Schools: New Boston

 This is a second article dedicated to Don Wagner who loved his school days and the town itself; Don collected these memories from former students to create a lasting memory for future New Bostonian and Lee County generations. These memories are extracted from Don’s two books entitled
However,

The Rural School Team hopes to do another article in the future to include more of the memorable times at New Boston School.
   
New Boston School is the seventh in the series on Lee County rural school houses. The school, according to school records, was a one-room school until 1917 and was located in Charleston Township, Section 35. With the increase in students, it became necessary to hire two teachers and remained a two-room school until it was closed in 1960. During 1960-61 the building was used for Special Education Classes taught by Mrs. Vera Saums.

According to plat maps, in 1874 the first New Boston School was located three-fourths of a mile south of New Boston on the W. Hamilton property; in 1897, the map shows a school on the corner of the M.H. Frame property on the corner of Elm and Main Streets. This building burned to the ground on February 23, 1900; a new one was built the same year. The old school had a wood or coal stove but the new school had a coal furnace in each of the two rooms. Sometime in the ‘50s, these were replaced by oil burners. The old lighting was of “lantern like” gas lamps that were pumped and hung from the ceilings but were finally replaced with electric lighting in 1947. Water was from a well next to the southwest corner of the school and was carried into the school in buckets and poured into a stone jar with a spigot. The well had a tin cup hanging from a wire and was used by everyone.

There were a dozen or more large ash, elm and maple trees on the ground; the entrance to the grounds in front of the school was of two tall hedge posts with a cross member on top, making a portal about 12 feet wide and 8 feet high. On the south side was the playground; on the north was the ball diamond. It was generally understood, although not a rule, the south side was for the “little” room and the north for the “big” room. The schoolhouse had an entrance into a vestibule with four doors. The door on the left was for the upper grades’ cloak room; straight ahead was the upper room; next door on the right was lower grades rooms; the second on the right to the lower grades’ cloak room.  

Hugh Roberts, when he was coming up on his 82nd birthday, wrote his memories; he stated they are like yesterday and he wished he could relive some of those days.   Hugh begins with his memories after moving back to New Boston and starting the second grade in 1927.  He would walk to school or ride his horse and remembers walking home from school barefooted many times on the fresh graded-dirt road.  Hugh recalls when the roads were closed after a big snowstorm the farmers would shovel it by hand all the way to New Boston.

Hugh remembers the old school was painted white since his father painted it more than once and he had the opportunity to paint the outhouses. Students took turns pulling the rope to ring the bell at the beginning of the school day, recess, and at noon.  Hugh recalls getting himself into trouble on many occasions and he has fond memories of a “big guy” named Tooner Nelson who would always protect him. He states he can’t remember all the kids but recalls the family names of Hancocks, Webers, Anthonys, Bergholds, Henzels, Pezleys, Wilhelms, and Slaters.   

Donna Wilhelm Doyle states when recalling childhood memories the first things that come to mind are of the school and church, and both were in walking distance from their house. Kindergarten wasn’t offered when she began school so she began in the first grade and continued into second grade with Miss Roberta Foley as her teacher. Mrs. Alice Leisy taught the third and fourth grade and Mrs. Eula Knight taught her through the eighth grade.  

Donna recalls all the students worked very hard to perfect their Christmas plays and programs, since it often meant a brand new dress.  She was a member of 4-H with Rosie Huff as their leader; she recalls choosing sides and playing ball during school recess. This helped teach good sportsmanship. 

Garnett Slater Swanson’s first thought of school was her first day of first grade. There was a bad rainstorm and as a loud clap of thunder sounded, she jumped into the teacher’s lap. That teacher was Miss Cutler (later Mrs. Satterly) and is a teacher she remembers most fondly. She recalls beginning the school day with the Pledge of Allegiance and how the students took turns washing the chalkboards, dusting the erasers, and sharpening pencils. Garnett admits to having to stay after school once in a while and write “I will not talk in school” 100 times as a reminder to pay attention. Another fond memory was how the end of the school year picnic was for everyone in town, which included playing ball, participating in sack races, eating great food and sharing a lot of fellowship.

Charlene Wagner Hall remembers the only Oriole nest she ever saw was hanging from a tree on the school grounds on the way to the girl’s room. Some of the games played outside were Flying Dutchman, Drop the Hankie, and Mother May I, among others; in the winter when there was snow on the ground, Fox and Geese. She recalls jumping rope and playing softball; there was a slide and if you sat at the top facing south and gave a yell, there would be an echo. Inside games such as checkers and Chinese checkers were played in the “little” room; a game that chose sides to run and write names on the blackboard was a favorite and the row that finished first was the winner. In addition there was a library and she recalls a book entitled Angle Worms Creamed on Toast where the mother would ask the little boy every morning what he wanted for breakfast and he would reply “angle worms on toast.” Finally, the mother fixed it and he never asked for it again. Does anyone remember it?

When Charlene was in 7th grade she recalls her teacher, Helen Wall, made soup for the kids who brought their lunch. Everyone would bring a vegetable or meat along, with their own bowl and spoon.
There was always a Christmas play and the students would draw names and exchange gifts.   Her two favorite teachers were Shirley and Roberta Foley.
 
If residents have submitted memories and would like to have them published, expand on what they have already submitted, or know someone who has not submitted their memories and would like to do so, please forward these memories to the Genealogy Department to the attention of Diane Kruse or Carolyn Dischler. ~ Researched and submitted by Diane Kruse