Classrooms Stay Dark A Second Day Cheney Schools An Exception; Whitworth Students Early Pilgrims

Dark schools and dangerous bus routes are making today another sleep-in morning for most Spokane-area children.

Gonzaga University also canceled today’s classes, while Whitworth College officials threw up their hands and began Thanksgiving vacation a week early.

Spokane School District 81 is closed, along with Mead, Nine Mile Falls, and East Valley, West Valley and Central Valley districts.

All but one Cheney District school will open. A power outage will force children attending that school - Garden Springs Elementary - to be bused to Windsor Elementary.

Cheney missed the brunt of Tuesday’s ice storm, said Les Harris, transportation director. “We feel real fortunate.”

Eastern Washington University officials expected classes to run on schedule in Cheney and Spokane. Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College are also open today.

Educators blame the closings on continuing power outages and downed electrical lines and tree limbs that make bus rides and children’s walks to and from school risky.

A new problem was also emerging: spoiled food.

“We’re not willing to use the milk that’s been in unrefrigerated containers,” said Walt Rulffes, District 81 associate superintendent.

Thirty-three Spokane public schools remained without power Wednesday.

Administrators said they’d wait until tonight to decide whether to call off Friday classes, but said Washington Water Power officials couldn’t tell them exactly when power would be restored.

Chilly dormitories and candlelight dinners for dozens of students in a dark cafeteria convinced Whitworth College officials to call off classes for their 1,500 students until after Thanksgiving.

Many of the 800 students who live on campus are hurrying to find transportation home. Faculty members are opening their homes to some students. Others are toughing it out in dorms without heat.

The college probably won’t have power for several more days, said Tom Johnson, vice president for business affairs.

After a day of serving cold food on paper plates, Whitworth officials decided to begin Thanksgiving vacation a week early while asking students to continue studying as usual.

“We’re asking students in the area who may be able to go home if they have the ability to host other students,” Johnson said.

Dormitories at Gonzaga University began using generators Wednesday afternoon, although students were asked to use electricity sparingly.

Most of the campus remained dark, however, prompting officials to cancel today’s classes, said Dale Goodwin, Gonzaga spokesman.

Like most Spokane-area school administrators, Goodwin said, “We have no plan beyond tomorrow.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: “After the Storm” special section