This is the school I attended from 1st grade through 4th grade. I think I am in this picture. Far left row, 4th one back. My mother cut my hair and she always got my bangs crooked. This picture would have been when I was in 1st grade. My aunt was my 1st grade teacher and she was very strict. I had to sit on the wall one time for misbehaving. That she was my aunt didn't get me any privileges. The book on the teacher's desk most likely was Fun With Dick and Jane.
A picture of the school. The building on the left was the elementary school. Down the hill on the left was the playground.
This was the cafeteria. On the far left with the door and steps was a school store. We could buy candy, cokes, milk and school supplies. I went in there every day to buy a carton of chocolate milk for lunch, to eat with my homemade pimento and cheese sandwich that I brought from home. I remember one morning my mother was late for work and didn't have time to make it. I was sure that meant she didn't love me anymore. I tried to make it myself but it was not good and my day at school was horrible because I did not have my mom's homemade pimento and cheese sandwich for lunch.
Before I stumbled across these pictures, I didn't even remember exactly what the cafeteria looked like. I cannot believe it was that small. The picture below is the inside of the cafeteria. We went to school during the summer months because it was a country school and we got out during the fall months to help our parents harvest the crops. During the summer the cafeteria only served sandwiches, hot dogs and hamburgers. They were already made and wrapped in wax paper. During the winter they served regular meals. I cannot believe after 60 years I can still remember this.
This is the auditorium. I was in this auditorium many times. I attended two graduations here, my older brother and older sister's and also attended many plays. I sat on my mother's lap through most of them because all the seats were occupied. It was a country school, but always had a big turnout for every event. Everyone knew each other. We were like one big family. My aunt was my 1st grade teacher and my 3rd grade teacher had at one time been engaged to my uncle. Many years later they got together again and married. Also, I cannot believed the auditorium was so small, it seemed so big to me as a child.
This is the gym. My brother played basketball in this gym and I don't think we ever missed a game. We would also go to cakewalks in it. I won a cake once. It was heated in the winter with a pot bellied stove. Which also reminds me, that we were still using an outhouse when the school consolidated in 1961. Sorry no picture of the outhouse.LOL
This house was located on the school's property and was where the Superintendent of Center School lived. When my mother was 16 her father died and she left home and became a nanny for the family that lived in the house at that time. So, she lived in this house for a couple of years. Across the gravel road about a mile down a field road is where my mother grew up. She also was a member of the church that can be seen to the side of the house. I have a lot of memories of this school.
