talk to her
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Thank you one and all for helping to clear up the school mystery. My Great-uncle, E.O. Kleve was Principal at the older school circa 1909 and , on the other side of my father’s family, my Great-aunt, L. Parmenter taught Latin and English there.
I hope that perhaps you might be able to supply me with a jpg image of this photo to add to my family history. All appropriate accreditation would be given.
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I was the last science teacher at Balfour school. We had about 40 kids and 13 teachers. It was so much fun. I still have the newspaper about the closing of the school and the last yearbook- Duane -I remember you!
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Hi there Sue,
I was your only seventh grader that year. My brother and sister, Steven and Stephanie, (twins) were the only 4th graders and my sister Marianne was a junior and in the largest class in the school. Her class had a whoppin 9 students of which 8 were girls. Only 40 kids in K – 12. It was traumatic for me to go to Drake the following year and be in a class of 22. I practically had a panic attack every time I had to get up in front of so many kids to sharpen my pencil. It was rough but I made it. I went on to UND, home of the fighting Sioux, and graduated with a BSN and have been working as a nurse in Rochester, MN for the past 23 years.
I remember Duane Z. He was friends with my brother Kenny but he and my other brother Nathan both went to Cardinal Munich Seminary in Fargo their last three years of HS.
Where have you been for all these years?
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My first cousin, once removed, Ruth Ulrich, I believe was her name, was the English Teacher there during the 1950s to 1960s I think. We learned later after her husband died that she moved to Florida.
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I was a student of Ruth Ulrich in the late fifties along with her daughter Kathy. She was a great English teacher. No nonsense. You learned fundamentals and sentence structure During my career it stood me very well. During one of the reunions I was able to thank her for her skill.
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I was a student of Ruth Ulrich in the late fifties along with her daughter Kathy. She was a great English teacher. No nonsense. You learned fundamentals and sentence structure During my career it stood me very well. During one of the reunions I was able to thank her for her skill.
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Hello–
Everyone’s school comments are wonderful. I would like to share the article I found in the “Minneapolis Journal,” dated 21 Jul 1902 about building the school. I believe it would be the brick one still standing?? I’m astonished that Balfour is so tiny now as the school’s architect was Harry Wild Jones, a popular and well noted architect from Minneapolis. Looking forward to someone responding to my comment. I’m hoping to match the school with my newspaper article.
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