I attended the East Litchfield
School on Orchard Hill. My first teacher was Mr. Reynolds.
I was the only one in 1st grade. When my “Reading”
time was called I would walk down to him, he would scoop
me up, sit me on his knee and the lesson would begin!
I thought he was very special. It must have been his last
year because a picture taken the following year shows
a group of us with Miss Meager. She was with us several
years and liked very much.
In 8th grade I had Evelyn Ryan who boarded at my home
and, who introduced me to reading such books as Silas
Marner and A Tale of Two Cities. These were books she
owned. There was no Library Book Box at our school.
We may not have had a box but I think it can be safely
stated that ours was the only school in Harwinton to
have a donkey shed built on its property.
At some point, maybe 5th or 6th grade, my neighbor
Arnold Scoville began riding his donkey Jack to and
from school. His father built a shed so that old Jack
could be safely sheltered through the school hours.
I don’t recall any problems with that connection.
On the home trip we would start out just fine, Arnold
riding Jack, me walking. About half way home Jack would
flop down at the side of the road. We coaxed, prodded,
pulled his tail. That wore us out! We rested a bit.
More coaxing etc. Finally Jack would get on his feet
and Arnold would walk the rest of the way on his own
two feet. How many years this went on I don’t
remember.
Reunion plans sound very interesting. Wish I could
attend but aging brings limits. I’ll hit 97 in
just four more days.
