2016 Bicentennial Legacy Schools
of Indiana
Koscuisko County
Project
Sunday, January 31, 2016
This is East Wayne school circa 1939 when my husband (Glen Long, third row up second in from the right), was in second grade there. Early in the school year he got caught talking when the boy behind him taped him on the back and asked him a question.
The teacher said " You boys need to get up in front of the class and sing a song" So after a short conference they decided on a popular song of the day. It was named "Pistol Packin' Mama";starts out with "drinkin' beer in a cabaret and was I havin' fun! Then one night she caught me right and now I'm on the run!" Everyone in the room was amused except his teacher.
I so wish I had asked him to write all his classmates and teachers names.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Koscuisko County Indiana Schools 1835-1965 (continued)
After school jobs ( continued )
I got paid once in a while for helping my brother with his paper route.
I started babysitting when I was thirteen.
Got a job at Stephenson's, (they still have one in Elkhart I think) when I was buying my wedding trouseau. Bought the dress Diana wore to my wedding there. I made my sister Kerry's dress.
My favorite job was working for Marge Gast. I was a live-in babysitter part of the time after school and most summers. This helped me learn so many things: cooking ,sewing, first aid, child care, cleaning and on and on.
Even after I was married , Glen and I would stay with the kids when Marge and Bob had to go out of town.
After school jobs ( continued )
I got paid once in a while for helping my brother with his paper route.
I started babysitting when I was thirteen.
Got a job at Stephenson's, (they still have one in Elkhart I think) when I was buying my wedding trouseau. Bought the dress Diana wore to my wedding there. I made my sister Kerry's dress.
My favorite job was working for Marge Gast. I was a live-in babysitter part of the time after school and most summers. This helped me learn so many things: cooking ,sewing, first aid, child care, cleaning and on and on.
Even after I was married , Glen and I would stay with the kids when Marge and Bob had to go out of town.
What transportation was provided?
The county country kids were provided buses but we city kids walked. I remember walking down the middle of N. Washington St. after a big snow storm in January on the way to school ( only three blocks). Wires and limbs were down in the street. We just stayed away from them.
Was there a national event that occurred during your school years?
The second world war was still in progress in my early elementary years. I remember the scrap metal drives -huge mounds of cans ect. on the courthouse lawn. We had a good Victory garden. Every week at school we would buy stamps (a dime would buy one stamp) to be collected in a bond book. They would be turned. into War Bonds. Leather rationing was so bad that I have hammer toes from wearing shoes that were too small as I was growing.
Did you have after school jobs.
In grade school after school, once a week, I would take out my next door neighbor's "garbage" . After that I would take several books and a list of books she wanted to the library two blocks away and get her books.I loved this because I got to visit the upstairs where kids were not that welcome.
The county country kids were provided buses but we city kids walked. I remember walking down the middle of N. Washington St. after a big snow storm in January on the way to school ( only three blocks). Wires and limbs were down in the street. We just stayed away from them.
Was there a national event that occurred during your school years?
The second world war was still in progress in my early elementary years. I remember the scrap metal drives -huge mounds of cans ect. on the courthouse lawn. We had a good Victory garden. Every week at school we would buy stamps (a dime would buy one stamp) to be collected in a bond book. They would be turned. into War Bonds. Leather rationing was so bad that I have hammer toes from wearing shoes that were too small as I was growing.
Did you have after school jobs.
In grade school after school, once a week, I would take out my next door neighbor's "garbage" . After that I would take several books and a list of books she wanted to the library two blocks away and get her books.I loved this because I got to visit the upstairs where kids were not that welcome.
Did you participate in extra activities?:
When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade there was a May Fest performed in the armory/ gym next to Center Ward school
our class, along with several other same age classes, was enlisted to learn "The Sailor's Hornpipe", a classic tap number of the day. I don't know where they got all the bell bottom pants. We made the collars , ties and gob hats in art. Anyway we filled most of the gym floor and felt almost Busby Berkeley like. It probably looked great from the high bleacher seats. Toward the end they had an actual Maypole ceremony and I believe Katey Ann Kintzle ( don't remember her maiden name) was crowned May Queen.
I would have won the 6th grade spelling bee except that the girl who became our class valdictorian senior year beat me.
In my teens Miss Virol had me sing a solo on a radio broadcast. WRSW had not been in existence that long.
I went to lots of Saturday speech and vocal contests. Later I was asked to judge speech contests. Ooew those miserable bus rides to other schools.
The real speech prizes in my family went to my sister and my future sister in law years later. They were in the same class, went to state and excelled.
Tell about recess, school yard or games?
All the usual school yard "why am I the last one to be picked?'games were popular. There was dodge ball , Red Rover-Red Rover, shooting hoops was called Horse. I liked to find a cozy corner of the building out of the wind and skip rope or practice yells.
If weather was too bad for outside, the teacher would organize birthday party like games. I would have been happier reading a book.
In teen years occasionally I would go with friends to Walter's Drug Store , on Center St. a couple doors from Breading's Cigar store, after school for a "nickle coke". There were two other drugstores in town (Dufer's and Knight's) but Walter's was the hang-out.
Sometimes the "crowd " got a little loud. On one afternoon the owner came out from behind the counter and told the bigger kids in the group that it was time we either order more stuff or leave. One of the senior girls was so humiliated that she organized the rest of us (mostly younger kids) into a protest parade that marched around the Courthouse and straight to Knight's drugstore. We had already spent our nickle at Walters so Mr. Knight was not all that pleased to see us either.
When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade there was a May Fest performed in the armory/ gym next to Center Ward school
our class, along with several other same age classes, was enlisted to learn "The Sailor's Hornpipe", a classic tap number of the day. I don't know where they got all the bell bottom pants. We made the collars , ties and gob hats in art. Anyway we filled most of the gym floor and felt almost Busby Berkeley like. It probably looked great from the high bleacher seats. Toward the end they had an actual Maypole ceremony and I believe Katey Ann Kintzle ( don't remember her maiden name) was crowned May Queen.
I would have won the 6th grade spelling bee except that the girl who became our class valdictorian senior year beat me.
In my teens Miss Virol had me sing a solo on a radio broadcast. WRSW had not been in existence that long.
I went to lots of Saturday speech and vocal contests. Later I was asked to judge speech contests. Ooew those miserable bus rides to other schools.
The real speech prizes in my family went to my sister and my future sister in law years later. They were in the same class, went to state and excelled.
Tell about recess, school yard or games?
All the usual school yard "why am I the last one to be picked?'games were popular. There was dodge ball , Red Rover-Red Rover, shooting hoops was called Horse. I liked to find a cozy corner of the building out of the wind and skip rope or practice yells.
If weather was too bad for outside, the teacher would organize birthday party like games. I would have been happier reading a book.
In teen years occasionally I would go with friends to Walter's Drug Store , on Center St. a couple doors from Breading's Cigar store, after school for a "nickle coke". There were two other drugstores in town (Dufer's and Knight's) but Walter's was the hang-out.
Sometimes the "crowd " got a little loud. On one afternoon the owner came out from behind the counter and told the bigger kids in the group that it was time we either order more stuff or leave. One of the senior girls was so humiliated that she organized the rest of us (mostly younger kids) into a protest parade that marched around the Courthouse and straight to Knight's drugstore. We had already spent our nickle at Walters so Mr. Knight was not all that pleased to see us either.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
What is your favorite memory?:
As so often happens my favorite school memory was kind of a fluke. It happened right in the middle of my freshman year still in the Center Ward building which was right next to the Armory that housed our County Gym (you can see it in the back of my 6th grade picture).
Anyway. one of the cheer teem made a poor choice of activity after a big basketball game and was eliminated as what we, then, called a "yell leader".
The powers that be decided there would be try-outs in the gym and the entire student body would elect a replacement. I was sitting up in the bleachers with my friends and we were all encouraging / daring each other to try-out. I gave in and joined the line of candidates. Second to last I gave it my best effort using "Grrrrawh Tigers". Then we all filed into the consessions hall so that we could be voted on. I felt so inferior to the mostly older kids that I went to the end of the line and was last to run on to the gym floor. Each one was cheered when they appeared - I was afraid they would boo. Suddenly it was my turn. When I entered the gym the entire student body rose and cheered! I looked behind me in disbelief. But it really was me- a lowly freshman on the varsity cheer teem.
That lasted out the year; then when they chose again the next fall I was replaced by an acrobatic dancer from Chicago.
What are some fun or funny stories?:
In my high school junior year after home basketball games there was a cake walk. That was where students walked one direction, in a circle around a blindfolded student until the music stopped. Who ever was standing where the center pointer was pointing, won the cake. I was dating a college boy who worked nights in a factory to pay tuition. He very generously bought tickets for us. Just before the music stopped he gave me a little nudge that landed me directly in front of the pointer-so I won the cake. It was a gorgeous double layer with full filling and frosting. I was happy but disappointed that he had to leave right away and go to work. Just then a group of older "popular kids" came up and invited me to a party a few blocks away. My date said it was ok for me to take the cake and go. You can guess what happened. They almost demolished the cake. Then they started pairing up and going into dark rooms. I was left to walk home (three blocks) with the leftovers.
Yes. I did marry that college guy.
As so often happens my favorite school memory was kind of a fluke. It happened right in the middle of my freshman year still in the Center Ward building which was right next to the Armory that housed our County Gym (you can see it in the back of my 6th grade picture).
Anyway. one of the cheer teem made a poor choice of activity after a big basketball game and was eliminated as what we, then, called a "yell leader".
The powers that be decided there would be try-outs in the gym and the entire student body would elect a replacement. I was sitting up in the bleachers with my friends and we were all encouraging / daring each other to try-out. I gave in and joined the line of candidates. Second to last I gave it my best effort using "Grrrrawh Tigers". Then we all filed into the consessions hall so that we could be voted on. I felt so inferior to the mostly older kids that I went to the end of the line and was last to run on to the gym floor. Each one was cheered when they appeared - I was afraid they would boo. Suddenly it was my turn. When I entered the gym the entire student body rose and cheered! I looked behind me in disbelief. But it really was me- a lowly freshman on the varsity cheer teem.
That lasted out the year; then when they chose again the next fall I was replaced by an acrobatic dancer from Chicago.
What are some fun or funny stories?:
In my high school junior year after home basketball games there was a cake walk. That was where students walked one direction, in a circle around a blindfolded student until the music stopped. Who ever was standing where the center pointer was pointing, won the cake. I was dating a college boy who worked nights in a factory to pay tuition. He very generously bought tickets for us. Just before the music stopped he gave me a little nudge that landed me directly in front of the pointer-so I won the cake. It was a gorgeous double layer with full filling and frosting. I was happy but disappointed that he had to leave right away and go to work. Just then a group of older "popular kids" came up and invited me to a party a few blocks away. My date said it was ok for me to take the cake and go. You can guess what happened. They almost demolished the cake. Then they started pairing up and going into dark rooms. I was left to walk home (three blocks) with the leftovers.
Yes. I did marry that college guy.
I am writing this on my blog because I can print it out for a second use at the Koscuisko County Historical Society Museum.
At the museum we have a large project depicting schools in the county along with pictures. It will become a book called "Koscuisko County Indiana Schools 1835 -1965".
Our geneaology library director gave me a list of questions that I will use as an outline for this dissertation.
What schools did you attend?: West Ward stood at west end of Main street where Madison school was and now Gateway . When we moved two blocks from Center Ward school I went there and stayed in that double building through ninth grade.
It was so great that my favorite place, the Warsaw Public Library, was right across the street. I attended high school at the high school building three years because ninth grade was in the Center Ward location. Warsaw High on Main street is now Retired Tigers.
I did attend the old grade school at Claypool one day.
Shortly after Dad got remarried we moved to this old farmhouse with a big porch and a dumb waiter. More about that in a later blog post. Anyway, my brother was 6 so ready to go to school on the bus. I was just barely 5 and envious that he got to go somewhere with a bunch of kids on a bus. Thinking like 5 year olds do ( not thinking it out), I sneeked on to the bus with him. Good thing it was still warm 'cause, I only had on a play dress and shoes. K., my brother seemed ok with it so I just followed him into his class and sat near him. The teacher caught on pretty quickly but she was nice about the situation. They could not call my parents because there was no phone in the old house. I just remember going uptown to get a loaf of bread and lunch meat with K. for lunch. Somehow they worked it out that I would just go home on the bus at the proper time. They probably made it clear that I would not return until next year.
s
What subjects did you take? Why? Favorite class?:
In addition to the usual reading and math we had classical handwriting classes. Of course it was writing in cursive. Star stickered examples were chosen to hang on the walls out in the hall.
Later favorite classes were American Literature, Speech, Choir and Art.
Who were your teachers?:
Mrs. Lower was a patient and kind first grade teacher at West Ward. Mrs Mendel made me feel welcome in second grade Center Ward. My very favorite teacher and principal was Mr. Russell Harmon. He was a firm but fair educator. When we were struggling with parts of speech he stopped the progression and made sure that we all "got " what was important. We really benefited from that when we entered Mrs. Braddock's senior English class.
At the museum we have a large project depicting schools in the county along with pictures. It will become a book called "Koscuisko County Indiana Schools 1835 -1965".
Our geneaology library director gave me a list of questions that I will use as an outline for this dissertation.
What schools did you attend?: West Ward stood at west end of Main street where Madison school was and now Gateway . When we moved two blocks from Center Ward school I went there and stayed in that double building through ninth grade.
It was so great that my favorite place, the Warsaw Public Library, was right across the street. I attended high school at the high school building three years because ninth grade was in the Center Ward location. Warsaw High on Main street is now Retired Tigers.
I did attend the old grade school at Claypool one day.
Shortly after Dad got remarried we moved to this old farmhouse with a big porch and a dumb waiter. More about that in a later blog post. Anyway, my brother was 6 so ready to go to school on the bus. I was just barely 5 and envious that he got to go somewhere with a bunch of kids on a bus. Thinking like 5 year olds do ( not thinking it out), I sneeked on to the bus with him. Good thing it was still warm 'cause, I only had on a play dress and shoes. K., my brother seemed ok with it so I just followed him into his class and sat near him. The teacher caught on pretty quickly but she was nice about the situation. They could not call my parents because there was no phone in the old house. I just remember going uptown to get a loaf of bread and lunch meat with K. for lunch. Somehow they worked it out that I would just go home on the bus at the proper time. They probably made it clear that I would not return until next year.
s
What subjects did you take? Why? Favorite class?:
In addition to the usual reading and math we had classical handwriting classes. Of course it was writing in cursive. Star stickered examples were chosen to hang on the walls out in the hall.
Later favorite classes were American Literature, Speech, Choir and Art.
Who were your teachers?:
Mrs. Lower was a patient and kind first grade teacher at West Ward. Mrs Mendel made me feel welcome in second grade Center Ward. My very favorite teacher and principal was Mr. Russell Harmon. He was a firm but fair educator. When we were struggling with parts of speech he stopped the progression and made sure that we all "got " what was important. We really benefited from that when we entered Mrs. Braddock's senior English class.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Sixth Grade Center Ward Mid 1940s
Eddie Hatfield, Kay Mc Coy, Allen Hartman, Leo Grow, Ralph Neer, Marlene Kelly, Deon Himes, Vallory Wyman, Carolyn Shole, Harold Sheppler, Clara Bell Grow, Rodney Lowman, Garnet Hyde, Martha Neer.
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