What: The worst storm in 56 years hit southeastern Colorado. In Kiowa County, a bus full of school children entered a blizzard and their school bus stalled. Those on the bus were stranded for more than a day without heat, food, water, or proper clothing. Five children and the bus driver died. It was warm and 60 degrees that morning. Most children dressed in light clothing. The school bus turned around once it reached the school as snow began to fall. By 9:00 AM it was a full blizzard. the bus got lost in the whiteout. At 9:30, the school bus got stuck in a ditch, stalled and could not be restarted. The bus offered very little shelter.
When: March 26, 1931.
Who: Carl Miller, bus driver, drove a 1929 Chevrolet truck with a wooden body attached to the bed. The vehicle could carry 20 passengers to and from school. The seats were wooden benches. Cardboard covered two broken windows. There was no heater or radio. By the time Miller reached the school, it began to snow. A collective decision, by the teachers, was made NOT to have the children seek shelter in the schoolhouse, but for Miller to return the children to their homes. The school had no food, water, blankets and not much coal for heat. Miller did not agree that he could beat the storm Everyone stayed alive through the night. The temperature was 20 degrees below zero with winds at seventy miles an hour plus. Carl Miller set out on foot for help. His frozen body was found the next day about 3.5 miles from the school bus. His hands cut by a barb wire fence he was using to navigate. Louise Stonebaker (11), Kenneth Johnson (7) and Bobbie Brown (9) died before help arrived. The children would spend thirty-two hours in the bus before being rescued. Mary Louise Miller and Arlo Untiedt would die at the Reinert home where the surviving children were taken.
Where: The Pleasant Hill area is located in southeast Kiowa County, about 14 miles south of Towner and 17 miles north of Holly in Prowers County.
Significance: A huge historical event in the history of Colorado. A time before technology. The tragedy reinforced the brutal nature of life on the plains during the Great Depretion. Reminds us of how fast the weather can change and how devastating the effects can be. Serious discussion was started related to student transportation safety. This included early release for days when bad weather was expected, bus upgrades that included two-way radios. Schools still did not have any phones for sometime after the tragedy.
When: March 26, 1931.
Who: Carl Miller, bus driver, drove a 1929 Chevrolet truck with a wooden body attached to the bed. The vehicle could carry 20 passengers to and from school. The seats were wooden benches. Cardboard covered two broken windows. There was no heater or radio. By the time Miller reached the school, it began to snow. A collective decision, by the teachers, was made NOT to have the children seek shelter in the schoolhouse, but for Miller to return the children to their homes. The school had no food, water, blankets and not much coal for heat. Miller did not agree that he could beat the storm Everyone stayed alive through the night. The temperature was 20 degrees below zero with winds at seventy miles an hour plus. Carl Miller set out on foot for help. His frozen body was found the next day about 3.5 miles from the school bus. His hands cut by a barb wire fence he was using to navigate. Louise Stonebaker (11), Kenneth Johnson (7) and Bobbie Brown (9) died before help arrived. The children would spend thirty-two hours in the bus before being rescued. Mary Louise Miller and Arlo Untiedt would die at the Reinert home where the surviving children were taken.
Where: The Pleasant Hill area is located in southeast Kiowa County, about 14 miles south of Towner and 17 miles north of Holly in Prowers County.
Significance: A huge historical event in the history of Colorado. A time before technology. The tragedy reinforced the brutal nature of life on the plains during the Great Depretion. Reminds us of how fast the weather can change and how devastating the effects can be. Serious discussion was started related to student transportation safety. This included early release for days when bad weather was expected, bus upgrades that included two-way radios. Schools still did not have any phones for sometime after the tragedy.
