The Douglas County/Days Creek School District 15, with schools in Tiller and Days Creek, Oregon, is large in geography and small in population. The western boundary is only five miles off of I-5 but extends to the east another fifty miles along the strikingly beautiful South Umpqua River. With only 255 students district-wide K - 12, our students benefit from small classes and teachers who know them well.

History:

In the year of 1853, John Perdue, his wife, the former Mary Mills, and their children came to make their home in what is now known as Days Creek. They had come the Roseburg area two years earlier from Missouri, although they were both Virginia born. Since both of them came from a long line of ministers and educators, they felt that their children, as well as others in the neighborhood, should begin school. There was as yet no organized district within travelling distance, so Mr. Perdue started teaching classes in their small log cabin, which was located not far from the present intersection of Days Creek Road and the state highway. In 1856, the first school district was formed with David Fate, Ike Boyle, and Mr. Perdue as members of the first Board of Directors. George T. Day, from whom Days Creek eventually took its name, donated a plot of land near the falls in Days Creek and soon a log school house was erected. G.W. Marshall was the first teacher at the school, which held a three month session in the summer. That time of year was ideal because the river was fordable and most trails were passable. Mr. Marshall was paid by subscription with each family giving $20.00 for the term. The families also took turns providing room and board for the teacher. 

In 1870 and item in "The Roseburg Ensign" tells of the burning of the aforementioned school building on March 23rd. The cause was probable arson because all of the books and supplies had been removed prior to the fire. By that time the term had been extended to six months; three in spring and three in fall. In a short time a new school was built of sawed lumber, board and bannen style, located at the back of what is now known as the old school grounds, adjacent to the bridge over Days Creek. There were as many as seventy pupils, ranging from five to twenty years in age. Since the teacher often went far afield of the three R's, teaching higher mathematics, Latin, and other complicated subjects, the older students were often pressed into service as assistants to the younger ones.