Scobey to Cut Bank, My Great Uncle Was a School Discipline Legend

I was getting a tour of the high school in Scobey when I asked, I think it was Burl Bowler, if he had ever known a school superintendent named Kedric Flint. "Ohh." And his eyes lit up.

That's when he started telling the story of a wily young man "pinging off the walls" of the school hallway. Mr. Flint grabbed him by the shirt collar and threw him up against the wall, right here next to this drinking fountain, he told me. And you never heard of any problems with that young man ever again.

That was several years ago now, I think right around when KCGM radio was raising a bunch of money for the new swimming pool in Scobey.

Apparently my great uncle Kedric Flint was quite the disciplinarian as a school superintendent back in the day- from Scobey to Cut Bank.

Background: I was out in Bismarck, ND back in the day doing a coal tour and got to chatting with a Public Service Commissioner who grew up in NE Montana, and he had told me that he knew of a Flint who was a school superintendent, so that's what got me to ask about him when touring the school.

After sharing that story on the radio a number of years ago, I got a phone call from a guy in Clark, Wyoming who said he knew Mr. Flint in the schools in Cut Bank- and yes, he was quite the disciplinarian.

A few days ago, one of our friends in Scobey told me about how the Daniels County Museum & Pioneer Town had shared his photo on Facebook. The comments were great!

Here's a couple:

Garnet Fladager: "Mr Flint. Boy did the halls and everything change after he came. We learned quickly he ran a tight ship and we better be aware! His daughter Kay was in our class (1971). She was a sweetheart! My dad (Charles Humbert) was on the school board when he was hired."

Bud Veis: "I do remember the paddle was alive and well in his day. He meant what he said."