As I was the oldest in the 8th
grade, Miss DeZinno would send me with younger students
on Special errands. I remember going with Donald Smith
to exchange hooks at Clearview School. As we crossed the
bridge at Red Hole, our swimming area, a snake lay in
the road. I surprised Donald when I picked it up by the
tail, wiggled it for a bit then threw it into the bushes.
We would also get a Christmas tree and bring it back
for decorating with hand-made ornaments out of green
and red construction paper. We cut strips and glued
them together for a colorful garland for our tree.
The library box filled with a variety of books from
Hungerford Library was a great treat. I devoured as
many as I could during the month we had the box.
Harwinton fair was another highlight of our school
year. Miss DeZinno would pick out the students outstanding
papers and put them in a booklet to be entered at the
Fair for a prize. It was an honor to have yours picked.
Since the Fairgrounds was on Locust Road, we were allowed
to go there to see workers setting up the Ferris Wheel,
Merry-G-Round etc. It was an exciting time. Students
from each of our ten one-room schools were picked to
sing on the bandstand. Mr. Mills would introduce us
then say a few words.
At one point my parents moved from our grandparents
farm to the “Baldwin Place” and then to
the “Foster Place” on Burlington Road. We
then attended Four Corners School where Miss Mildred
Walsh was the teacher.
We had to help clean the blackboards then clap the
erasers outside to rid them of chalk dust. We had to
clean our desks out before leaving for home. Some students
were chosen to inspect our desks. I remember reporting
that Richard Castelli’s desk was messy. I think
he might have wanted to kick me!
At recess or lunch break we would play dodge-ball or
go fishing in a nearby brook with a safety pin fashioned
for a hook. I never had much luck.
I also remember the Fenn Family being so good to us.
We carried water from their well and on special occasions
they would provide us with apples.
I remember Miss Walsh sending my brother Carlton to
an area above the classroom for some reason or other
and him putting his foot through the ceiling. It was
very funny!
I was astonished when Mohiba Mogob pierced her ears
and inserted a string in them to keep them from closing
up.
Miss Walsh had us do a project on France. We learned
the “French National Anthem & Aloueta”.
I still remember some of the words.
On Fridays, at both schools, we learned poems. “Under
the Spreading Chestnut Tree the Village Smitty Stands”
or “Little Orphan”
We had Speaking and spelling contests with other schools.
I remember I was scared stiff!
Another highlight of the school year was graduation
at the Harwinton Congregational Church. Ceremonies were
earlier held at the old Town Hall on South Road. I graduated
in June of 1935 leaving behind all those happy days
of my youth in the one-room schoolhouses.
