It was called School #2 – the typical box-like building with white clapboard siding, Vermont slate roof, an open front woodshed, and pit toilets all in one structure.  This was located about a mile from any home, thus giving every student equal opportunity for a brisk morning walk of 20 minutes to half an hour to school. The only building in sight was an old run-down hay barn about 300 yards away where the teacher stabled her horse.

We had no electric light or running water.  Water was obtained from a small spring 200 feet or so down a steep incline from the school.  A tin dipper for all to use was hung on the stub of a nearby limb.  Water from here was carried by pail to the coatroom where another communal cup was available for those who chose not to go down the sometimes slippery path to the spring.

The heat was from the pot-belly stove located about the center of the room.  A large chalkboard covered the back wall over which roll-up maps could be drawn down for the study of geography or history.

The desks were arranged for light to come from the back and left sides of the room.  These two walls were of continuous windows which provided ample lighting.

The school sat at the intersection of a side road, offering a large open area which was our playground  – with play interrupted only by the occasional horse and wagon or a rare automobile.  Our playground equipment consisted of a rope swing, (hung from the limb of an American elm), a simple teeter-totter of a plank and sawhorse, and a large boulder (a place to put other rocks to knock off with smaller rocks – our version of “duck on a rock”).  A mixing of other games such as tag, hide and seek, hop-scotch, 123 red light, were a part of our recess and noontime games.  However, there was another form of recreation that we older boys enjoyed in the winter, and especially after new-fallen snow.  After hurriedly eating our lunch, we would go to the nearby woods and find a fresh snow-shoe rabbit track.  We would follow this on a run, with the hope of catching up to and seeing it.  This was done with the complete sound effects of a baying rabbit hound – quite musical!!  In today’s world, we would probably be referred to a psychiatrist for observation!

At noontime one of the older boys carried a pail of water to the aforementioned horse, that the teacher drove to school, and fed it a container of oats.  The teacher, a maiden lady, and her bachelor brother lived on a dairy farm, and as of 1929 neither one had married or owned a car.

Christmas was always a joyous time – a fresh-cut tree trimmed with strings of popcorn, cranberries, and chains of paper loops.  This is a time long before Scotch tape and the beautiful gift wrapping.  Thus, all gifts were hung or placed on the tree unwrapped.  This gave the tree extra color and charm as the various neckties, socks, bandanas, pens, pencils, etc., all displayed for all to see.  Everyone got an orange and a popcorn ball.

Still sits the schoolhouse by the road, but fortunately not a ragged beggar sleeping.  Someone has loved it enough to make it a summer home.  The open meadow behind it is a forest, the American elm is long gone as is the barn.  Time goes on – – but it cannot erase the wonderful memories I have of those carefree days at #2 – the era of the horse and buggy!

by Richard J. Thayer