| My life was probably somewhat different from many children as I lived on a farm. Consequently I lived on a gravel road which was "more dirt than gravel." Passing cars churned up the dust which blew in every direction. If it was a wind-still day, the dust just hung there until another car stirred it. In summer our house was kept closed during the day and opened at night to let in the cooler dust-free air.My brother and I walked a mile to and from Little School every day. The only time my father took us was when it was really muddy. He would fire up the Model-T Ford (we called it the puddle jumper) and we were off. We took our lunch in metal lunch pails. Water pumped from the well in the school yard was provided in a wooden bucket with a common ladle. The "restrooms" back of the building were in each corner of the yard, boys on the left and girls on the right. There was no electricity so we depended on the long windows on the south side of the two rooms to provide enough sunlight to study. Recess found everyone outside to play, and on rainy days the teacher played the piano and we sang. Father attended that same school and walked that road 40 years before I did. |