Cottonwood Chronicle

A Legacy of Learning: Mr. Wassmuth's 43rd trip to Spalding

Some teachers leave the classroom, but never stop teaching. Mr. Urban Wassmuth, a beloved retired Prairie Elementary educator, is one of those teachers.
Mr. Wassmuth taught at Prairie for an incredible 38 years, retiring in 2012. But retirement hasn’t slowed him down when it comes to sharing his love of Idaho history. Every spring, like clockwork, Mr. Wassmuth joins Prairie’s 4th grade students on their field trip to Spalding National Park. This year marked his 43rd trip to the park—a tradition that continues to enrich generations of students.
At Spalding, Mr. Wassmuth leads a walking tour filled with fascinating stories from Idaho’s past. From Lewis and Clark’s journey down the Clearwater River to the missionaries who settled in Lapwai, he brings history to life with energy, passion, and an unmatched trove of “first facts.” He also shares legends and cultural insights from the Nez Perce Tribe—the Nimíipuu—helping students connect deeply with the land and its people.
Among the many tales Mr. Wassmuth is known for, two favorites always stand out. One tells of a long bus the Native American children once rode to school, which was decorated with a horse’s head on the front and a tail on the back. That image never fails to capture students' imaginations.
The other favorite is the legend of the little boy who was turned to stone for disobeying. The stone still stands in Spalding National Park, and Mr. Wassmuth invites each class to visit it. He tells the students, “If you knock on the stone and ask, ‘Little boy, little boy, can I get you anything?’—he’ll always answer, ‘Nothing at all.’” Every year, the 4th graders (except those with older siblings who have spoiled the punchline) eagerly gather around the stone, knocking with hopeful excitement… only to hear the legendary silence of the little boy who says “nothing at all.”
This year we did not think Mr. Wassmuth was going to be able to join us, but to our surprise, he met us in the park and joined us once again! Even more special, four of this year’s parent chaperones had made the same trip with him as 4th graders themselves—and now walked the trail again with their own children. Over the years, Mr. Wassmuth has also guided many of his own “last students,” as well as several nieces, nephews, and even great-nieces and great-nephews through the same memorable experience. For many families, the Spalding field trip with Mr. Wassmuth has become a cherished multigenerational tradition.
Thank you, Mr. Wassmuth, for continuing to bring Idaho’s history to life. Your stories, humor, and heart make this trip unforgettable year after year.

Four Prairie Elementary parents join Mr. Wassmuth on this year’s 4th grade field trip to Spalding. Each of them took the same trip with him as students—and now return as parents, passing the tradition on to a new generation.

Mr. Wassmuth captivates students as he points out the site where the Whitmans built Idaho’s first gristmill—one of many “firsts” he shares during his legendary walking tour of Spalding National Park.

Students gather around the legendary stone boy as Mr. Wassmuth shares the Nimíipuu tale of the child who was turned to stone for disobedience. Each year, students knock and ask, “Little boy, little boy, can I get you anything?”—only to hear the classic reply of nothing, nothing at all.