We have fondest memories of Mrs.
Alva Reynolds who was the epitome of classroom teachers.
Also we recall our mother, Adeline Connors, as a substitute
teacher. The normally sedate and well-behaved Ken Connors
threw a broom on the roof that day, probably to exhibit
his independence from his mother. Mom sent Ken up on the
roof to retrieve the broom. Score one for the teacher.
Games:
Softball, coed, all ages, but the equipment was usually
a taped up ball and similar bat. We learned not to pull
the ball to left field, because it was an out if it landed
in the highway.
Fox and geese in the winter. A big circle in the snow,
with four spokes to the wheel. One fox, which had to catch
one of the geese, who then became the fox. Great exercise
for all.
Hail-e-over. The spelling may be wrong, and the rules
have faded from memory, but we threw the volleyball over
the school to another student who caught it, then it seems
everyone ran, probably with an objective similar to fox
and geese. We sure must have liked running after one another.
Special people we remember:
Charlie Capell – We don't remember if he actually
filled anyone's britches with buckshot for going over
the fence or the brook to his property, but we sure believed
he'd do it. That was back when fear was an acceptable
deterrent.
Dr. Maude Taylor Griswold – The official school
nurse. Did she administer shots, or are those recollections
of the older kids' scaring the little ones? Actually,
Joy passed out standing in line waiting her turn as Dr.
Griswold inserted the needle in the arm of the student
before her.
Lewis S. Mills – We respected
our rural supervisor, but we were in awe of him for
his role in "The Lure of the Litchfield Hills."
It just seemed that producing a magazine was outside
the realm of a person you actually knew.
Things we remember:
Collecting milkweed pods during WWII to be used in making
parachutes for the war effort. Also collecting tin foil
from gum wrappers and making balls of the foil —
our early efforts at recycling, but because of scarcity.
Taking turns putting the flag up in the morning. A proud
moment.
Upperclassmen having to start the fire in the morning,
and all of us helping to move the wood in the cellar
or stack it under the storeroom.
Writing our name in the corner of the blackboard when
we received permission to go to the outhouse.
Speaking of the outhouse, its annual episode of getting
tipped over on Halloween.
And speaking of Halloween, there were the horrors of
the basement with its special scary effects, and the
most common costume was built around a blackened face,
not yet politically incorrect.
The morning prayer, which also had not become politically
incorrect. We, being Catholic, had to be silent for
the final part of The Lord's Prayer.
Hymns of patriotism. That was the usual music lesson.
Those songs were more than just music. We were learning
about our country, our beliefs and our history.
How hard it was to concentrate on our own lower grade
lessons, when the really interesting things were being
taught to the older kids.
Holiday celebrations, whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas,
Valentine's Day ...... There was always an art lesson,
maybe a play, sometimes even refreshments.
The early copy machine — a box of purple jelly
that could magically reproduce a lesson sheet. Amazing!
Fishing in Leadmine Brook at lunchtime.
Repairing our books with cellophane tape at the end
of the school year, so they would be in good shape for
the next year.
