My elementary school years were a one-room school, Campbell School, next door to our home. Most of those years I was the only one in my class. One teacher taught all eight grades. There wasn’t a principal as is known today. The superintendent traveled from school to school, as did the country doctor, Dr. Maude Griswold.

Woodstove was the heating system. Even though I lived in an area where boys outnumbered girls, many a day the fire didn’t get started. When old enough I was paid fifteen cents per day to start the fire so the school would be warm. It was the boys job to keep fire going during the day.

There was no plumbing; there was a boys and girls outhouse or privy. Drinking water came from our house, carried by pail and put into a crock with a spigot. Because the water was from our house, our water was tested to be sure it was OK for school. I was lucky living next door to the school I didn’t have to use the privy and went home for lunch.

I graduated from Campville School in 1948; the only one in my class. In the fall I entered Torrington High School into a class of 230 more or less students, cultural shock to say the least.

We had several teachers, Miss Barnhart, Miss Conway, Miss Weekes, Mrs. Ball (my favorite) Alice O’Neill was supervisor and Mr. Blair was the superintendent I remember. Maybe once did Lewis Mills come to our school.

World War II was underway during my early years at Campbell School. The gas rationing made rural living that more isolated. Near the top of Wild Cat Hill Rd., on the south side was a “look-out shack” for plane observation. My mom was one of the volunteer spotters. These spotters needed to identify planes. I knew the identification of nearly every plane. These spottings had to be called in. If the party line was in use then the spotter would say “Army Flash” and the people talking would hang up and the caller would call in the plane identification.

The 4H Clubs were an integral part of my youth. I learned to sew, can food and bake. Sewing was my favorite. In the fall was fall time. For years I entered my sewing and canning for competition in the Harwinton Fair.