Clark-Statewide County WA Archives Biographies.....Lash, Captain Frederick M. September 11, 1891 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 26, 2008, 11:32 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company CAPTAIN FREDERICK M. LASH. One of the most prominent figures in educational and military circles of the Columbia River Valley is Captain Frederick M. Lash, the able and efficient superintendent of the public schools at Camas, Clark county, Washington. A man of vigorous mentality and high attainments, sincerely devoted to his profession and possessing a pleasing personality, he has not only gained a high reputation as an educator but is just as highly regarded as a man and citizen. Captain Lash was born at Stroudsburg, Monroe county, Pennsylvania, on the 11th of September, 1891, and is a son of W. S. and Katherine D. (Farr) Lash, the former of whom is an electrical engineer and is now connected with the Picatinny arsenal, in New Jersey, the family residing at Dover, that state, in the old stone house that was occupied by General Washington during his New Jersey campaign. Captain Lash completed the course of the public schools and was graduated from Pennsylvania State Teachers College in 1911, after which he became a vice principal of the Coolbaugh township high school in his native county. One year later he took a trip to the Pacific coast, with no intention of remaining, but he was attracted by this section of the country and decided to locate. His first educational work here was as teacher of the district school at Gravel Point, Clark county. During his first months here he was very homesick, but when that feeling wore away he began to like the country and has never since had a desire to leave it. His second position was as superintendent of the schools at Battle Ground, where he remained two years, after which he became principal of the Ellensburg high school, also teaching in the State Normal school there during three summers. During this time he organized the Second Separate Company of the Washington National Guard, of which he was made captain. During midwinter of 1917 he was offered a better position at Seattle as head of the science department in the high school and was transferred to that place. While there he recruited three companies of troops, which became a part of the Third Regiment of Washington Infantry. He spent much time in drilling the troops, expecting to be called into the federal service, but this appearing hopeless, he resigned and went to Camp Pike, Arkansas, where he went into training as a private. Later he entered the officers training school, in which he received a commission as second lieutenant of the Infantry Reserve Corps. While there he was employed in bayonet drill as company commander. On his discharge from that camp, he returned to Battle Ground, where his wife was living, he having a home there, but he was soon again in the service as supply officer of the Third Washington Regiment. In the summer of 1919 Captain Lash went to New Jersey as coach for a rifle team which won the National Guard championship of the United States. In the fall of that year he returned to Washington and was made superintendent of the schools at Stevenson, Skamania county, where he remained five years, and in 1924 was offered and accepted his present position as superintendent of the schools at Camas. While at Battle Ground, he established its first accredited high school. The Camas educational system comprises a high school of fifteen rooms, ten teachers and two hundred and fifteen pupils; a junior high school, with six teachers and two hundred pupils; the Central grade school, with ten teachers and three hundred and fifty pupils; the Oak Park school, with four teachers and one hundred and twenty five pupils; the Forest Home school, with two teachers and seventy-six pupils; and the Prune Hill school, with one teacher and twenty-five pupils. In addition to the teachers, each school has a principal, and there is also a general music supervisor and a primary supervisor. Under Captain Lash's able supervision the schools have made excellent progress and are maintained at a standard of efficiency that will compare favorably with any other schools in the state. In November, 1912, Captain Lash was united in marriage with Miss Rae Everett, who was born in Pennsylvania, in which state they had been acquainted, and who came to Washington to visit relatives. They have a daughter, Barbara E., who was born in Ellensburg in 1916. In his political views the Captain has always been a republican and has taken active and effective interest in public affairs. While living in Skamania county he served as chairman of the republican county central committee, and now holds the same position in Clark county. He is a member of Skamania Lodge, No. 207, A. F. & A. M., in which he has passed through the chairs; Tacoma Consistory, A. A. S. R.; Afifi Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Tacoma, of which he is captain of the patrol; the Sons of the American Revolution; the American Legion; and the Phi Delta Kappa honorary college fraternity. He organized Argonne Post No. 11, A. L., at Battle Ground, the first Legion post in Clark county, but which has since disbanded. He is now commander of Battery E, Four Hundred and Twelfth Field Artillery Reserves. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club, of which he is a past president and is now a district trustee. He has been active in educational societies, being a member of the Clark County Educational Association, of which he was twice president in 1914 and 1927; the Kititas Valley Schoolmasters Association, of which he is a past president; the Skamania County Educational Association, of which he was president during 1921-22-23; and is now chairman of the department of superintendents of the Washington State Educational Association. He received the degree of Bachelor of Pedagogy from the Pennsylvania State Teachers College in 1911; Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington in 1923; and his Master's degree from that institution in 1926. A well educated, symmetrically developed man, keeping abreast of the times in advanced educational methods, he is recognized as one of the leading educators of his section of the state, and because of his earnest life, high attainments, well rounded character and large influence, he commands to a marked degree the respect and esteem of all who have come in contact with him. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 546-547 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/clark/bios/lash6gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb